Our Baby has Arrived!!!

We are so happy to introduce Ashton James. He was born on 11/04 and he weighed 7.3 pounds. He is perfect in every way and has a calm, happy temperament.

                                                   Ashton in his Phil & Teds Carrier

                                Ashton on Daddy's lap in Newark Airport, waiting to go home.

                                                   Ashton at home with his brother, Jared.

                                                   Ashton with Daddy at Newark Airport

                                       Ashton with his Indian Godparents, Annie and Rajiv.

So sorry this post is sooo late, but let me say this has been a whirlwind. I will attempt to fill you in over the next few days as we are still attempting to get a schedule down. We arrived in Delhi on Oct. 26th and foolishly believed birth would be immediate. We were there 8 days before the birth at 40 weeks, 1 day. We called Poonam (the attorney) immediately following birth and she had us come in that afternoon (on a holiday) and she filled out all paperwork, submitted it and had an embassy appt. and FRRO apt, in the following 2 days. She had all processes completed within 3 days. Ashton was born on Tues the 4th and our passport appt. was the 6th and we received our emergency passport the same day and our exit visa on that Friday. She is worth every penny!!

We are settling in and over the next few days I will make separate posts about every step of our process in India. We couldn't be happier that Ashton is finally here and we hope this blog inspires others about to begin or currently in the process. God is good and to him we are so thankful. God Bless you all!! TTYS

39 Weeks, 6 Days, and Counting!

We arrived in Delhi on the 26th and we were 38 weeks, 6 days. One week ago. We really expected the baby would be born by now, but, alas, babies come at their own speed. It is rather bizarre though as it is as if we are vacationing here with no real purpose. The three other couples that were in our cohort have had their babies and are speeding down the road to go home and we sit and wait. I will say that my dear friend from Australia, Lorraine, and her husband Peter, have been wonderful about allowing me plenty of cuddles with their gorgeous boy. He is soooooooo adorable!!! He is absolutely perfect. A miracle. He knows Mummy and Daddy and will allow me to hold him, but then he wants to return to the comfort of Mummy or Daddy. I am blessed we were allowed to have such great people to share this journey with. I wish they lived next door.

We are planning to have some photos taken with the babies together if Babykins decides to arrive before college. LOL! The other IP,s that has had photos done here posted them and the photographer is very good. It will be amazing to have photos of them together.

A few tips for those coming behind:

-If you forget a needed medication, the concierge at Hilton can send someone for it as the pharmacy is very close. If you need a doctor, they have one on call that can come to the room.

-We have been hand washing and hanging to dry smaller items, but they take 1-2 days to dry. You can either negotiate laundry into the price of your stay or you can use the laundry mat listed on the SCI forum. It is modern and clean. I would use it for larger items.

-Western snack items are limited, so bring a.supply as it is really comforting. We brought Jif peanut butter, assorted chocolate, jerky, pouches of tuna and canned meat, shelf stable microwave meals which are delicious. Also, we give the waiter a tip at the hotel restaurant daily and he sends us with a bag of fruit, yogurt, banana bread and chi tea. It makes a great afternoon snack.

-You will need to have 3 photocopies of every document to distribute as needed.

-if jet lag affects you, bring a sleep aid of some sort. Staring at the ceiling all night, every night, for days is not fun. I would have given a lot for NyQuil.

- bring sinus medication as the smog really affects the sinuses. If you have asthma, bring medication and stay indoors as much as possible.

-Bring a laptop in lieu of an iPad. The wireless signal is spotty and it is best to plug straight in.

-Buy the SIM card for the phone as soon as you arrive. The concierge will arrange a driver to take you to the shop and he will negotiate the price for you. It takes a few days to activate.

That is all I can think of at the moment. I highly recommend the Hilton. They treat us exceptionally well and price is better than Svelte. Pray Babykins comes soon. We are ready for the next adventure.

38 Weeks, 1 Day and Other Interesting Stuff

We have reached 38 weeks yesterday, YAY!!! One of my friends from our cohort had her baby day before yesterday. She had a girl and she is absolutely precious. We are just so excited and can't wait to meet her baby, and ours!! LOL!!

I finished the last "Waiting for baby" project. The painting of the dining table and refinishing of the top.

 

I am so happy with the results, but I must admit that if I had known how much work it would be, I am not sure I would have started.



Now that all major projects are finished, I now need to pack our bags and make certain we have all supplies we need for the baby. We are taking a portable washer to wash clothes in our room, pre-mixed formula for the plane ride home, and tons of snacks, though I am very worried about whether we will be able to take everything we would like to take in 3 bags.

