A year in review - so worth it

So, in our family, with every birthday, people tell you their remembering of your birth with friends adding their bits. So, this is Max & Lily's story so far, they are to small to hear it, but it is a work in progress, but it is what we tell our friends:
 
Mummy and Daddy desperately wanted you, but Mummy's  tummy was broken.

Daddy said we would pray to God to find a way and we found Dr. Shivani. We had lots of other help, from Grandma &Papou, Avo' &Avo,Rosie, Helen, Kathy & Meg .We had special help from two wonderful women from India, who Dr. Shivani found for us,neither who wanted babies, each helping us have you in a special way.

You grew in our hearts, not in  Mummy's body. We are so lucky to have you.

So, now, here is our wonderful year in review:

And now...

So today,  Daddy and Lily have a battle of wits as Lily's favourite thing to do is unscrew her bottle while still full  in her cot, spilling the content; Max is teething and not happy with the world, Mummy's Vegemite's toast is much better than the baby's cereal, but it needs to come from Mummy's plate, otherwise it's not worth eating.

Both babies are standing and moving about by holding things, love being in swings, eating banana and dancing to just about anything. We get soppy open mouth kisses and both mimic us, so we are very careful with what we say and do, i've already had one wag of the finger and "NO" from Lily.

So worth it...

Baptism & Birthday Bash ( or how did my babies get so big?)

So, a year ago on the 26th our lives changed forever when we received the phone call that i never believed would happen.

" Congratulations, you have two healthy babies, a boy and a girl - they are beautiful, what are their names?"

After much planning, anxiety and all that goes with a large family do, we celebrated Max & Lily's baptism and first birthday. The only thing that defeated us was the heat, it was sooo hot in the Church!

Father Frank did a small personalised service that acknowledged our surrogacy journey & India by :

• talking about Max & Lily, our prince and princess, born of India, now firmly in the hearts of their family in Australia
• in the mother's blessing acknowledging my journey and babies born of my spirit & soul and
• Included a blessing for our surrogate and those that helped us in India
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Lily, trying to taste the Olive oil






Max, after watching his sister, just goes for the hand grab.

After the Mass, the party, with fabulous food & cake and all of Max & Lily's favourite people at my parents local community club. It was wonderful to have family of my blood and heart, all those that will be in Max & Lily's lives together.

My gorgeous parents surprised me by bringing out some Port that they had laid down on the day of  my baptism, for my children's baptism. When they first laid down, the Port was 20 years old, now considerably smoother and older.

and as with all parties, at the end things become a bit untidy, clothes get lost and everyone is a bit tired

Max, post birthday cake clean up

Lily, trying to copy her friend Lara's crossed legs.

and all i can see are two toddlers. I have big kids now!

Trying on the Birthday/Baptism outfits.

I wasn't going to share these photos, but i just can't get over how big my babies look.

HOW did she get so big??

Dancing boy!!

I do know they grow, but this fast??

February the month of birthdays & parties

We start the middle of the month with my Dad's birthday, followed by mine and then at the end of the month the Birthday and Baptism Bash.

So, a few photos of my Dad's 75th

Pre party happiness

Birthday boy

Dad & Lily

Now for the Bub update:

In the last month  Max & Lily have both done huge cognitive & physical developmental leaps.Both are standing ( supported), both have bottom teeth, Lily claps, Max high five and claps. Both are using basic words, Mama & Dada, at for Cat, Vo for Avo ( Grandma) Yum yums ( food) , bot for bottle and banana.  Max is a bundle of muscle and more physically active, Lily more social and into communicating, mimicking music etc.

I have introduced a sippy cup, which neither like and just chew it. Lily thinks that I am poisoning each time I give her water. Max normally does the physical stuff first, standing, teeth etc. and Lily is about four weeks behind him, but Lily does the communicating first, with Max following.

I can't believe they will be one in less than two weeks, where are those 2 tiny skinned rabbits i brought home? Where did my babies go?

                                                                         

I am a Liebster award winner!

 

Liebster is a German word, meaning dearest or beloved, but it can also mean favorite. The idea behind the Liebster Blog Award is that it is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers in order to create new connections and bring attention to these wonderful blogs!

Now with that being said, I must thank Mandy: http://ourmagicaljourney.blogspot.com/ for the nod, congratulations on the wonderful news.

I do remember when i first started my journey in 2009 and could only find two Australian blogs, both of which have already been nominated, Amani & Bob and the Tigerlilies, both of which gave us tangible evidence that Australians were doing surrogacy.  Now i look at blogs from around the world, just brilliant.

I am thrilled with this next generation of blogs, sharing their journey, paying it forward. How many of us have received reports, emails or the dreaded phone call and then troll through the blogs to find the same words, diagnosis,measurements, fears and hopes.

