Christmas Celebration & Eight Month Update

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Let your heart be light... Don't you just love that song, I do! Recently, whilst googling this particular Christmas song, I learnt that the original lyric was actually 'Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas, it may be your last. Next year we all may be living in the past'. I recently watched Meet me in St Louis for the first time this year while visiting my grandparents, a movie I had wanted to see for years now. Judy Garland made this song famous in a Hollywood classic, however the original version was considered too morbid and was later changed to the now popular song we all know and love. Our first Christmas with our darling son was everything that we could have imagined it to be and more. This time last year we were praying that our dear surrogate Sarika would be safe, healthy and happy and were blessed with the knowledge that in only four short months, our baby would be born and we would at last be parents. The reality of this dream is somewhat overwhelming and yes, we are still amazed at the gift God has given us. We of course started the Christmas season with decorating the house and our Christmas trees as we do each and every year since we met fourteen years ago. We have yet to venture outdoors with the exception of a garland here and there and bows on the garden lamp posts. This is most likely a blessing as it already takes us long enough to decorate the inside of the house so I can't begin to imagine how much longer outside would take too. Usually we start on the first Sunday in November but this year we were a month behind. I know that many people think this is too early, but we both just love this time of year and I am not the only one in my family to have chronic Christmas-itis. We were both so excited to have Noah's first santa photo taken and we ventured into one of Sydney's major department stores, David Jones to have this done.
The window displays are beautiful and the store is decorated and early in the morning leading up to Christmas there are carolers too. Noah just adored Santa, let's see if we can have a repeat next year and years following this as he grows and becomes more aware of this strange man in a red suit. The above photo was the first one taken by the photographer and NoNo was so happy that he almost pulled Santa's beard off. Being one of Santa's helpers as we all know, his beard wasn't real of course. Only Santa himself has such a long beard and he needs this so he stays nice and warm in the North Pole. Ninna, Daddy and Pappa enjoyed Christmas carols in the Blue Mountains this year. We spent the early evening singing underneath the largest English oak tree in Eastern Australia. We also met with other same sex families in the Blue Mountains for a Christmas dinner and catch up at a restaurant close to home.
We are the only male parents in a large group of mainly lesbian parented families. The Blue Mountains Rainbow Family Group is a division of Rainbow Families Australia and it is great to catch up with other families living nearby. We were lucky enough to have another visit from one of Santa's helpers during dinner too, aren't we a lucky bunch! This year, Daddy and Papa wrote Noah's letter to Santa for him since he is still a small baby. We excitedly woke on Christmas morning and followed our normal routine of morning bottle and some cereal before Noah went back to bed for a morning sleep. Ninna's partner, Poppy Michael came for Christmas breakfast as he does every year although for the first time ever we were very much behind schedule; understandably so with our little one demanding our attention! Still, we enjoyed a champagne breakfast and opened some presents before Noah went back to bed for his lunch time nap. I think the day was somewhat overwhelming for Noah, he was so excited and just loved the gifts that Santa, Ninna, Daddy & Papa gave him. WE definitely need to find out if Fisher Price is a publicly listed company and if so, get to buying some shares! Daddy and Papa decided that we wouldn't spoil our little boy (excessively) as he is still a baby and has everything that he needs in the world and has not yet been tainted by modern day consumerism! We did however still buy some toys; a FP talking/learning puppy, a tambourine, another FP walking trolley with blocks & Dr Seuss boxed set of books & some new clothes. We knew that family members would be very generous to the newest addition of our household, and they were. Ninna bought Noah a beautiful limited edition Disney Christmas tree that plays carols and the small characters spin around the tree, some books, new shoes and clothes and a keepsake Christmas ornament for the tree. Poppy Michael bought NoNo a beautiful Blinky Bill book. Grandma & Poppy went totally OTT and bought books, books and more books, toys a plenty; including many made by you know who, Wiggles DVDs, clothes, and a new beach towel. Aunty Becky & Uncle Stephen bought NoNo a FP 'Little People' train and an Elmo doll dressed as a chicken that does..the chicken dance. Noah is still not 100% certain of this one! Aunty Trella and Uncle Patrick bought Noah a wonderful alphabet floor rug that is in his bedroom, books, books and more books, a xylophone and hooded towel too. Have I mentioned that we love reading to our son? Noah enjoys story time too and it is wonderful spending time with him reading and watching the expressions on his face. I pray that the love of books and reading stay with him for life. Uncle Brett bought Noah a Christmas teddy bear and a FP musical bird bath that sings from one to ten and your ABCs too. Darren's niece Hollie and her partner Dan bought us the most beautiful Swarvoski crystal baby carriage and rocking horse for Noah's room. They are simply stunning and will be especially treasures as our son grows up. We also had fun opening presents from Aunty Tans and Uncle Trent; a Royal Doulton Bunnykins figurine, bath time toys and PJs. Aunty Ed gave NoNo a teddy bear too. Uncles Michael, Jarrad and cousin Reid sent us a beautiful tin plane that we just love, a book (The Night Before Christmas) and Nanna Lyn from Tasmania sent a small children's bible. Aunty Rhonda & Uncle Mark from Port Macquarie sent a beautiful set of outfits. Aunty Tanya & Uncle Chris from the Paris of the West (see earlier blog entries for clarification) sent a beautiful boxed set of Little Golden Books (the Christmas stories). One of Daddy's work colleagues sent an enormous Mickey Mouse toy which we added to the now mountainous collection of stuffed toys in Noah's bedroom (note to self, no more stuffed animals)! Neighbours Carol & Mark gave Noah an embroidered legionnaire hat with a penguin and his name. To say our son is loved and was spoilt would be the understatement of 2010. I a sure that I have missed gifts and the kind people who gave them to us. There is just strong>SO MANY GIFTS! It is amazing to witness the mass of toys and books one little boys has in such a short period of time. We are truly blessed beyond imagination and still wonder at the bountiful life we enjoy here in Australia. It does make me sad to think of those less fortunate, especially at this time of year Children who are not as lucky as Noah and will go without. We did have the obligatory 'tears before bedtime'. Noah was playing on the floor of the conservatory with a mountain of gifts around him and fell, hitting his chin on a box and cut himself. Not too badly, but bad enough for a bit of blood and plenty of tears. All was good again however with a big cuddle from Daddy & Papa. We enjoyed Christmas lunch at Johnny's parents house who live nearby. Aunty Becky & Uncle Stephen along with Aunty Mags and Uncle Charlie came to the Mountains for the day and enjoy our first Christmas with NoNo. We had a sumptuous feast prepared by Grandma, Papa & Aunty Becky including the yummiest turkey and stuffing, glazed ham, prawns and oysters, salads and desserts just to make sure we were well and truly full! The weather was simply perfect, we had such a beautiful day. The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze, lucky considering that it has been four seasons in one day these past weeks. For December, the weather has been all over the place; a blazing hot day and the A/C is turned on, Noah sleeping in a singlet and nappy and then, the next day it's freezing and the heaters are on again to keep us warm. No wonder NoNo has had summer sniffles and coughing off and on for days...again! After our beautiful Christmas Day lunch, Daddy, Papa, Noah and Ninna headed down the Mountain to Aunty Trella and Uncle Patrick's house for Christmas dinner. We enjoyed an equally delicious dinner albeit somewhat lighter than lunch with family; Atlantic salmon with asparagus spears, balsamic glazed cherry tomato and lemon butter sauce, roasted chicken, salads and a Christmas punch with punch! We had a lovely Christmas day with our son and returned home just before midnight. Noah was so tired and managed to sleep for a few hours before we returned home but still, the day was long and he sure did make up for lost sleep over the coming days. Apart from the excitement of Christmas day, other news of interest is that our son is now officially crawling! No longer content with the strange bottom shuffle or a backwards crawl, we now have forward thrusters activated! It was so exciting to see and we are now actively mobile. Noah is also holding his weight very comfortably on both legs and can support himself unaided by either Daddy or Papa when holding onto the furniture.

