But you knew that already from all the previous posts. Our little girl decided she was going to rest a while, so after she was late in coming, the doctor decided to induce labor on July 13. So Lauren joined us on the 13th of July, 2005 at 4:21 PM. She weighed 7lbs 10oz at birth and was 20.5 inches. Since then she's continued to do well, and today has a healthy appetite, and has begun to fill out her features.
Lauren's kept us up a few nights, so I apologize this has taken so long to make it to the web page. Pics (if you haven't gotten them in email) are forthcoming soon linked from this page.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
The Home Stretch
We're hitting the home stretch. Our baby is due any day now. We had a few false alarms, as our surrogate PB called to say she had gone into the doctor's because of pain in her back (that's how her previous labor started with her 2nd child).
PB is dilated to 2cm at this point and she's had irregular contraction patterns. The doctor tells us this means it could be as much as week or as little as a day before the baby comes.
So we just sit in anticipation and jump every time the phone rings!
PB is dilated to 2cm at this point and she's had irregular contraction patterns. The doctor tells us this means it could be as much as week or as little as a day before the baby comes.
So we just sit in anticipation and jump every time the phone rings!
Monday, May 23, 2005
Surprise Guest
LH and I had a great time at the retreat in Los Angeles this past weekend. We got to spend time with other intended parents in various stages of the surrogacy process. We attended workshops around issues in surrogacy, as well as a baby care class.
PB, our surrogate got to attend special classes for surrogates as well. She is continuing to do well, as is the baby. During the group dinner on Saturday, we had some special surprise guests.
It turns out that NBC is starting a new show this fall based loosely on Growing Generations called "Inconceivable." Three of the stars of the show, including Ming-Na star of "ER" and the "The Joy Luck Club" was on handing doing first hand research of gay couples, surrogates, and surrogacy process. It was a nice surprise for an already great weekend.
PB also chose to surprise us that weekend by getting a 3D/4D ultrasound of our baby to be. That was a really nice touch that we certainly didn't expect!
PB, our surrogate got to attend special classes for surrogates as well. She is continuing to do well, as is the baby. During the group dinner on Saturday, we had some special surprise guests.
It turns out that NBC is starting a new show this fall based loosely on Growing Generations called "Inconceivable." Three of the stars of the show, including Ming-Na star of "ER" and the "The Joy Luck Club" was on handing doing first hand research of gay couples, surrogates, and surrogacy process. It was a nice surprise for an already great weekend.
PB also chose to surprise us that weekend by getting a 3D/4D ultrasound of our baby to be. That was a really nice touch that we certainly didn't expect!
Letting everyone know
I needed to let everyone in my family know that LH and I were about to have a little baby girl (pretty soon it was going to be self-evident, and it's certainly easier to let everyone know in advance!).
I decided I was going to tell everyone in my family about our impending arrival using my family blog site. I have readers from my family from all over the world on that site, so it was a very public acknowledgement of our pregnancy and how we accomplished it.
I thought I'd share my post here on this site as well:
And Life Goes On ...
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~Elizabeth Stone
Well, I've been needing to write this blog entry for some time now. And as the date gets closer, there's really no avoiding it at this point. So let me start by saying I've got some incredibly good news and I'm sure this will be a surprise to many of you.
M..., A..., D..., C..., J..., and A..., are all about to have a new little cousin. She (yes, she) is scheduled to join us on July 8, 2005. She will be born under the year of the rooster, Chinese year 4702. Her element will be wood.
First a little bit about people born in the year of the Rooster. People born in the Year of the Rooster are very loyal individuals. They do not like dishonesty or mockery of any sort. They are blunt, up front and honest people and expect those around them to be the same. Roosters are happiest when they are surrounded by others, at a party or just a social gathering. They even enjoy the spotlight and will exhibit their charisma and wit in a minute. This star quality can be overbearing, for a Rooster expects you to listen to her while she speaks and can become agitated if you don’t. Roosters do have a tendency to brag about themselves and their achievements and demand an attentive audience when doing so.
For those born under the wood element, this Rooster is different in that she enjoys being a part of the team rather than in the spotlight like other Roosters. She likes the company of others and is a genuine friend. These Roosters work for the betterment of society, working diligently to change the evils of it. They expect quality attempts from others involved with the causes and sometimes expect too much of their co-volunteers, as they do of themselves. Often, because of this desire to help society, these Roosters overcommit themselves, unable to finish what they’ve started.
Now onto news about the bundle of joy about to join us. From the ultrasound that we just had performed on March 18th, she is very healthy. All of her vital signs, measurements and activity shows a healthy, normal baby underway. She's on target to be delivered on July 8, 2005.
How this happened I'm sure is on the top of your list of questions. She is (and will always be) my biological daughter. She is planned and most definitely wanted. The activity around my becoming a father started in the beginning of 2004. Her biological mother is an anonymous egg donor, and she's being carried to term by a surrogate mother. I have pictures of the ultrasound just performed, as well as one from early in the pregnancy.