Here are my top 5 picks and Liebster award winners in no particular order:

 

1. http://indianafricanleapoffaith.blogspot.com/ Temmy, a African women with an inspriational blog who is doing everything she can to have her baby, challenging customs, ethnicity and her own workplace.
2. http://theroadlesstraveled-lucylu.blogspot.com/ brave, courageous Aussie women who shares the joys and the challenges of this journey
3. http://delhidaydreams.blogspot.com/ - an Irish couple who have been on this journey as long as we have and are now pregnant - Hooray!!
4. http://ecaiozzi.wordpress.com/ Enzo, who has the first Ecuador ( South America) blog on surrogacy.
5. http://www.rastalesstraveled.com/ Insightful reflections on surrogacy & infertility from an American lass.

There were so many others but have been mentioned previously in other blogs, sharing your stories has given us evidence that we too, become parents. After years of infertility, they become beacons of hope and light.

Thank you

Favourite friends...

I have shared many photos of my gorgeous God children, bur rarely any of their parents with Max & Lily. This is often because they have to wait in cue for a hold. Recently, there was no cue and Max & Lily were able to spend a block of time playing with their friends.

Lily was in a chillax'd mood and not up to much, except being adored & cuddled:

Another photo?

I just stay here and rest

While Max was a live wire, ready to dance, bop along, tumble,wave, walk and play, luckily his friends Pete & Joey were happy to play as well:

Showing  skills in waving...

being tall

and mastering the touch phone which will be helpful cause then he can teach us !

We are forever thankful to our family & friends , they all make our lives much richer

New Years Eve & Indian Food

New year's eve has come and gone with a quiet time at home with some Indian food, family & friends. ( John reminisced about years past and made some Blue Lagoon's & Mango Daiquiri's and then made some).

The babies seem so much bigger than the skinned rabbits we brought home in late March.

The babies are 10 months old. I have no idea how much they weigh now.Max is our big boofer, now in some size 0, some size one clothing. He babbles all the time and is mimicking words every day. He will say Dadadada and Mamama. In the last few days when we have put him in the bumbo seats, he has said "yum yums"? Max occasionally pulls himself up to standing position and is very impressed with himself.

Lily is catching up and quite happy in size 0 clothes, yesterday morning for the first time i found Lily on her knees pulling herself up in her cot. To date, she hasn't babbled as much as Max has, one of her favourite thing in the world is to miaw to the cats, especially our Siamese Charlie, who answers back. Bouncing is great fun as is chasing cats in the walker.

Both babies are very social, love engaging with other children and adults and are quick with a smile and a laugh.There is nothing better than hearing the babies laugh. Every morning they wake up with a squeal and a babble. They still both enjoy reading touch and feel books,Hairy McClary and Spot and listening to good salsa beat, although have been recently corrupted to country music by their good friends with the wonky Donkey story and CD.

So, just as i thought our babies are getting too big, here are Max & Lily in their new high chairs ( i think we'll stick with the bumbo chairs and trays for a bit longer). These were taken on the 31st, with Max & Lily having their first try of Indian food (Naan bread dipped in butter chicken sauce & prawn Malabari sauce);both sucking the naan bread down like champions.

Lily "I'll just keep sucking the bread and not waste any of the yummy stuff" don't need teeth

Max "if i keep on smiling will you give me more?" two teeth

For those keeping count, Max has two teeth, Lily, none!

Christmas Day

Random photos through out the day...

Christmas morning with my new barn

My new train with animals

 

First taste of Chocolate, thank you Auntie Rosie

Max loves chocolate and will follow Auntie Rosie anywhere for it

The Girls of the Family, Laura & Lily, the best of Cousins

A meeting of minds, both young, both teething both celebrating first Christmas with their families

More Christmas photos.

We wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I know that this is a difficult time for many of us, hoping, waiting and wishing that something would go our way. We are evidence that it can happen. We hope the same for you.

Here are some more Christmas photos from our family to yours, Christmas together is truly miraculous

Christmas sleepovers with cousins - hooray!

Great presents from Auntie Meg and my mate Toby, but i want the paper & box

Music box bees dance and so does Lily

Christmas tree theme: Gold & White & Red with a dash of cat

 

Christmas is exhausting

Christmas party & pressies and being adored by all

The great thing about Christmas is family, friends and feasting. Max & Lily have got into the spirit of things by spending time with our God daughters ( our best friends, their parents) and their boyfriends.

I would recommend everyone get their own version, it's fantastic - you arrive to discover an entourage waiting for the babies. John and i get a kiss and a hug and then without asking, babies, prams, toys, nappy bags disappear from the car and us, only to be seen again when tears or dirty nappies emerge.

Lily

Max

In the Garden

My poor friend Kathy has to wait her turn, which is often at the end of the night when everyone goes their own way. Max and Lily in true party kid fashion, rather than go to sleep, make do with cat naps, so they are ready to party at the slightest hint of attention.

Max and Lily's highlights: sucking on a big piece of bread with their mates, sitting at the table with the big kids and eating the wrapping of their presents. Although my babies can both crawl, their feet barely touched the ground as they spend the night being kissed, cuddled and adored by all

Updates from us:

• Both babies are crawling
• Max is starting to pull himself up
• Lily had her fringe trimmed
• Max has curly hair
• Max has two bottom teeth! Hooray