The other thing Noddy enjoys is jumping and I mean JUMPING. All the time, be it on the floor, bed, lounge or Papa's lap and I have the bruises on my legs to prove it people. Noah is so very active and loves to move. We are definitely going to have to enrol this boy in some kind of active sport. Tomorrow is New Years Eve and we have a quiet night planned with friends we often catch up with. Noah will be spending the night at Grandma and Poppy's house after months of pleading from Grandma, her wish is granted. We want to end 2010 by wishing everyone 'out there' the very best and pray for healthy pregnancies if you are pregnant, positive results if you're trying to conceive and blessings beyond compare for 2011.

Home

As Dorothy famously said; "There's no place like home". And, as we all know too well she was right. It is great to be back. It has taken our body clocks a while to re-adjust to having Noah in our lives. In Mumbai, the responsibilities of daily life are but a distant memory. Housework? Cooking? Cleaning? Simply pick up the phone and dial room service. Hop in an auto rickshaw and in five minutes a plethora of dining options are at your disposal. Leave a small card on the bed, return a short while later to fresh linen and one's room cleaned, fresh water supplied for the next 24 hours. Being home deals the new parent a different hand of cards. One has to shuffle these cards and manage daily chores with the demands of your new born plus the added bonus hand; sleep deprivation! But, we are not complaining after all, this is what we have all been waiting for. Prior to us leaving India on Sunday, we said goodbye to Greg, Rob and their beautiful baby girl Addison who is simply divine. We had such a great time with them all and are glad they too are now home safe and sound. Both the guys were right, we did end up having more bags for the return trip then when we first arrived into Mumbai! Our flight from Mumbai to Singapore was in the morning this time round, departing at 10am. We used the fantastic Vikas to take us from our hotel to the airport and anybody travelling to Mumbai should avail themselves of his services. He and Ajit are both great guys and will make sure you are taken care of and arrive at your destination in air conditioned comfort. THANK YOU VIKAS!!! Our Qantas flight into Singapore arrived on time and we were met by ground staff to assist with our mountain of bags and the transit to our next flight. Thankfully we had the wonderful Baby Valco carrier which was a God send. Thank you to the Tigerlilycats for their insight in recommending this to us & the bottle drainer which arrived the day of our departure from Sydney! Noah used the carrier the entire time we were in Mumbai and it meant we did not have to disturb him when travelling from the hotel to where ever we wanted to be. He even slept in it while we took an auto here, there and everywhere. Our flight from Singapore to Sydney was with British Airways and thankfully there was no delay due to a certain Volcano eruption the week prior. This was our only concern as we arrived at Changi International Airport. The cabin crew on both flights were amazing and everyone wanted to meet little Noah who, was an absolute dream on both legs of the journey home. Not a peep. He slept, ate and pooped just as he had on the ground in India. You would not have known there was a newborn in the cabin with you unless you snuck a peek at his cherub like face. We were lucky enough to be upgraded to BA's World Traveller Plus cabin or premium economy cabin which was just perfect and the best way to end our flight home. The cabin is a dedicated 32 seat cabin in front of economy and just behind business and it was not full. We had the centre row of four seats to ourselves and the extra space and seat recline was appreciated! Our thanks also have to go out to the BEST travel agency in NSW, Jetset Blue Mountains and their never ending help whilst we were in India. Nothing was ever too much trouble and we thank the entire team there, especially agency manager Lisa. www.jetset.com.au/bluemountains.