We have lots of donated supplies already from M... and M..., since M... has outgrown a lot of her clothes, and baby items. So really, not much is needed, so don't go out of your way to get anything. She will have lots and will be quite loved!
I decided I was going to tell everyone in my family about our impending arrival using my family blog site. I have readers from my family from all over the world on that site, so it was a very public acknowledgement of our pregnancy and how we accomplished it.
I thought I'd share my post here on this site as well:
And Life Goes On ...
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~Elizabeth Stone
Well, I've been needing to write this blog entry for some time now. And as the date gets closer, there's really no avoiding it at this point. So let me start by saying I've got some incredibly good news and I'm sure this will be a surprise to many of you.
M..., A..., D..., C..., J..., and A..., are all about to have a new little cousin. She (yes, she) is scheduled to join us on July 8, 2005. She will be born under the year of the rooster, Chinese year 4702. Her element will be wood.
First a little bit about people born in the year of the Rooster. People born in the Year of the Rooster are very loyal individuals. They do not like dishonesty or mockery of any sort. They are blunt, up front and honest people and expect those around them to be the same. Roosters are happiest when they are surrounded by others, at a party or just a social gathering. They even enjoy the spotlight and will exhibit their charisma and wit in a minute. This star quality can be overbearing, for a Rooster expects you to listen to her while she speaks and can become agitated if you don’t. Roosters do have a tendency to brag about themselves and their achievements and demand an attentive audience when doing so.
For those born under the wood element, this Rooster is different in that she enjoys being a part of the team rather than in the spotlight like other Roosters. She likes the company of others and is a genuine friend. These Roosters work for the betterment of society, working diligently to change the evils of it. They expect quality attempts from others involved with the causes and sometimes expect too much of their co-volunteers, as they do of themselves. Often, because of this desire to help society, these Roosters overcommit themselves, unable to finish what they’ve started.
Now onto news about the bundle of joy about to join us. From the ultrasound that we just had performed on March 18th, she is very healthy. All of her vital signs, measurements and activity shows a healthy, normal baby underway. She's on target to be delivered on July 8, 2005.
How this happened I'm sure is on the top of your list of questions. She is (and will always be) my biological daughter. She is planned and most definitely wanted. The activity around my becoming a father started in the beginning of 2004. Her biological mother is an anonymous egg donor, and she's being carried to term by a surrogate mother. I have pictures of the ultrasound just performed, as well as one from early in the pregnancy.
We have lots of donated supplies already from M... and M..., since M... has outgrown a lot of her clothes, and baby items. So really, not much is needed, so don't go out of your way to get anything. She will have lots and will be quite loved!
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Retreat
All has been going well with our surrogate PB over the last few weeks. She's had regular doctor's appointments and all the checkups have been good. There was a little concern since the baby hadn't yet shifted into delivery position (she was breech) until about a week ago, and she finally moved herself to the right position.
This weekend coming up, LH and I will be off to Los Angeles for a retreat that Growing Generations is hosting for Intended Parents and Surrogates. It's filled with various activities, including a parenting class that we've signed up for. PB will also be going, and it'll be nice to see her this far into the pregnancy.
This weekend coming up, LH and I will be off to Los Angeles for a retreat that Growing Generations is hosting for Intended Parents and Surrogates. It's filled with various activities, including a parenting class that we've signed up for. PB will also be going, and it'll be nice to see her this far into the pregnancy.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Ultrasound
LH and I drove down to the souther Central Valley again this past weekend for the Ultrasound appointment on March 18. The ultrasound was truly an incredible experience. I had no idea they were able to find out so much from an ultrasound. They were able to see all four chambers of the heart, verify they were normal size, verify that the blood flow in and out of the heart were good. The technician also checked the umbilical cord and the blood flow in and out of the cord. She also measured the baby's head, arm bone and femur, and verified they were normal, and that the baby is on target for size and growth. She also checked the spine to verify there was no strange curvature. She also checked for a cleft palate (which there is none).
Overall our baby is very healthy with no signs of problems. And of course the important one. So cover up your monitor if you don't want to know. There's a 95% certainty we're going to have a baby girl! Our little daughter to be will certainly be a very lucky and loved little baby.
We got ultrasound printouts of the baby for the baby scrapbook. After the appointment we got our tour of the birthing facilities at the hospital. They have birthing suites where the baby stays with the family after she's born. This is similar to my sister's hospital, when my niece was born last year. Apparently this is the latest trend in birthing centers.
As we did last time we went out to dinner with PB and her husband and their kids, and had a great time. PB's kids are wonderful!
We now have a little under 4 months remaining until the birth, so there's not much left for us to do other than wait. PB's got the tough job, as she continues to take her prenatal vitamins, and gets her checkups. The due date hasn't moved and is still scheduled for July 8, 2005.