 

I found a spray we have purchased for use on the plane, called Halo. If used every 6 hours, it is supposed to kills 99.9% of infectious germs. It gets great reviews, so hopefully it works.

 

We are still figuring our final girl name. We have finalized a boy name. We just cannot wait to see Babykins!! Please pray we have a safe trip and that Babykins and surrogate are safe and sound throughout the process. I will post as soon as we receive more info. 

37 Weeks Today!!

Today we have reached 37 weeks and we are soooo excited!!! We received our 36 week scan last Thursday and Babykins went from weighing 3.88 pounds at 32 weeks to 6.5 pounds at 36 weeks. We were shocked at the sudden weight gain, but we are relieved as we were thinking Babykins would be rather small.


We have made a bit of progress on the list of things that need to be done prior to our leaving. I spent last Friday cleaning the entire house, doing laundry, putting things away, etc. I still need to renew our insurance, take care of some business issues and continue packing. Ralph has yet to get the cords and wires behind the Hunt Board hidden from sight. He intends to install some type of box in the wall, behind the television, to accommodate the mess, but I am not certain this will get finished.


I have been craving white birthday cake and so I decided to make a white almond buttercream with almond buttercream frosting. I had a visitor while making the frosting and accidentally put lemon extract in the frosting, instead of almond. It was OK, but I was highly disappointed that I messed it up. I have been giving it away. Guess I didn't need the cake.


One of our friends that are 3 weeks ahead of us with their pregnancy, through SCI, is leaving for India today. I am so excited for them. I can't wait until their baby is born and they post pictures of their adorable angel. It is so nice to see the pics of other IP's and their success stories. It is encouraging and gives all those waiting hope.


We will post more info. as we receive it. Please pray for an Oct. 24 birth. I know we have no say I the matter as mother nature decides, but we can hope and pray. TTYS <3  

36 Weeks, 2 Days

Well, we are just past 36 weeks and it seems as if time has slowed to crawl. Tons of questions and "what ifs" are swirling around in our heads. We are anxiously awaiting the 36 week scan to see how much Babykins weighs. We are hoping Babykins stays put until the 24th as we want him/her to be as healthy and as large as possible, within reason. The day after Dawali would be perfect. For some reason, the 24th keeps sticking in my head. We shall see.


There are so many things to finish before we leave. I started a refurbishing project of our dining table, which includes painting the base and chairs, recovering the seats and staining and varnishing the top. It has been a ton of work and I will be sooooo happy when it is over, but at least it will be finished. I also need to clean the garage floor, do floors in entire house, scrub showers, renew our health insurance, and finish some real estate deals/paperwork. Let the race to the finish line commence.


Hope you are all well. Please pray for a smooth, uneventful birth and travel. Will keep you all updated as we know more.

35 Weeks Tomorrow!!

Well, we are 35 weeks tomorrow and it is hard to believe. We have so many things yet to do. The final major project is painting 8 dining chairs, the table base and recovering the seats. Hopefully, I will get it finished before we leave. Below is a sign in a store that I really loved as it sums up this process so well.

Darling husband installed the baby gate to the door of the nursery and you can see all of the sorted clothes inside. I am waiting until the last minute to pack the actual clothes. If the baby comes before we travel, I can take clothes of the proper gender. We shall see.

I read great reviews about the following. It is called Nose Frida and the reviews are amazing. Apparently it actually removes mucous so baby can rest better. We all know a stuffed baby does not allow much rest for Mommy and Daddy. I do wish baby had been born in Spring or Summer. I hate cold weather and the sick people that insist on running around. We will be staying close to home for a while.

These are some burp cloths I sewed recently. I just sewed some leftover fabric over the center strip of the cloth diaper. I think they turned our quite well.

Well, we will not receive another report until a week from tomorrow, but I will be sure and post as soon as we receive our next report. We are so thankful to God for his blessings!!! TTYS

45 Days til Due Date

Well, We are wondering on which day Babykins will arrive. We have made such great friends through this process and we can't wait to be in India with our darling, meeting all of our friends in other countries. I have managed to get so many chores finished and then it seems as if 10 more pop up. I am so happy tomorrow is Saturday. I will be able to mark a few more off of my list and I intend to conscript my darling husband in order to take care of the wire octopus that currently resides under our hunt board.

