Massapequa family's birthday triple play

Jacquie Parker and her husband, Paul, joked throughout her pregnancy that she should have a Caesarean section to ensure their baby was born on the birthday they both share: July 19.

As it turned out, Paul Parker noted, "we didn't need to."

Mason Parker was born at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park at 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, making the 19th of July a triple birthday for the Parker family of Massapequa. The possibility of all three family members sharing the same birthday came to mind when Jacquie Parker's doctor said her due dates were all on or around July 19, but they weren't expecting it to happen.

"We thought it would be possible," Paul Parker said. "But the doctor kept saying, 'Don't count on it because first-time mothers usually blow past that due date.' "

Jacquie Parker started feeling cramps Monday night, breathing life into the birthday dream. But when little changed for four or five hours on Tuesday afternoon, it seemed to be fading.

Paul Parker joked about how disappointing it would have been if Mason was born a few minutes after midnight, dashing the chance of a trifecta.

But they lucked out. Mason was born naturally with 30 minutes left in the special day, weighing in at 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and measuring 20 1/2 inches long.

What is important to Jacquie and Paul is that Mason is healthy. The fact that he shares their birthday, according to his father?

"A little icing on the birthday cake."