From 33 degree Mumbai heat to a crisp 13 degree Sydney morning, the temperature difference was very noticeable when we landed in Sydney at 5.15am Monday morning. This, combined with sandals and light shirts we were very eager to breeze through customs and immigration to our heated car for the drive home. Speaking of which, customs too was easy. Simple and straight forward without issue in Mumbai, Singapore or Sydney. Sure we had the obligatory where is the mother question when we left Mumbai but other than that nothing! Having an infant with you is akin to Moses parting the seas. Queues become non existent and one simply glides through formality with the simplest of ease; which we are completely fine with thank you very much! We arrived home to welcome signs, balloons, flowers and kindness from friends and family. Darren's mother & Johnny's parents had organised a wonderful morning tea with some friends, family & neighbours and everyone went to so much effort for the three of us. Thank you to our parents, Tracie & Patrick, Scott & Julie, Tans, Michael and everyone who made us feel so welcome on our return home. We are blessed to have such wonderful family and friends surrounding us and our son. Now that we are home, what's next? This week has seen us having to get used to a new routine with Noah the centre of our day. Our little boy is doing so well and it is hard to believe that in four days time he is going to be one month old! He is sleeping very well and daddy and papa are trying to stick to our chosen routine which he seems to like and appreciate! He is currently feeding from 100ml + each feed every three to four hours and longer after his midnight feed. Last night for instance he fed at midnight and then again at 5am which is great news for us. We have had a couple of outing since being home but have preferred staying in as it is truly amazing how even the simplest of tasks can become a mammoth effort in organisational skills. We are expecting a visit from the community nurse this week to check on Noah's progress and general health yet, other than that and maybe a coffee date here and there our week is our own. We are indeed glad to be home and are enjoying just that. Being home and being parents. We are both so thankful that our son has been born and is in excellent health, this is what we have been waiting for and, what some people are still waiting for. After two, three, four or sometimes more attempts still waiting. We know we have been blessed to have been successful on our first attempt and we never take this for granted. The wonderful support and friendship of Dr Sudhir and Dr Yash that has been forged over the past year and a half will be life long. We are very strong advocates of Surrogacy India and their services, http://www.surrogacyindia.com/. Why wouldn't we be? Look at the result for us. We know yes, our surrogate did not agree to carry a child to term for purely altruistic reasons but still, we admire her wonderful generosity and are thankful that we had the opportunity to meet her, her family and convey in person how we feel about the amazing gift she has given us. We would not change this for the world. There seems to be so many IPs pregnant at the moment & equally as many still trying. It's easy once you reach the other side to speak words of wisdom but we truly believe that one should never give up. To everyone who has been with us every step of the way and to those we have only just met, thank you. Support is the one thing you can never have too much of and for that, thank you.

Parenthood...Days 4 to 14 & Mumbai Madness

This post has been days in the making and I mean DAYS! Time is no longer our own and blogging has had to take a back seat I'm afraid to feeding, changing nappies, washing bottles and baby clothes & napping! Our days in Mumbai have been as busy or relaxed as we want them to be, yet still there are not enough hours in the day. We also have had to learn that we DO need to nap during the day when Noah does. This was made abundantly clear today on our way back to our hotel from the Australian Consulate General in South Mumbai when we fell asleep in the car. The past ten days or so have been amazing. No adjective will suffice in describing our time here so amazing will have to do. Our son has changed our lives and for the better, we both know this. He is perfection personified and so utterly beautiful. Our birth certificates took 7 days to arrive to us & this included a delay due to a public holiday. Dr Sudhir was great in arranging all the necessary paperwork and birth certificates for us to obtain Noah's citizenship by descent....that's right OBTAIN. Our boy is officially an Aussie as of yesterday and the turn around was super quick. Like we said, Dr Sudhir arranged for all the paperwork required to confirm Noah's citizenship by descent; letter from Hiranandani hospital confirming he was born there, signed and stamped letter from Dr Soni confirming she delivered him, letter from Dr Pai confirming he performed our IVF and finally a letter from SI confirming our status as IPs under their care. Along with our surrogacy contract and the fee of Rs5400 we visited Blue Dart couriers at Galleria in Hiranandani Gardens and sent our documents to New Delhi. We had confirmation the next day of their receipt and then we began the phone calls. We were given the standard 'this will take four weeks to process' and not disheartened we insisted on speaking with the team leader Varun Gupta who handles citizenship by descent applications. He is very familiar with surrogacy and what is involved so he asked we call back that afternoon after 2pm. In the mean time I emailed him directly (he was cc'd in the email to us from DNALABS in Sydney confirming Noah's parentage) advising we had our flights booked for Sunday and we needed citizenship processed ASAP to ensure time to have a passport and exit visa processed. Voila, 24 hours later we have a third Australian citizen in our hotel room and a passport to collect from the Consulate General tomorrow. It could not have been easier or smoother for us and for that we are thankful. The passport application process was straight forward too. Our original certificate of citizenship for Noah was couriered to us today from New Delhi and we requested a scanned copy of the original be emailed to the Consulate General to expedite our emergency passport application which was done without issue. Tomorrow we visit the FRRO after collecting Noah's passport at 9am. We have been fortunate to spend the past 13 days in Mumbai with some fantastic people and we have especially enjoyed sharing time with Greg, Rob & Addison. We have been shopping, eating and sightseeing our way around the city with the three of them plus the docs and it has been a blast. Last night in particular we visited a small complex around 50km outside of the city which showed what village is like in Rajasthan. It was great and we had a fantastic time with the guys, Dr Sudhir, Dr Yash & Ajit. There was traditional dancing, fire eaters, magicians, puppet shows, camel rides, bullock rides, fresh sugar cane and mango juice stalls, henna painting, pottery wheels to throw small vases, arcade attractions like an old fashioned fair...just fantastic. It was such a great way to spend time with the docs and share something really special that we will remember always. We had such a great time that by the time we got back to our hotel it was close to 1am! We then slept and fed Noah at 2.30am and again at 5am and had to be up and ready to leave our hotel at 8.30am for the 10am appointment at the Consulate General. Hence being so tired today. We were due to see Greg, Rob and Addy prior to their leaving and catch up for lunch in South Mumbai, but our passport could not be issued same day and subsequently we did not visit the FRRO today. That adventure awaits us tomorrow! We were so tired we ended up back at our hotel by 1pm and slept for four hours. Our hotel at Powai has been great and it is very convenient to Hiranandani Gardens and the stores, cafes, restaurants & banks there. An auto rickshaw into Hiranandani costs between Rs 30-40 depending on traffic compared to the Rs200 in an A/C cab. We would highly recommend to others coming back to Mumbai for baby pick up to stay at one of the hotels at Powai. Yes the VITS is popular and we too almost stayed there but are now so glad we're here. The hotel has some beautiful grounds and the pool area is to die for with a grassed area to relax in the shade! So what is left for us to do in Bombay? When we booked our flights here we anticipated a stay of just over two weeks and it has proven to be true. 16 nights is the total for us. We arrived on the 9th April and we leave Mumbai this Sunday the 25th April. A total of 16 days. Noddy's exit visa is issued tomorrow and two days later we will be on a plane back to Sydney. Now that the time has come we are sad. Sad to be leaving our hotel room we couldn't wait to leave, sad to be leaving the smog, heat and crowds we are so unaccustomed with. Sad to be saying bye to Dr Sudhir and Dr Yash, now friends for life. And sad to be leaving Bombay, the birth city of our son. We will however be back so goodbye is not forever!

For those of you reading this contemplating if surrogacy in India is right for you, just as we did...the proof is in our son. And you could do no better than to have Surrogacy India, Dr Sudhir and Dr Yash by your side.