I still need to experiment with the Baby Brezza and get the process down as it will make bottle prep so much easier. It is similar to a coffee maker except you put powdered formula in top and water in reservoir and it mixes water and formula and makes a perfect, warm bottle. At 3 am this will be greatly appreciated!!

 

I know Ralph will be very excited about his next project. LOL!! 

 

 





 

 

It is hard to believe we only have 45 more days! Please pray all goes well, that we get everything done before hand and that baby has a safe, uneventful birth and is perfectly healthy. We will share the news and pics as soon as possible. We won't keep you waiting. We want everyone to share in our joy!! Who doesn't love cute baby pics?!?!? TTYS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Week 32, Yay!!!

We received the 32 week scan today and surrogate and Baby are doing great! Babykin's weighs 3.8 pounds. We are happy to know all is well. There is so much still to do. I haven't packed Babykin's bag yet, but I have assembled most of the needed items. I am still not sure about packing the gender neutral clothes. We are hoping for a full term birth, but should Babykin's arrive early and we are told the sex, I don't want to travel with a load of gender neutral clothes that I am not fond of to begin with. I may pack everything but clothing and wait til the last minute for that.

We are getting our flu shots tomorrow. Costco has started offering them a bit early and we would like to be protected before we travel. For those of you about to have a baby, make certain that all those coming in contact with baby have had the whooping cough vaccine. Apparently there has been a surge of cases in the US due to the influx of unvaccinated illegal immigrants entering the US. Below is the CDC link with the recommendation.

  http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/combo-vaccines/dtap-td-dt/tdap.htm

We have both received dtap prior to previous travels, so we are good there. I have some relatives that arent' too excited about receiving the vaccine. They will not have contact if they fail to get it. We aren't taking any chances!! I had a friend that had a preemie that weighed 3 pounds at birth and I think she told me it was 6 months before she went to church. Can't say I blame her. Sick people seem to always feel well enough to go to church. Wish they would stay home. God understands.

Nothing else new. Just praying Babykin's stays put until end of Oct. Want him/her to gain weight and strength before making an appearance.

I will post as we know more. Thank you for reading! God Bless you all!! 

Next Month!!

Well, more than likely we will be having a baby next month!!! We still have a few thing to do to get done. We need to put the car seat in the car, pack the bags, trim the hedges and take care of a few odds and ends. We are so excited and ready!! I am predicting an Oct. 24th birth. Pray that is the case. God is soooo good. We are blessed!!!

Baby Shower for Babykins and 30 weeks+ 5 Days

Well, a friend of mine hosted the baby shower and did a wonderful job. Here are some of the pictures.

                                     A beautiful flower arrangement my friend, Judy, made.

                                                                     Me and Ralph

                                                                     Gift Opening

                                                                        Food Table

                                                                 The Unisex Cake

                                                       Me and the Baby Daddy!! LOL!!

                                                The person that guessed closest the number of  M&M's won a prize. We had lots of fun and we appreciate our friends that helped us celebrate.

So Many Things to Do!!

Well, we were 27 weeks yesterday and I realize there is so much left to do. I still need to make the art for the nursery and hang it, wash all of the baby clothes, pack Babykins suitcase, make a baby project that I can't disclose yet and also attempt to start wading through the paper work requirements for India so we can get a head start on putting it together.  I have chatted online with Michael, of the blog "Michael's Surrogacy Journey in India" and he had been a wealth of info. and advice for the exit process/requirements. Thank God for Michael and our SCI family that provides advice and support.

Friends at church are hosting a baby shower for Babykins on Sunday. I am excited. There will be food and games and gifts, so it should be fun. I will post pics.

I have heard that some of the other IP's, specifically those in Canada, have been harassed while attempting to obtain visas. Shame on these workers for subjecting those that have already suffered so much the pain and embarrassment of unnecessary harassment. Is it so difficult to disagree respectfully? What comes around goes around.

