New Year’s celebrations began at Naval Hospital Oak Harbor in the early hours of Jan. 1 when proud parents David and Courtney Ackerman delivered Whidbey Island’s first baby of 2015.

Mackenzie Ackerman made her debut into the world at 6:13 a.m. New Year’s Day. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces.

David Ackerman is assigned to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station’s Fleet Readiness Center as an Aviation Electrician’s Mate First Class. He is from Olney, Md. His wife, Courtney, is from Toms River, N.J., and is also active duty. They currently reside in Oak Harbor.

Baby MacKenzie was named by combining David’s birth family name of McKenzie with Courtney’s maiden name of Maclaine. She is the couple’s first daughter and second child to big brother Cole, who is 20 months old.

When asked how Cole reacted to his new baby sister, Courtney replied, “He is very curious, but also very excited.”

The Naval Hospital Oak Harbor Special Delivery Unit delivers 340-360 babies each year and staffers expressed excitement about having delivered the first child on Whidbey Island in 2015.As of press time, Whidbey General Hospital had yet to deliver a baby in the new year.