Change of Plans.....We are Leaving for Mumbai!!!

SCREETCH!!!!!

We have been on the phone with Dr Yash as our surrogate has gone into labour and is now at Hiranandani. Dr Soni confirms that we are in the early stages of labour and it can not be delayed. We have just spent the past two hours changing flights and hotel and frantically finishing packing. We arrive into Mumbai around 2am on Friday morning and will have an update then.

This is not a drill, we repeat...this is not a drill.

Our life is about to change and we can't wait!

7 Day Countdown

This time next week we will be en-route to Sydney International Airport and exactly 38 weeks pregnant. Darren is cool, calm and very collected and I am too to a certain degree. My head is still spinning wildly like you wouldn't believe but maybe that's due to the washer being on spin cycle at the moment.

First of all, congratulations have to go out to Greg and Rob Blosser and their wonderfully, beautiful little girl Addison Claire. One of three babys born to SI IPs this week. We are so looking forward to meeting the three of them when we return to India next week.

Next week, 7 days! Gosh the time has come by quickly, thankfully we have a four day weekend at the moment to try and get things into some kind of order before we leave home. We're both working right up to the day prior to us leaving, so Monday will be spent packing our bags and making sure we have everything that we need and don't take the silly, fluffy stuff we do not. We chatted with our beautiful surrogate again this week and she is SO BIG! Dr Soni is very happy with Noddy's growth and weight gain that a planned c-section has been arranged on the day of our arrival into Mumbai or the following day which means that provided nature doesn't decide to introduce Noddy to the world any sooner, our darling will be born at either 38 weeks 1 day or 38 weeks 2 days. She seems very happy still albeit very tired and probably glad to be seeing the end of our pregnancy. We are amazed at the truly wonderful gift that she has made possible for us.

Drs Sudhir and Yash also said that it appears Noddy may be SI's biggest baby born to date......Not sure if this is a good or bad thing? Any opinions of this? Noddy is just over 3kg according to Dr Soni as of last Tuesday. We are planning to chat with our surrogate again tonight Saturday and will again next week before we leave for India.

Our last week as a childless couple. How will it be spent; date nights, romantic dinners? Probably not. Darren is working long, long hours in the last week before his time off work and we still have to prepare for the possibility of dropping everything and trying to find a flight to Mumbai.

WEEK 37

Fetal size: crown-rump 35cm (14 inches), crown-toe: 47cm (18.5 inches). Fetal weight 3kg (6.5 pounds). The average size of a healthy full term baby in Australia is 3.5kg. There are many variations on this figure and the size of your baby is linked both parents birth weight and their adult height.

Two Week Countdown

Tomorrow, Saturday will mark 14 days until our departure from Sydney and more importantly, our return to Mumbai to see Dr Sudhir, Dr Yash, Team SI, our wonderful surrogate and finally meet our darling Noddy.

Giving myself over to the thought of finally becoming a parent gives me unbearable pins and needles throughout my entire body. Goosebumps, dizziness and tingling in the base of my neck are just some of the sensations when I imagine our child in our lives. A child that no one can take from us. A child that will call us it's parents. A child that will wake in the morning and want us, it's daddies to hug and take care of them. My mind is racing at a million miles an hour and I keep repeating to myself that WE ARE ABOUT TO BECOME PARENTS!!!

Last night we had the opportunity to again chat with our surrogate on SKYPE and see her happy smiling face. Having such fantastic technology available to us and a willing surrogate to chat regularly has made the past nine months seem all the more real for Darren and I. We have been encouraged by the positive news and feedback during the course of our surrogate's pregnancy for us. Some IPs have chosen to visit India mid pregnancy which is a great way to stay in touch with your chosen surrogate but for us we opted not to do this. SKYPE had made the many, many miles seem not so far and our surrogate closer to us which we are grateful for. We asked our SM last night how she was feeling and if baby Noddy was moving much to which she replied that our baby likes to dance of a night time! She cracked up laughing and so did the other girls in the room with her. Every time she laughes it is so contagious and makes us happy. A happy pregnancy = a happy baby!

Below is a screen shot from our chat last night on SKYPE. SI clients will recognise the happy smiling face of Jaya in the background, one of the members of "Team SI".

WEEK 36

Fetal size : crown-rump 34cm (13.5 inches), crown-toe 46cm (20.7 inches). Fetal weight 2.75 kgs (6 pounds). From about 24 weeks it is possible for your health care professional to determine what position your baby is in. This may change quite a few times as your baby grows, until some time between 32-36 weeks, when the baby runs out of room. A baby usually lies in the cephalic position, that it head down and legs curled up towards the ribs. This is an ideal position, as a baby's head is larger than the rest of it's body, so if the head fits through the pelvis, the rest of the body will. On less frequent occasions, the baby can be in a breach position, where it's head is under the ribs and the feet pointing toward your pelvis.

Engagement

This is when the baby's head has entered the pelvis. It usually occurs at around week 36 for a first time pregnancy and later if you have already had a child.

Why The Questions?

Is this normal practice when you congratulate expecting parents? I know that when family, friends or work colleagues announced they were expecting we never asked these sort of questions or made such comments. Perhaps it's because we're a same sex couple. Maybe people think because we don't have a traditional 'mother' in our family unit that some how we won't be able to cope and people seem to be counting down the day til our demise. It could be that after 13 years together, people think Darren and I are looking at impending parenthood through rose coloured glasses? Or maybe I'm just being overly sensitive and perhaps they are right...


Am I crazy and delusional?

Are we wrong to be so excited about Noddy's birth that smelly nappies and sleepless nights don't come into the equation? We know that with a newborn baby comes sleep deprivation. We know that our time is no longer our own. We know that for the rest of our lives we will have a life depending on us as parents. We know that we may never again be able to leave the house, hair perfectly quiffed and shirts vomit free and you know what........we can't wait!

Some of the questions and comments I'm referring to that some people seem to be throwing our way include:

" You won't know what hit you" - Thanks, I never thought of our baby as a hazardous projectile!

" Give it five to six weeks and then I'll ask you again" - The reply when asked if we're excited.

"Just wait til the baby won't sleep and stop crying" - Response to Johnny's excitement of being a stay at home dad.

Then there's the chuckle from mothers. A chuckle similar to a secret handshake as though they are members of an exclusive club and now that we have 'signed on the dotted line' there's no turning back. A chuckle so sinister that it's true meaning will only be understood by us when Noddy arrives. Then and only then does the reality of membership to this club reveal itself.