Nothing else new, just trying to tie up loose ends. 90 days until our due date!! WoooHoooo!!! TTYS

 

25 Weeks Today!!!

YAY!!!! We are 25 weeks today!!! Sorry I haven't posted sooner, but Summer is the time of year when things get busy for us. Our oldest son is here visiting from Washington D.C. and we have spent the last couple of weeks cleaning house, straightening the garage, getting the guest room ready for him, working, sorting, cleaning, etc. Ralph hasn't been that excited about all of the to-do lists, but we are now finished and enjoying the visit. Jared (Oldest son) has said he is very excited about the baby. I know he will be the best big brother, ever. He is going to record himself and his wife reading story books to Babykins and then he will mail the books to us and this will be a way to develop a relationship long distance. Considering he is an actor, I know it will be better than most kid's shows. Babykins is lucky to have a big brother like him!! We are so grateful, happy, excited, and any other happy emotion you can think of to know that very soon Babykins will be here in our arms!! We will now be transitioning to getting things ready for arrival. Still so much to do, but it is an amazingly happy chore!! The clinic has asked permission to post some of our story/info. on their blog. If they do post any pics, I will be sure and repost here. Here is a pic of Babykins soon to be big brother with us. Have a great day!! Will try to post more often. <3

22 Weeks today!!

Well, today we are 22 weeks pregnant!! Praise the Lord for his blessings!! We are so happy and excited in knowing that every day we are a little closer to bringing Babykins home. I ordered the Baby Brezza Formula Pro to use here at home as I think it will make middle of the night feedings a bit more convenient. I also found out that Costco is having a huge diaper sale and the size 1-2 diapers are 14.99 each (Reg. 19.99 each), limit 2 boxes, so we are going to go a buy 2 boxes each and then go back later and get 2 more each. That should hold us off for a little while. A friend of ours that has gone to India and is using SCI took our surrogate some candy from us, a card and a coloring book and crayons for her children. She looked good, though a bit shy. I couldn't see much of her belly as the tops are very loose and large. I can't wait until we receive the next scan, which should be sometime during week 23 or 24, so not too much longer to wait. We are just so thankful for SCI and all they are doing!!! They are really fantastic.

We sent our next to last payment today. WooooHoooo!!! It will feel great when all remaining expenses are those we incur to get Babykins home. We still have to send payment to the DNA company in September and they will then mail the DNA kit to India. It cannot be sent any earlier than 4 weeks prior to birth as the consulate will not keep them for longer than 4 weeks. Not certain why, but that is what they told me.

This picture is a decoration I bought for the nursery.

Hope you all have a blessed and wonderful day!! Believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, know his laws and obey them and you will be saved and he will bless you for your love and obedience!! Have a great week. TTYS <3

20 Weeks Yesterday!! :)

Well, we hit the half way mark yesterday, YAY!!!! We are so happy and excited. A quick update: The head Obstetrician conducted a more detailed scan and determined that there is a "tiny" Echogenic Cardiac Focus present, but all remaining parameters are completely normal. Praise the Lord!! God is soooo good!! Babykins and surrogate are doing well!!!! One of our friends that is also using SCI and has just traveled over to start self cycling and she has offered to take a gift for us to Mary. We can't wait to get another photo and see how she looks. I found an interesting chart on google showing weeks til viality outside the womb. We obviously want Babykins to stay as long as possible, but we did find this chart interesting. 3 more weeks until our next scan. We can't wait.

19 Weeks Yesterday!!

Well, we received our 3D scan and Babykins looks amazing. It seems as if there is an echo image on the side of her head. She doesn't really have an eye socket on the side of her head! LOL!! We were told that the ultrasound has detected a small echogenic intracardiac focus. They said this does occur quite often and is no major concern due to the fact that no "soft markers" are present. They are going to perform an additional ultrasound and let us know the result. We have prayed to the Lord for complete health for Babykins and God is in control and given us complete peace and assurance that Babykins is just fine. I love this 3D picture and I wish they were much larger and more plentiful. Mommy and Daddy love you Babykins!!! <3 <3

18 Weeks Today!! YAY!

Well, today we are 18 weeks pregnant!! We are sooooo happy!! We received an email informing us that our surrogate was iron deficient and the high dose oral iron tablets were making her sick, so iron transfusions are required. We feel terrible that she is having to go through this, but apparently iron deficiency causes fatigue and I am sure she is anxious to feel better. She has had no adverse reactions to the treatments, thank the Lord. Sometime between weeks 18 and 22 we are supposed to receive a 3D ultrasound. We are very anxious to receive it. We are praying for Babykins and our surrogate daily.

We haven't worked on the nursery recently as we have been really busy with work. We still need to change the ceiling fan and Ralph is going to put a custom closet in the unit on the closet to make additional space. Hopefully we can get to it in the next few weeks.

We still need to find a pediatrician. We have been given the names of a couple of doctors that our friends use. One doctor is located in the next town over, but his physician's assistant lives here locally. We were told that the PA will make a home visit if the baby gets sick in the off hours. If we like the physician, we will probably use him so we can have the convenience of house calls.