Overall our baby is very healthy with no signs of problems. And of course the important one. So cover up your monitor if you don't want to know. There's a 95% certainty we're going to have a baby girl! Our little daughter to be will certainly be a very lucky and loved little baby.
We got ultrasound printouts of the baby for the baby scrapbook. After the appointment we got our tour of the birthing facilities at the hospital. They have birthing suites where the baby stays with the family after she's born. This is similar to my sister's hospital, when my niece was born last year. Apparently this is the latest trend in birthing centers.
As we did last time we went out to dinner with PB and her husband and their kids, and had a great time. PB's kids are wonderful!
We now have a little under 4 months remaining until the birth, so there's not much left for us to do other than wait. PB's got the tough job, as she continues to take her prenatal vitamins, and gets her checkups. The due date hasn't moved and is still scheduled for July 8, 2005.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Heartbeat!
Our roadtrip down to the southern Central Valley was uneventful. We arrived in plenty of time at PB's house and went with her to the ob/gyn. At the doctor's office we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. An incredible sound that just fills you with emotion. The doctor informed us that everything was good, and the baby was healthy and the pregnancy was proceeding well.
We scheduled the ultrasound for March 18th. I talked with Erica at GG and she's going to schedule a hospital walk through on the same date to let LH and I get familiarized with the hospital and the services it has to offer.
On the sad news front, LH's mom passed away this past week, so I've been sort of remiss at posting, as we've been busy with family matters.
We scheduled the ultrasound for March 18th. I talked with Erica at GG and she's going to schedule a hospital walk through on the same date to let LH and I get familiarized with the hospital and the services it has to offer.
On the sad news front, LH's mom passed away this past week, so I've been sort of remiss at posting, as we've been busy with family matters.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Planning for a roadtrip
We're getting further along in our planning for the doctor's visit with PB next weekend. We've agreed to meet at her home and go to the doctor from there. It'll be our first time to meet the ob/gyn. We're going to spend the weekend down in the Central Valley since we'll be down that way, and we're going to take PB and her husband to dinner that evening. More after our roadtrip!
Friday, January 21, 2005
Going on a doctor's visit
Well, PB is off the hormone treatments now and we have a stable pregnancy. YEAH! At this point everything continues to go extremely well, and nothing but good news from all the doctor's appointments that PB has had so far. Her ob/gyn has expressed an interest in meeting us, so we're planning on going on her next appointment in February.
In addition the doctor's office is offering a "sneak peak" video package of the baby. I haven't had time to sit down and read the pamphlet yet for all the details, but the idea is to get a video of the ultrasound watching the baby move around, before it's born.
We'd also really like to go to the next ultrasound which according to Erica from GG, is around the 20th week. That's the ultrasound which will give us an idea hopefully of the sex of the baby. Then we can really get the baby room ready.
I've been doing more organization, more cleanup and more donating of things to charity to get the room ready, but I'm still not at a point where it's the baby room, so lots more work to go.
One of LH's coworkers has offered to hold a shower for us, and that means registering for the baby as well. It just seem like a difficult thing to do without knowing the sex of the baby!
My sister has already given us a bunch of things including a bassinet, baby swing, and an infant car seat, plus some clothes that my niece never wore, but has already outgrown.
I still sometimes can't believe we're having a baby this year! I'm sure it will really sink in when I'm holding the baby in July! I'm also planning on enrolling in some classes at Kaiser that are on newborn care.
In addition the doctor's office is offering a "sneak peak" video package of the baby. I haven't had time to sit down and read the pamphlet yet for all the details, but the idea is to get a video of the ultrasound watching the baby move around, before it's born.
We'd also really like to go to the next ultrasound which according to Erica from GG, is around the 20th week. That's the ultrasound which will give us an idea hopefully of the sex of the baby. Then we can really get the baby room ready.
I've been doing more organization, more cleanup and more donating of things to charity to get the room ready, but I'm still not at a point where it's the baby room, so lots more work to go.
One of LH's coworkers has offered to hold a shower for us, and that means registering for the baby as well. It just seem like a difficult thing to do without knowing the sex of the baby!
My sister has already given us a bunch of things including a bassinet, baby swing, and an infant car seat, plus some clothes that my niece never wore, but has already outgrown.
I still sometimes can't believe we're having a baby this year! I'm sure it will really sink in when I'm holding the baby in July! I'm also planning on enrolling in some classes at Kaiser that are on newborn care.
Monday, January 03, 2005
New Year
I've been a little remiss in posting to this site with updates. But that's mostly because there's been little news to report. Everything continues to go smoothly. We got a call from Anita, a nurse at CFP late last week to tell us PB's latest appointment continued to indicate no problems, and they were going to switch her to a new hormone treatement as the one they were using (with needles) was causing her to have sore hips. Only two more weeks to go on the hormone therapy before the first trimester is over and we're out of the danger zone, and we can pretty sure we've got a successful pregnancy. I can't wait!
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