Las Vegas Valley’s first baby of 2019 is family’s ‘miracle’

Shereen Ramos never thought she’d be able to have kids.

But minutes after the clock turned to 2019, and while fireworks were still ringing throughout the Las Vegas Valley, the 25-year-old gave birth to a baby girl.

“To us, it was just kind of another good luck sign, I guess you could say,” she said. “We didn’t think she would ever exist.”

Melialani Chihiro Manning came into the world at 12:10 a.m. at Henderson Hospital.

She is 21 inches long, weighs 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and is the valley’s first baby of the new year. Her middle name means “infinite bounty” in Japanese.

“She’s our miracle baby,” her father, 25-year-old Jacob Manning, said.

At 17, Ramos was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal disorder causing enlarged ovaries with small cysts on the outer edges. For years, she’d cry over the possibility of never having kids.

But after dating Manning for a few months, they were surprised to find out she was pregnant.

Little Melialani was due Jan. 3, but decided to come early, right after Ramos’ sister flew in for the birth.

She’d just had her last ºdoctor appointment when she started having contractions.

The family was eating Spam musubi, a food from Ramos’ native Hawaii, when they had to rush to the hospital. Manning quickly clocked out of his late shift at a local grocery store.

Ramos was in labor for about 12 hours, she said.

“It was all worth it,” Ramos said, holding a sleeping Melialani swaddled in a pink blanket. “She was meant to be in our lives.”

The Henderson parents both have late December birthdays: Hers is the 30th, and his is the 26th.

“It’ll be a busy month for us,” Manning said.

He recalled seeing his daughter for the first time: Her dark head of hair first, flexing her chest, learning how to use her lungs and trying to pick up her head.

When he spoke to her, she seemed to recognize the sound of his voice. Ramos held her to her chest and sang her a Samoan hymn.

They’ll be going home on Wednesday.

“We want the best for her, to follow her passions,” she said. “She’s our New Year’s resolution.”

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @brianarerick on Twitter.