Please keep praying for Babykins and Mary. We will post the 3D scan as soon as we receive it.

16 Weeks, Woooo Hoooooo!!!

The 16 weeks scans are apparently diagnostic in nature and the quality of the shots are not the same as the 12 week scan. We are happy to report that the doctor stated that everything is normal and surrogate and baby are well. We are now waiting for the next scan, which will probably be a 3-D scan. We can't wait!!! We are so blessed and Thank God every day for Babykins and our surrogate. We can't wait to go to India and pick up our baby and meet all of the other IP's that we have become so close to. We love our SCI family. Couldn't ask for a better bunch of people anywhere. God Bless you all. We will post the next scan when we receive it.

15 Weeks Today!!

We are ecstatically happy to be 15 weeks today! We are still working on the nursery. We need to have more room in the closet, so we are installing a closet system so we have more room for clothes, storage, etc. I am also still working of pictures and decoration for the walls. We have a rug ordered, but it hasn't arrived yet.

We are acquainted with 3 other couples that will more than likely be in India at the same time we will be there. It will be awesome to meet all of the other parents. We can all gather together with our lack of sleep and bags under our eyes and trade parenting secrets. I can't wait!!

We will receive a scan sometime next week. After the 12th week it only comes during the appointed week, not on a set day. I will post it as soon as I receive it.

14 weeks, 1 Day and Nursery Progress

Well, we are 14 weeks, 1 day today!! YAY!! We are so happy and excited!! Grow, Babykins, Grow!! Above is a picture that I painted for the nursery. I copied a picture I saw on Pinterest. It turned out pretty well. The second photo is the nursery after I painted it and we put the crib in place. We ordered a rug and the curtain in on the window. We are waiting for the rug and the hutch to arrive. In the mean time, I will continue to look for proper pieces for the nursery. I can't wait until it is finished!!

13 Weeks Today!! :)

Well, another week closer to holding Babykins in our arms. YAY!!!! We are so happy and excited! God is amazing and we praise him for all that he gives us!!

I attempted to begin painting today and I had a client call that wanted to list property, so I had to go write contracts and then as soon as I was finished with that my husband wanted me to go with him to pick up a vehicle about 35 miles away. I didn't get home until late afternoon, so I just prepared the room to start painting tomorrow. I am hoping I can get it finished by this weekend. It will just depend on how long it takes me to do the cutting in. I really want to hurry so we can move furniture in as soon as the paint has dried.

I spoke to another new friend that is also pregnant with SCI. I love meeting such interesting people and connecting with those that are also on this journey. We have made friends with those from so many countries and it is so nice. We can't wait to meet everyone in person and see their beautiful babies!!

Operation Nursery

Operation nursery has commenced. We have decided to decorate the nursery in aqua and grey as it is neutral and when Babykins is born, we can very easily add feminine or masculine touches. I have already cleared all of the stuff out of the guest room and rehomed most of it, though some things need to be sold and others will be donated to the local thrift store. I will sew the curtains as I am not impressed with the quality and fabric of some and those that are high quality are ridiculously expensive. We must make room in our storage building today, which means hauling off some junk. Then, when Ralph can get some help, he will move the current bedroom set to the storage building and I can commence painting. Hopefully, this all be accomplished by Monday, at the latest. We shall see!!

12 Weeks!!! Thank you, Lord!!

We are now in the second trimester and under 200 days!!! YAY!! We were sent this scan this morning and isn't Babykins adorable. I can't be certain if h/she is waving or if that is some thumb sucking going on. I love, love, love our baby!!! Thank you, Dr. Shivani, our surrogate, Mary (not her real name) and everyone at SCI!!! We love you all!!!!!

11 Weeks Today!!

Well, we are 11 weeks today, YAY!!! We are so happy and excited that we are fast approaching 12 weeks. I think we will then give a huge sigh of relief to be out of the first trimester.

We received an email from Margarida, on Saturday, requesting that we speak to a potential IP couple about our experience. We agreed and I emailed them and we set up an appointment to speak on the phone yesterday. They were a lovely couple from New York and they had all of the same questions and concerns all potential IP's have going into this process. For those considering surrogacy with SCI, here are a few of the questions asked and the answers, according to our experience.

Why did we choose SCI?

 For several reasons. Dr. Shivani is amazing. She has produced the same number of babies as Dr. Patel's clinic is much less time. Her prices are better and she is located in Delhi, which means no traveling back to Delhi for FRRO paperwork (Dr. Patel is in Gujarat and FRRO is in Delhi), most importantly, Delhi is a large city and has specialized hospitals in the rare event the baby needed specialized intensive care. Her clinic is state of the art and up to western standards. You won't regret choosing her!!