I now want to ask a question. Does this happen to you dear reader? Is this normal and have you had to answer such questions or had similar comments thrown your way? Like I said, perhaps I am the crazy, delusional and overly sensitive one here?

What do you think?

Noddy's room is not quite 100% complete but we are almost there. The timber has all been painted and the prints we bought at Disney Land in 2005 finally have a home in Noddy's room. There is still a bookcase and toy box to paint and then that's it. No more painting of furniture. YAY! All of Noddy's clothes and bed linen has been washed and folded and we have his/her bags packed for our return to India. We on the other hand will most likely pack a few days prior to our scheduled departure.

WEEK 35
Fetal size: crown-rump 33cm (13.2 inches), crown-toe 45cm (20.25 inches). Fetal weight: 2.5kg (5.5 pounds). Fat has continued to build up under your baby's skin and is responsible for providing energy and regulating body temperature. These fat deposits have also changed the appearance of the skin, making it pinker (rather than red) and less wrinkled. Fingernails are developed on the fingers, but still may be growing on the toes. Eyelids can be opened and closed and blinking is possible. The irises are also now light sensitive and will dilate and contract depending on exposure to light.

Week 34 Update

34 weeks! You can't begin to imagine the smile from ear to ear on our faces at the moment; well, I know that some of you can! Noddy's impending arrival is becoming very, very emotional for us and every time we hear from Drs Yash and Sudhir with a photo, report or ultrasound scan we're elated. Daily we're being greeted with "not long now" and "is the baby here yet", from friends and extended family.

This morning for instance, I woke as usual and first thing was to turn on the computer. Every morning I wake, check for emails, photos, scans, then it's off to blogger to see what's been happening to our surrogacy buddies world wide, then the SI forum for new posts and updates, then the Australian Embassy website in New Delhi for any changes to requirements for children born in India from a commercial surrogacy arrangement and then my work emails. Once this morning ritual is complete I can then feed the cats, change their litter trays, iron shirts for work, make the bed, have breakfast and then feed myself and get ready for work. Usually it's Darren who is the first to leave for work but not today. When I woke and saw the above photo and the latest email from Dr Yash I ran upstairs smiling to myself and thinking, "we may be soon be waking up to an email or phone call that our SM going into labour"!

We're on the one month count down folks!

This wasn't the case this morning though. Our dear surrogate had an ultrasound two days ago and we were reading the results and an email from Dr Yash telling us that from next week, week 35 our SM will be moved to the SI clinic for the remainder of the pregnancy to monitor her so that should she go into labour early she is being cared for and looked after. We re-packed Noddy's bags last night, nappies, bibs, bottles, singlets and what seems like a thousand other items for such a small person. At least we'll be prepared!

Latest results on Noddy's development are;
BPD - 8.94cms compatible with 36w1d
HC - 32.77cms compatible with 37w2d
FL - 6.58cms compatible with 33w6d
AC - 31.48cms compatible with 35w3d

FHR - 114bpm
EST FETAL WEIGHT - 2629gms
Average Gestational Age - 35w5d
EDD - 08 April 2010

WEEK 34
Fetal size: crown-rump 32cm (12.8 inches), crown-toe 44cm (19.8 inches). Fetal weight: 2.25kg (5 pounds). Your baby is now perfectly formed and has the proportions of a newborn. Now it's simply a matter of your baby gaining some weight and doing some further maturing before he/she is ready to be born. It's becoming more cramped in your uterus as your baby continues to mature. Consequently your baby curls up more and starts to move a bit less. Everything is mature now except for the lungs which will continue to prepare themselves for breathing air after birth. Although the lungs are not fully developed, almost all babies born at 34 weeks will survive, but will probably experience some breathing difficulties.

Our Baby Shower

Yesterday we had a great group of 35 family and friends celebrate an afternoon of 'Bombay Baby Madness', our baby shower. We had planned a garden party but the always unpredictable Blue Mountains weather had other ideas and we ended up indoors.




We had a wonderful afternoon celebrating with some close friends and family and we're sure everyone had a great time too. Not everyone we invited was able to make it but we know those of you that couldn't make it in person were there in spirit, sipping bubbles from afar! How great do our cupcakes look!


Johnny's younger sister as you know from earlier posts is a cake decorator extraordinaire! Beck did such a wonderful job and the cupcakes were yummy. Thank you to all the wonderful people who came and shared our day with us. I had very, very grand plans and some of them had to go out the window at the last minute. We did want to arrange somebody to come to the shower to apply henna to our hands but at more than $300 that idea was given the flick. We did purchase some henna cones ourselves and made stencils and were ready but ran out of time on the day. I did though have time the day prior to try my hand at some mehndi on our two nieces Emerson and Makayla.


We had a yummy Indian themed lunch consisting of saffron rice, chicken tikka, dhal and eggplant curry, vegetable samosa and a selection of naan and pappadums.
















The day could not have been the smashing success that it was without the help of our wonderful family. Our parents who have been helping us over the past months leading up to this day, helping us with purchases, organising and decorating the house and Noddy's room. To our sisters who helped out immensely on the day both in and out of the kitchen enabling us to mingle and enjoy the company of our friends, thank you! We have a wonderful family and to have you share this day with us was a dream come true for the two of us and one we will remember fondly when Noddy is harassing us to borrow the car!


Noddy's room is almost complete. We're 99.97% there. We have one piece of furniture left to paint and Darren has offered to do this. We have managed to empty the wardrobe in his/her room and put our Christmas ornaments in storage boxes. Darren has framed some wonderfully cute pictures of Pooh Bear, Snuglepot and CuddlePie (Australian gumnut babies) and Big Bird to hang on the walls and finished painting a mirror we had in our old study which now finds a home in Noddy's room. When complete, we'll post a few photos here for you all to admire!

It's true that dreams really do come true and we are so very, very grateful to have reached for the stars and manged to find Noddy. I hope that those of you out there contemplating surrogacy take the plunge and reach for the stars too. You may get a pleasant surprise just as we have.

