Welcome Michael Adam Solis

He has arrived! Our beautiful baby boy made his long-anticipated entrance to the world at 2:30 PM on Wednesday August 13, 2008. He weighed in at a tiny 5 lbs 6 oz and measured just 18.5 inches....much to his not-so-petite parents' surprise! :) We couldn't be more excited to finally hold Michael Adam in our arms and to finally be "mommy and daddy."

It all happened VERY quickly. A sudden rise in my blood pressure and a sonogram that showed too little amniotic fluid prompted the doctor to send me to hospital Wednesday morning where they began inducing labor. However, when they gave me the initial "test" run of pitocin, even the lightest contractions sent the baby's heart rate plummeting

(and, of course, with all the monitors I was hooked up to, I could hear the rise and fall every time, each drop followed by the doctor and nurses suddenly bursting in my room...quite nerveracking to say the least). The doctor decided that inducing labor would be too stressful on the baby and quickly sent me to the operating room for a c-section. So after being in the hospital a mere two and a half hours, Michael Adam was delivered safe and sound and all wrapped up in the umbilical cord....so the decision to perform a c-section was most definitely the best one in this situation. We thank a kind and loving Heavenly Father for guiding the doctors and everyone involved to ensure that Michael's arrival was safe and complication-free.

He's happy, healthy, and gaining weight like crazy--at his 5 day pediatrician visit he'd already gained 4 oz beyond his birth weight!

Now I'm at home recuperating and thoroughly enjoying a complete break from work to be with little Michael. Sergio and I couldn't be happier and know we have been blessed beyond measure to have this little guy join the Solis family.

Getting Close!!

Only six more weeks!! I've officially reached the super size stage and seem to be able to do nothing but waddle from one point to another. It's quite a sight!!

Me in June....

And July...

Beach Fun

June included a fun-filled family beach weekend....dogs and all. It was Prince's first visit to the ocean, and while he excitedly waded into the waves at first...

...after being "brutally attacked" by the first real wave (or was it Serg tossing him through the air to dive into the water?), Prince decided he was definitely finished. He frantically headed back to our shaded oasis on the beach. We had such a blast as a family...we can't wait to go back (well, maybe Prince can) !! :)

Growing like a weed

As you can see, our little bub is growing like crazy...and taking my entire body along for the ride!!  :)

Master Solis

It was quite the year, but I actually did it! Two weeks ago I graduated from Sam Houston State with my Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. Working full time and going to grad school full time (at a campus 8 hours from home!) proved to be quite the challenge...especially when pregnancy was thrown into the mix...but I somehow made it and saw it through to the finish. Whew!! I will admit there were moments I thought either work or school would have to go, but I'm so blessed to have a husband who knows me well enough to know those moments of stress are usually over by the next day--he kept me going and pushing to the finish. Thanks babe!!

What a treat to have my parents there with us--that meant so much.

Definitely a boy!

I can't believe it's taken so long to post the most recent ultrasound pics of Baby Solis (well, the 16 week sonogram. I'm now at 25 weeks!) It's quite evident we have a little boy on the way. :)

Strong Man Serg

OK, and I'm back (better late than never, right?) I feel like in just a few weeks my body has suddenly doubled in size...as strange and new and uncomfortable as this feels, I have to admit that it's just way too fun to finally feel AND look pregnant. People can now see there's a reason I act the way I do.

A couple of weeks ago, both Sergio and I were able to take a weekend off and spend a couple of nights in Houston. We returned to the Houston temple for the first time since getting married there in November 2004 (not long after a temple was built in San Antonio which is only 3 1/2 hours away versus Houston's 7), which was nothing short of wonderful.





Then, last weekend, Serg suddenly decided to enter the "Strong Man Competition" at our local Gold's Gym. He ended up coming in FIRST PLACE in the Hummer pull (yep, exactly what it sounds like....they strapped him to a Hummer and he pulled it across the parking lot as fast as he could) and fifth place overall. It was incredibly fun to cheer him on, though I got my first sunburn of the spring/summer for sitting out in the blazing south TX sun for way too long! I took our cute little dachsund, Prince, along for company...the two of us, along with Serg's brother and friend, had a great time representing Team Solis.