Did we ever feel unsafe in India? Never! Rahul's Taxi Service works closely with SCI and these drivers make certain you are taken to safe areas for shopping, tourism, etc. and they stay with the car and provide instruction and guidance. I am certain there are unsafe areas in every city of the world, but we never experienced such things. We were well taken care of! Additionally, the cost of Rahul for the week was very reasonable.

Were we allowed to meet our surrogate? Yes. She is a lovely woman. She was a bit shy, but that was to be expected. Nabanita translated and we had a nice conversation. I feel good knowing that our surrogate is taking great care of our baby.

How do we know that our genetic material isn't given to another family? Embryos are created at time of our arrival and those that aren't transferred are frozen. The baby must have a genetic link to at least one intended parent, so this ensures no one else will receive your embryos.

How long does it take for preliminary procedures to get started? Usually 2-3 months as you will have to produce copies of passports, a letter from doctor showing medical necessity for surrogacy, a letter from someone that will pick up baby if you both passed (highly unlikely) and a few other docs I can't remember.

Please know that your passport must be mailed in to have the medical visa place in the passport, so if travel is required while your passport is gone, you will have to apply for a duplicate passport to use while the other is gone.

Have you received negative comments since telling everyone? NO!! Quite the opposite!! We have had nothing but positive comments and well-wishes. I think those involved in infertility treatment feed ourselves so many possible negative scenarios. You will more than likely have nothing but positive experiences, but my theory is that should someone be negative, then they are jealous or hateful and not really my friend anyway and they have now identified themselves so I can make certain to end the "friendship"!!!

Are you friends with any other IP's that are pregnant with SCI? YES!! We have a forum for SCI clients and I have made some lifelong friends that are currently pregnant as well. We talk on the forum, but I also talk to them on the phone. I live in the US and one friend is in Canada and the other is in Australia. It amazing to discuss our baby pick up plans, nursery colors, baby gear, baby clothes, possible pick up scenarios, etc. and to have others that understand what we are going through. We love SCI and all of the friends we have made.

Is the staff thorough and responsive? YES!! They are amazing!! Whatever day you are o expect scans, test results, etc., they show up on the exact day. A report from the doctor is included and is clear and concise. The SCI staff is kind, courteous and detail oriented. They are all amazing!! Dr. Shivani chose well!!

Would Dr. Shivani reject me because of my cause for infertility? Dr. Shivani truly wants to help all involved. If there is a way to help you, I know she will!! She is so kind and friendly! She is young and beautiful and I am even friends with her on facebook. She is down to earth and accessible.

Well, I know these questions barely made a dent in the possible questions potential IP's have, but I hope these helped. We will update last week when we receive the next scan.   

9 Weeks 5 Days

Well, we are sailing right along. No news is good news. Monday is 10 weeks and that is when we will receive our next scan. We receive another at 12 weeks and then they come once a month. I can't wait to see how much Babykins has grown. I will post the scan Monday. Please keep praying for the safety of surrogate and babykins. Thank you!!!

8 Weeks, 3 Days Today

This is the 8 week scan of Babykins that was sent on Monday. We love our baby!!

Nursery Preparations

Well, a friend told us about a great crib for sale by an individual and it was beautiful and great quality, but it was a very feminine set. I didn't think it would even remotely work for a boy, so, since we won't know if we are having a boy or a girl, we decided to go with the above. It is the Munire Capri and USA Baby was having a huge sale. We decided white would be best as the baby's room as that room receives less light. Additionally, we can use bedding to make it look either very feminine or very masculine. I think I will buy two sets of bedding and after birth I can return whichever one we don't use. For the bedroom set we bought the convertible crib, the double dresser with hutch and the 5 drawer chest. If the baby is a girl, then this will be her bedroom set for many years to come. If it is a boy, we will use with while he is a baby and when baby number 2 comes along, he will get a new bedroom set, or use the one that is in there now (a solid oak set that is very nice) and the white set will go to the new baby.

We are 8 weeks pregnant tomorrow!! I will post the scan as soon as I receive it. I can't wait to see how much the baby has grown. Have a great day!! If you don't have a church, go find one today and Thank God for all he does for you!!