Week 33 Update

Have a look at that wonderful belly! I wish we were already in India. We really want to spend some time with our surrogate before she goes into labour and Noddy joins us. I pray we have this chance. Noddy is developing beautifully and it looks like the elevated WBC count from last week is decreasing which is a relief both for us, the docs and our surrogate. From this latest photo sent to us by Dr Sudhir, you can really tell that our surro. has put on weight, especially in her face. I hope she is happy and healthy. She must now be really starting to tire and be coming to the end of her patience with Noddy growing so well. When we last spoke with her on skype, she said the baby must be very hungry as she is eating lots! If those chubby cheeks on our latest 3D scans are anything to go by, she is right!

The latest results from Drs Sudhir and Yash on Noddy's development are:

BPD: 8.32 cms
HC: 30.00cms
FL: 6.45cms
AC: 27.45cms
FHR: 131bpm
EST Fetal Weight: 1955gms
EDD: 14 April 2010
The placenta is anterior and grade II in maturity
The amniotic fluid level is adequate
The internal os is closed
Cervical length 3.56cm


We are hoping to chat with her again tonight, our home PC has been done....again! Our replacement as been couriered to us today and I'll set it up after dinner. This Sunday we are having our baby shower and I'll be sure to post photos for those of you overseas or interstate that can't be here in person. Currently the weather forecast is a little stratchy. Not sure if we'll have sunshine and warmth on an Autumn day or not. I hope so. We've been getting gift packs ready for our surrogate's kids for our return to Mumbai and want to find something special for her too. We are thinking a piece of jewellery (maybe ear rings or a bracelet)?


Noddy's room is almost complete. The light we bought and painted has been installed and looks great! We have one last piece of furniture to paint and then that's it. No more painting! YAY!When everything is in it's place we will post a few pics to share with you all. Tomorrow will mark the five week count down until we fly back to Mumbai. I hope Noddy can hang in there until our arrival and that he/she is kind to our dear surrogate in these last weeks of her pregnancy for us.


WEEK 33
Fetal size: crown-rump 30cm (12 inches), crown-toe: 43cm (19.4 inches). Fetal weight: 2kg (4.4 pounds). Until week 20, your baby spent most of it's time in a wakeful state. Between weeks 20 and 28, he/she started to have periods of activity and quiet. After week 28 your baby started to experience active sleep (eyes and body moving, heart rate speeding up then slowing down, facial expressions changing and changing breathing patterns). From week 28 onwards, it is likely that your baby starts to develop a pattern of deep sleep and active sleep. During the active sleep periods, your baby's brain undergoes stimulation, which probably helps it to mature.

Week 31 Update

This week we reach 31 weeks in our pregnancy and are one step closer to Noddy reaching full term. Technically we only have six weeks to go right? A baby born at 37 weeks is considered 'full term' and then we can really let out a sigh of relief.

We are starting to prepare our essentials list for our return trip to India. Bottles, formula, nappies, clothes, baby sling vs carrier, cotton balls, bibs, burp cloths, bottle steriliser, hanger for drying small laundry items in our hotel room, bottle drain stand, ipod, laptop and the other gazillion items to make sure we have every possible scenario covered. Of course this can't be achieved and we will be as prepared as we can be and the rest.....we will deal with if and when we need to. You know we're not going to have a refluxy, colicy baby! PLEASE!

Our wonderful surrogate again this week has been for more check ups and scans and the latest results are looking good for Noddy's development...


A single live foetus is noted in cephalic presentation with spine to the left.

Liquor - Adequate.
Placenta - To the right and Grade O Maturity

BPD - 78.6MM
HC - 286.7MM
FL - 57.2MM
AC - 272.0MM
EFW - 1685GRAMS

This week we would also like to say a BIG THANK YOU to the many people who have kindly helped us over the past 12 months plus. Many of you out there we have only ever met in this virtual world and having your support, kindness, encouragement and ever willing ear to listen to us has made our journey much more enjoyable. When we started to seriously consider commercial surrogacy in India we were just as apprehensive and trepidatious as the next person. Having people to email, talk with and allay our anxieties meant we could focus on what was really important and that is creation. Noddy.

We met Stephanie and Adam whilst in Mumbai and their cherub Micah. Chaya and her princess Ella also made us appreciate the reality of what we were about to do and that yes, it is possible!


To our numerous online supporters; M&J, Jason & Brendan, Greg & Rob (can't wait to meet you two), Rhonda & Gerry, Megan & Bob, Lisa & Nik, Jojo and the others I have forgotten....thank you. You all know the stress involved in becoming parents half way around the world and no one else can relate to these crazy emotions more than the people going through the same things as us.


To our wonderful doctors in India, Dr Sudhir and Dr Yash. Words will never express the gratitude and awe we have toward you and your staff for your wonderful commitment to Darren and I. For us, there is no other clinic we would have other than Surrogacy India and will continue to sing your praises to one and all that will listen.

And finally, our family. Both sets of parents and siblings have been amazing in their steadfast support and unwavering faith in us and the desire to become parents. Family is one of the reasons we chose to become parents. We love you all.

WEEK 31
Fetal size: crown-rump 28cm (11.2 inches), crown-toe 40cm (18 inches). Fetal weight : 1.6kg (3.5 pounds).
The eyes are now fully formed and the eyelids have separated, allowing your baby's eyes to open. Once the eyes are open, your baby will start to see and focus (within a limited range). Your baby now has a fully developed breathing rhythm and his/her lungs begin to prepare for breathing air in the outside world. Sucking and swallowing skills also continue to develop in preparation for feeding. Your baby passes about half a litre of urine into the amniotic fluid each day.

3D Ultrasound & 30 Week Update

30 weeks....sigh....

We have had a reprieve this week from working on the nursery, most of the planned work as we now know is almost done and there are only minor cosmetic touches left for us to do. We had the wonderful opportunity last night to again chat with our surrogate and Jaya from Surrogacy India. As always she had the most wonderfully smiling face. Always laughing and happy to chat with us and also our parents last night. Both Johnny's parents and Darren's mother had their chance to say Namaste and thank her for the wonderful thing she is doing for us.

We are so eager to return to India to see her and the docs at SI and I know she is keen for us to come back too. Not a day goes by when we are not thinking of her and her family. Praying for their continued good health and happiness. We really do live in a wonderful time to be able to say we are going to be dads with the help of two beautiful woman half way across the world...

Last night we also received some scans from our long awaited 3D ultrasound from two weeks ago on the 29th January.

Wow, amazing, beautiful, tiny & perfect! Words can not begin to express the wonder we both felt at seeing little Noddy's tiny features before he/she will join us. Our hearts are so warm and full of love for our tiny baby that I can not fully express how we feel at seeing these ultrasound images. Just thinking of them and seeing our child gives us goosebumps.

































