Cameron Blake Shackelford

Proud parents Geoff and Brook Shackelford of Columbia welcomed a baby boy Monday. Cameron Blake Shackelford was born at 12:56 p.m., weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 21¼ inches long.
Cameron is the second son for Geoff, who works in member services at Boone Electric, and Brook, who is an optometric assistant for Eyecare of Columbia.
Big brother Gavin, 5, is excited about the new arrival, although illness has prevented him from seeing his brother yet.
Brook said Cameron was born a week early, but that the birth went very quickly.
Geoff said that Cameron was a lot smaller than big brother Gavin was when he was born, as Gavin weighed 10 pounds. He added that Cameron doesn’t have as much hair as Gavin did, but that they both have cowlicks in the front.
Cameron’s parents have decorated his nursery in a jungle theme.
Preparing for a baby in the midst of the holiday season requires having a lot of back-up plans, Geoff said. He said the family made sure they wouldn’t be traveling, just in case.
Cameron’s grandparents are very excited, too, Brook said. The excited grandparents are Don and Nancy Lough of New Franklin; Loren and Patricia Shackelford of Poplar Bluff; and Kathleen Shelton of Salem.

Editor’s note: The Missourian recognizes that all babies are special. That’s why the baby of the week is chosen at random.