6 Weeks 5 Days

Well, we are 6 weeks 5 days today. It is amazing how the time drags with this process. Keeping busy is definitely the best way to help it speed along. I have had little motivation of late as my mind has been preoccupied with all things baby, surrogate and India, but it is getting a bit better as I pray, read my Bible and attempt to re-immerse myself in work.


The SCI blog has been blowing up with the birth of babies. They have had two sets of male twins and one set of female twins born in the last couple of weeks. Congratulations to these lovely parents. It is my hope that they drop in the forum every now and then and let us know how everything is going. As sad as it is to see them move on, I know they have achieved their dream of having a family. Additionally, as those further along have babies, it means we are one step closer to being the ones next in line to have our beautiful baby.


We still haven't told most of our friends and relatives. I think the fact that surrogacy is still a rare occurrence, combined with the fact that we went to another country to do it makes it something of which people are very curious and opinionated. We are seriously thinking of making up a FAQ's flyer to give out when we announce our pregnancy at a gathering of friends and relatives. We will see. We still haven't decided when to tell everyone, though we are leaning toward the end of April, after we are past the first 12 weeks.


We just can't wait until the baby gets here. We are so happy and excited!!

Heartbeat Detected!!!

We received word yesterday that our beautiful baby has a heartbeat (138 BPM). YAY!! The report states that everything is progressing normally. We are so happy and relieved. We are so thankful to everyone that helped make this possible and to SCI for all they  have done. We are especially thankful to our beautiful surrogate. We continue to pray for her health and safety. We are going to send her a gift in 6 more weeks to celebrate the end of the first trimester. We are researching what items she might like. Please continue to pray for the health and safety of Mary and the baby. Have a great day!! God Bless you all!!!

One Perfect Baby

Well, we received word today that one fetal sac was detected!  Yay!! The email stated that the surrogate is doing great and that everything is within normal parameters. We are so happy and excited. Next Monday we will receive information concerning the heart beats. Please continue to pray for our surrogate and our darling baby that they will both be safe, healthy, and that all will continue uneventfully. Thank you so much! We appreciate all of your prayers!! <3

Our Prayers were Answered!!!

We are pregnant!!! We received the beautiful rainbow email this morning. We had a beta of 181. Thank you, Lord!! We are truly grateful. Thank you, Dr. Shivani and the entire staff for your skill and detail to attention. Thank you!! We are also grateful for our surrogate, Mary (not her real name.). We are praying for each and every person involved in this process and we can't wait to return to India and meet our baby and celebrate with all of our friends in India. God Bless you all!!!


We are soooo happy!!! <3 <3 <3

Less than 24 Hours!!

In less than 24 hours we should have that beautiful rainbow email that says "You are pregnant!!!" I will post the moment we receive word!! Off to church we go!! If you have a church, please go and thank God for all he does for you, for all you have, it isn't an accident. God has a plan and he will fulfill it. Stay in his will and you will be blessed beyond measure. If you don't have a church, please go try a new one. If you live locally, send me a message and I will save you a seat. I mean it. Have a blessed and joyful day!!! <3

Embryos Have Been Transferred!

Well, we received word that the embryo transfer took place yesterday. We received the report from the embryologist and 4, grade 1 embryos were transferred!! YAY!! We will have the beta on the 24th. We are so excited and optimistic. Please send prayers for a positive. The report stated how many embryos were remaining that were frozen, but I had trouble reading the handwriting. It is either 10 or 12. I have emailed and asked for clarification. Hopefully, it is 12.


The biggest task now is to just keep busy and not think about it too much. Easier said than done! I am praying for our surrogate.


Hope everyone has an awesome Valentine's Day!!

A Lot Has Happened!

Well, the visas were delayed due to the Atlanta snow storm and so we ended up having to drive 5 hours each way to pick them up in order that we could leave in the 1st. We did leave on the 1st and arrived the evening of the 2nd. We were met at the airport by Rahul. For those about to travel, he will meet you in front of the building with a sign with your name on it. He is very nice and knows the locations of all places you will need to be. Be aware that once you leave the airport with your luggage, they will not let you re-enter the building.

We stayed at Hilton Garden Inn and the hotel was very nice. It was up to western standards. My only complaint was that the air had a continual funny odor. I am not certain if the air system needed cleaned or what, but those with breathing issues would need an air cleaning machine. The pool on the roof was spotlessly clean and very nice. At the end of the pool is an attached hot tub. Very relaxing!


We were able to meet our surrogate while we were there and she is a very sweet woman. She is divorced and has 2 children, ages 5 and 2. She will use this money to educate her children and improve their lives. We are very appreciative of what she is doing for us.