WEEK 30

Fetal size: crown-rump 27cm, crown-toe 39cm. Fetal weight 1.4kg (3 pounds). Your baby has increased in size and wont be able to somersault for much longer. Your medical practitioner will be able to ascertain your baby's position by performing an abdominal examination. Your baby keeps gaining weight and maturing. Your baby's brain has grown and the brain cells and nerves are now active. This means that your baby can now engage in more complex learning and movement. From now on there will be less and less room for your baby to move. While your baby has been moving around over the past few months he/she has been building muscle tone and learning how to orientate himself/herself in the uterus. Over the next four weeks your baby will probably lie with his/her head facing upwards, but sometimes a baby will turn upside down and 'engage' or get ready for birth earlier than usual. Your baby starts to gain weight and starts to round out as fat continues to appear beneath the skin. This fat smooths out the wrinkles in the skin. Your baby also begins to control his/her own body temperature. The hair that covered the skin now reduces while the hair on the scalp lengthens. The head and body are now fully in proportion - just like a newborn.

Week 29 Update & Noddy's Stats

29 weeks! Both Darren and I are now starting to feel like we're on a train headed down hill and the driver is not using the brakes!

It's funny that even now I have small milestones in my head that when reached, I exhale and let out a small sigh of relief. Next week will be another of those milestones...30 weeks.

Noddy is doing so well and appears very content with his/her current uterine residence that we hope it stays that way for many weeks still. Last night we received the results from our surrogate's latest ultrasound and tests. She must be starting to feel sick and tired of all these darn tests, but all that we hear from Dr Sudhir is that she is always smiling and happy. What a wonderful person she is and again we are so blessed to have her helping us complete our dream of becoming parents. Our home computer has been out of action for around a week since we had a major thunder storm resulting in our modem being fried. As of late last night however, after spending a lengthy amount of time on the phone for internet support, we're back online!

We did miss the opportunity to SKYPE with our surrogate the night before last which was disappointing, Dr Sudhir said that she was so looking forward to seeing us again and chatting. Now that we are back in the land of the internet enabled, SKYPE has been booked in for next week when next she returns to SI's clinic. We were happy though to have some results on Noddy's development to this date:

BPD - 7.79cm compatible with 31w2d (head measurement side to side)
HC - 27.95cm compatible with 30w4d (head circumference)
FL - 5.36cm compatible with 28w3d (femur length, thigh bone)
AC - 24.30cm compatible with 28w44 (abdominal circumference)
EST Fetal Weight - 1293gms

EDD - 11 April 2010

Now the due date above is sooner than we had thought. The due date from conception was around 24-26 April and then our date was brought forward a month or so ago to 18 April 2010 and now 11 April 2010. Lets hope that Noddy sticks around for as close to the 40 week mark as possible. Darren and I have booked our airfares yesterday with Qantas via Singapore and we arrive into Mumbai on the morning of the 11th April. We were booked to spend all our time at the VITS but have changed this to the Renaissance Hotel at Powai as I managed to secure an amazing rate as a travel agent that could not be beat.

WEEK 29

Fetal size: crown-rump 26cm (10.4 inches), crown-toe 38cm (16.7 inches). Fetal weight 1.25kg (2.7 pounds). Over the last five weeks your baby has doubled it's weight. Your baby grows so quickly that even a few weeks growth will have a big effect on your baby's size. A baby born between 37 and 42 weeks is considered term and full mature at birth. A baby born prior to 37 weeks is considered to be premature and requires specialist medical attention. Today, rapid medical intervention has enabled babies born as early as 25 weeks to survive, although they face many possible complications and weeks in hospital. The further a pregnancy develops the higher the chances of a better outcome for mother and baby.

Whats In a Name?

We are one week away from the 'official' start to the final trimester in our pregnancy. Wow, the time has really flown. On reflection to this point, I laugh at the thought of all the little things that worried me and kept me online day in and day out. And, there were plenty of little things!

This weekend we caught up with the Aussie couple we met in Mumbai when we were there in July. We have made fantastic life long friends and it was so good to see them both again and share some laughs, great food and their wonderful company. I have attached a photo of the Noddy learning blocks that we received from them, amongst many other wonderful pressies they gave us!
When it came to choosing a name for Noddy, both Darren and Johnny wanted a classic name. Nothing too tricky or with weird spelling. You know the kind of name I mean right? What's benefit to your child is spelling their name other than the norm;

Matthew/Matthieu?
Paige/Paije?


Maybe it's just us and we are the weirdos? We always had our boys name chosen from the get go but when it came to selecting a girls name we were undecided. Of course everyone and their dog wants to give you their opinion on your chosen name and then offer suggestions as to what they would do. Then there's name association. You know what I mean here too; one partner really likes the name Ralph lets say, but Ralph was a crazy man who stole your underwear from the clothes line when you were in high school so, Ralph's a no go when it comes to naming your unborn child...and the list of 'no go' names goes on and on and on. On that note, I give unto thee our chosen names for Noddy, be she a boy or girl:

Noah Robert

Arabella Rose

What do you think? Of course if you don't like them, chances are they are not being changed but we would love to know what you think.



WEEK 27 UPDATE


Fetal size 24cm (9.6 inches). Fetal weight 1kg (just over 2 pounds). The head to toe length of your baby can now be approximated (until now, the measurements have been approximations of the crown-rump measurements). This week the crown-toe measurement is approximately 34cm (15.3 inches). At about this time the retina develops. The retina is located at the back of the eye and receives light and light images and information, and transmits it to the brain where it is interpreted. The lungs continue to develop, and this week the special moistening agent surfactant production begins. Surfactant stops the walls of the lungs sticking together when we exhale. Along with the production of surfactant, the network of blood vessels servicing the lungs increases.

Noddy...We have a pram!

This week brings closure on our pram debate. After many long hours sourcing the best pram for Noddy, the decision has been made for us. Both of us have spent hours at Babies Galore, Baby Kingdom, Babys R Us, Myer, David Jones...the list goes on and on to no avail. What we learnt from this process is that no single pram offered everything we were looking for. One was easy to collapse but did not have a rear facing bassinet or vice versa. This, coupled with the fact that there are very few pram systems under $1000 felt like we were searching for the holy grail of prams. Oh my! Johnny did buy a second hand emmalunjga classic pram on e-bay. It did not matter than the pram was ten years old as it was fabulous looking and was the traditional carriage he was after. Shortly after picking up said pram and it taking up the entire boot space in the station wagon and I mean there was very little room left, he did his wrist lifting into the car.

For days after it was aching beyond belief. Reality kicked in and it was bye-bye to the emmaljunga and we were back at square one; no pram. Our earlier joke of using a wheelbarrow was looking more and more like reality for us.

Luckily for us our pram saviour came in the form of Ninna. Darren's mum who goes by the name Ninna or Nin to her grandchildren. Nin had decided long ago that her baby shower gift to us was going to be a pram and it so it was...along with a mosquito net and stand for our cot, several beautiful nighties and legging sets, onsies, kinitted jackets, booties, bonnets along with shawls, blankets and baby face washers.

Our invitations for our baby shower have been posted this week and we are planning a lovely afternoon in our front garden with friends and family enjoying each other's company and a scrumptious selection of canapes with equally yummy beverages to boot.

WEEK 26

Fetal length 23cm (9.2 inches). Fetal weight nearly 910grams (2 pounds). Your baby's body has started to grow faster than its head. This new sense of proportion makes your baby look more like a newborn. Arms and legs are stronger and bones are hardening. Eyebrows and eyelashes are present and hair on the head is growing longer. Your baby is becoming longer and although still red and skinny its body is rounding out as fat deposits start to develop under the skin. Genitals are now completely differentiated. The lungs are growing, nostrils are open and muscles start to work to give your baby breathing practise prior to birth. Your baby has also developed patterns of sleeping and waking.

Weeks 24 & 25 Updates

We can almost see the finish line...almost. This week our surrogate will be 25 weeks pregnant and we soon will be counting down from DOUBLE DIGITS!

I remember earlier in the year when we were counting down from 99 days to our arrival into Mumbai for the first time and how excited we were and how fast the time passed by. We still have no movement on the nursery front. We have however purchased one box of newborn nappies and some cans of newborn formula. We will get started on the nursery by the end of January or the start of February.

There has been very little news from India over the past couple of weeks (no news in good news). Drs Sudhir and Yash have sent us two new photos at the start of this week with our surrogate's beautiful 25 week baby belly! Little Noddy is still growing strong and again we repeat how blessed we are that our pregnancy has been smooth and to be under the watchful eyes of such fantastic professionals at Surrogacy India. We are and always will be singing their praises and recommending them to anyone who listens! This week we also emailed Amit Kulkarni from Explore India; (mumbai@exploreindya.net), the travel agent recommended by SI to confirm our hotel when we return to India. We have decided on the VITS as their staff are well equipped to the needs of new parents and there are so many IPs who have been before us and some that will be there at the same time as us so, we look forward to meeting them! Amit's rates are very competitive and even better than what I was able to confirm as a travel agent. Also, Amit knows the people on the ground in India so can include many extras that we would otherwise miss out on or have to pay for.

WEEK 24

Fetal size 21cm (8.4 inches). Fetal weight 530grams (1.2 pounds). This week your baby continues to gain weight. Development is occurring in the brain, growth and increase in size of the kidneys, lungs and gastrointestinal tract (gut).

WEEK 25

Fetal size 22cm (8.8 inches). Fetal weight 680grams (1.5 pounds). Your baby continues to develop and mature. Its brain begins to form connections between the nerve cells and fibre ends. This process continues for a few weeks, while a basis is created for the relay of the sensory messages that signal consciousness in adults.

Squeakers, Bibs & Christmas Cheer

We had such a wonderful Christmas Day with family and friends. This was the first year in a very long time we did not have lunch or dinner at our place and it was nice to be waited on instead of waiting on others!!!

We always have a quiet breakfast at home with Darren's mum and her partner Michael. This is a lovely way to start our day; carols playing and maybe a chocolate truffle or two whilst we set the table and get ready for our breakfast. Ham, poached eggs, mango and an assortment of other treats kept the morning easy and we all enjoyed relaxing over a few hours and exchanging gifts.

This year Johnny's sister had Christmas lunch at her place. Darren and I, along with both sets of parents and Becky's partner Stephen's folks too. Beck is an amazing cook and a professional chef by trade so lunch was an extravaganza! Her house was so wonderfully festive with a beautifully decorated tree, garlands galore and Christmas lights. It was magical. Becky and Steve had prepared a delicious lunch for us all; ham, turkey, roast pork, potato salad, green salad, scrumptious prawns and the most sublime Tasmanian oysters! We had a perfect day with our extended families and of course ate far too much as one does. Look at the amazing cupcakes Becky made for Christmas!

She is so talented and is really hoping to expand her cake decorating business in 2010.

After our beautiful lunch we headed back to the Blue Mountains for Christmas dinner with Darren's sister Tracie and her husband and two nieces. Again, we had such a relaxing night enjoying each others company, enjoying a meal together, some wonderful Christmas punch and exchanged our gifts. All in all we have had one of the most relaxing Christmas Days ever. We returned home so full of cheer and happy that we decided we must be more low key when it comes to our own entertaining around this time of year. I think we need to apply this mantra to entertaining in general. I am unable to entertain low key full stop.

This will be one of the resolutions for 2010. I usually don't worry about new year resolutions but I will have to learn to entertain more simply right? We'll have a baby with us in a few months time.

Darren's niece bought us the most adorable squeaker rattle and bib for Christmas that I just had to post a photo for you. They are made by an Australian company; Alimrose Designs (they're online). Their squeakers and bibs use wonderfully vintage style fabrics and we just love it. The Scottie dog set it a gift from Hollie to us for Noddy and Darren and I bought the bunny months ago. It was in fact our first purchase for Noddy many, many months ago.

The last days of 2009 will be spent working. Both Darren and I are saving our annual leave for when Noddy arrives. Also, Darren is only three months into his new job and working in retail, December and January are some of the busiest months of the year for his industry. My job on the other hand has started to slow down now. If you haven't already booked you flight to the UK sorry love but you have probably missed out on the $1400 airfare your sister saw for you in the paper a month ago! We are now only days away from entering our last trimester....my mind is awash with the dream of what our life will be like in 2010. I see captured moments in my mind every now and then of Darren and I out with Noddy or at home and I blissfully let my subconscious get carried away with these dream like sequences of daily life. I know I keep repeating myself but we are so blessed I get goosebumps.