We also met Dr. Shivani. She is very intelligent, understanding and thorough. We truly did choose the best when we chose SCI. We have full confidence that we will have our babies very soon! We really like her a lot.


We also enjoyed meeting the staff. It is so nice to finally put a face to the name since we correspond with them regularly. Dr. Shivani truly surrounds herself with the most capable people that help get things done. Nabanita was so kind to assist us with the FRRO application and appointment process. She is a true asset to SCI. Nisha was our translator during the meeting with our surrogate and her light hearted nature and quick smile put us all at ease. Thank you both and to everyone that assists us with this process.


I believe our embryo transfer is to take place on Thursday. Nabanita said she would give me a complete schedule this week. Please send prayers and good thoughts that we get pregnant. Thank you!!


A few observations about India- We went to the Taj Mahal on Tuesday. It is AMAZING!! It is worth the drive to see it. It is breathtaking!! I will post pics of us there once we are pregnant and our families know.


The traffic in Delhi is crazy. Cars come very close to each other. Do not put any body part out the windows!!! If a highway has 3 lanes, there will be 4-5 lanes. Bikes and motorcycles will be mixed in those lanes. Horns honk incessantly, but not out of anger, but rather as a way to notify the other driver that you are there and to watch out. I got somewhat car sick from the repeated stops and starts necessary to avoid other drivers. It makes our driving look boring!! LOL!!


There will be certain areas where women and children will tap on the windows to beg. Rahul said they work for the mafia and the majority of the money goes to them and do not give them money. It is heartbreaking, though, when you see them.


We ate at the restaurant at the Hilton for breakfast every morning as they offer a western breakfast. It is very expensive, about 25.00pp, but we would then just snack for lunch and then have a nice dinner. We will get a room with a kitchenette when we go for baby pick up so we can do some cooking. There are some stores that sell western food items and we will probably bring some stuff. We ate at Johnny Rockets in Select City Walk mall and it was very good. I had the veggie burger. It was the best veggie burger I have ever eaten!!!! My husband had the buffalo burger and he didn't care for it as it was gamey. We also had Pizza Hut and KFC and they were very good as well. We went to the Indian Restaurant across from Svelte and it was very good, but expensive. We ordered 2 entrees and it was way too much food. We could have easily shared one. The curry was fabulous!!


Finally, Rahul really is the best. He knows of all the places that we need to go and can give advice on stores for baby goods, best hotels, etc. and he can come pick you up with an hours notice. Also, Rahul loves American chocolate. We gave him an Almond Joy and he loved it. He told me to bring a lot next time we come. So, if you want to win points with Rahul, make him a bag of various American chocolate bars and he will be in heaven. He is a vegetarian, so nothing with any animal products.


Well, I hope this long post makes up for my lack of posting the last couple of weeks. It was hectic getting to India, but we made it and we are anxious to return to pick up our babies!!!  

Visa News!!!

I just checked the BLS website and our visas have been completed by the consulate and sent back to BLS this evening. YAY!!! I will be calling Ken, our visa agent, in the morning and ensuring that the agent picks it up and overnights it IMMEDIATELY!!! So  it looks as if we will be going to India on Saturday!! WooooHooooo!!! It seems surreal! Continue praying that the visas arrive quickly. Thank you so much for your prayers, thoughts and positive energy!!

Visa, Visa, Visa, Where is the Visa?

Well, the BLS Atlanta office asked us for copies of the ID card for the surrogate. SCI provided a copy for her and her husband almost immediately. The agent that works for my visa procuring company went to BLS immediately and the agent she works with to expedite wasn't in and the agent she spoke to said the visa wouldn't be issued until the 4th. We are scheduled to leave on the 1st. Our agent, Ken, said she is going to speak to her contact today in order to see if we can expedite. This is very frustrating as we have spoken to other IP's and none have heard of copies of ID's being required and Ken assured me that the ID requirement is not on any official list of materials required for the medical visa. I will be in contact with Ken this morning to see if we can make our original departure date. Please say a prayer. We will lose quite a bit of money and valuable time if we receive the visas late. I will keep you informed. Thank you for the prayers!!

Dreaming of India

Still no word on the visa. I will call Ken in the morning and get an estimated time of completion. In the meantime, I found a few more pics of beautiful India. As you can tell, I love the beautiful people and the amazing colors.

More Beautiful Pics of India While Waiting

Beautiful Pictures of India While We Wait