After seven years, it is not very easy to figure out how to start this post. We had our baby seems appropriate enough … or maybe this is better – WE HAD OUR BABY!!!!!!!
We will go into more details in our next post but we wanted everyone to see our story through the amazing eyes of the folks that shot our birth video, Sarah and Justin from Lovell Productions. Obviously, we will forever be indebted to our wonder surro and her entire family! Without them, we would not be all blurry eyed and sleep deprived from our daughter, Grayson (a.k.a. Jelly Bean) needing to be fed at all hours of the night. One short comment on that though, we heard from a lot of parents around us to “wait” until we have to deal with the loss of sleep and all the hardships and then we will revisit our desires to have a child. Well, we are there. 3-4 hours of sleep tops, dirty diapers, and lots of wardrobe changes from getting spit-up on them. Guess what, we love it. We are not tired from drinking a keg of sorrows the night before, we are not changing diapers from gambling with whether we could make it to the bathroom or not and losing, and we are not doing wardrobe changes because we are starring in a musical about infertile hysteria. Nope, we are in the trenches of newborn care and are loving it. Alright, enough drabble, please enjoy the video from Lovell Productions and keep reading about some more exciting news in the lives of us, the infertile editors!
The Gift of Life from Lovell Productions on Vimeo.
On top of all this, we are incredibly honored and truly humbled by Resolve and our amazetastic readers to have been nominated for the Hope Award Best Blog. WHHHHHAAAAT? I peed a little, (ok, ok, busted, maybe a lot) out in immense excitement when I opened up that email that said we were 1 of 5 blogs in the running to win such. There were over 130+ that were submitted! The Hope Award is an annual award given to someone who writes about what it’s like living with infertility and passionately fostering awareness of the disease through their words, electronically speaking. Uhm, Uh hem, over here!! Choose us!
Do you remember back in April (National Infertility Awareness Week) when we were challenged to write about a specific topic “Resolve to Know More About…?” Well, that is the post that secured our nomination. SO what is behind curtain #2 if we win? A NEEEEWWWWWW CAR!!! I kid, even better really. We are presented with the Hope Award at the Night of Hope Gala in NYC in November. This is like the Heisman trophy of infertility bloggers…THUMP…Yeah sorry, just passed out from excitement again. At this point it is in the hands of YOU. No pressure right? So here is what you need to do:
Cast your vote HERE
Share, Share, Share. More votes for “Our Misconception” = #winning!
Thank you for supporting us, our journey and reading our misadventures in the land of IF.
If you like our blog, even just a little, how about showing us some sweet sweet bloglovin’ and follow us? You can subscribe to our blog via email and can receive our posts as soon as we click send! (See right sidebar for how to sign-up) If you REALLY like us, we are also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!
Congrats!! She is absolutely beautiful!!! Enjoy every minute of it.
I write through lots of tears…congratulations from the bottom of my heart. She is absolutely beautifully. She is the most wanted and loved child. Lucky little girl…Lucky parents. I cry out of sheer happiness for you and devastation for me, but you guys give me hope. Enjoy her…she’s precious. -alexx
Alexx, thank you for your comment and good wishes. We are beyond ecstatic to have Grayson and pray that she truly will represent endless hope to and, in all honesty, a stubbornness to not let your dreams be denied.
She is amazing. God is great! Enjoy your miracle.
Congratulations 🙂 You deserve it
Simply amazing…tears in my eyes. And the shot at the end where you are holding her on the couch – she’s gorgeous. Enjoy your little girl!!
Hi 🙂
First, Congratulations on your BEAUTIFUL baby girl. I am so happy for you both!
Second, I cast my vote for your blog! My husband will be doing the same once he gets home.
And lastly, thank you for always being so honest and open with such sensitive subjects. I have learned so much from the episode on TV and this blog. Keep it up, you both are doing amazing work for so many who feel like they are all alone.
Jamie, thank you so much for such kind words, good wishes for Grayson, and for voting for us! We think it is very important to continue sharing our story and reaching out to our fellow fighters in the IF trenches.
Writing through tears, this is the most amazing birth story! we just starting our surrogacy journey, and it give so much hope! Thank you for sharing it!
Superhappyjohi, we are so excited that you are taking the first steps on your surrogacy journey! If you have any questions or simply want someone to talk to about all things surro, please e-mail us at ourmisconception@gmail.com.
I have chills watching this video (and mascara all over my face). CONGRATS Mom & Dad and welcome to the world JELLYBEAN! She is absolutely beautiful. Just perfect. Candace, your face during the birth was dreamlike, as if you couldn’t believe it was real. So powerful. Thanks for sharing your story. I look forward to following your journey through parenthood. I can’t wait for it to be my turn.
I have watched this video 4-5 times already, and each time I cry watching Candice watch the birth of her beautiful little girl! HUGE congratulations on Jelly Bean! I am so so so so excited for you guys! (Off to watch the video yet again – so beautifully done, btw!)
Congrats on your adorable baby girl! Happy tears streaming down my face as I watched the video! Thank you for sharing your story!
Congratulations!
Thanks for making me BAWL my eyes out at work. People are staring at me funny….
But in all seriousness, I’ve been following your story and am SO inspired by you two and most importantly your baby girl. She gives me HOPE, she really does, thank you.
Bawling my eyes out. So incredibly happy for you all. God bless you and your surrogate. I think my favorite part of the video was when you mouthed “thank you” to her right after Jellybean was delivered. I echo the sentiments of the other commenters who said this gives me hope. Congrats on your nomination! So well-deserved for all your transparency and openness during this entire process.
Congratulations proud parents! It was amazing to watch both of your faces light up in awe as your precious little girl made her grand entrance into this world. My heart is overflowing with joy for you both and full of hope that one day, my dh and I will be able to experience the miracle and gift of life. Thank you for being open and willing to share honestly in your trials, worry, anticipation, knowledge, and joys. And thank you for the comical relief you have offered me throughout my struggle.
I pray you are continuously blessed and many blessings on your sweet Jelly Bean’s life! She is already blessed to have you both as her parents. Congratulations again!
Thank goodness I am working from home today because I am bawling my eyes out over that video. I’m so, so happy for you guys. Enjoy every minute- our girl is 7.5 months old and they grow quickly!
Tears of joy! So so happy for you guys, I don’t even know you and I know your child is in good hands. Congratulations, I know this goes without saying, cherish EVERY minute.
Congrats! She’s beautiful and I love her name! The video is so precious…what a wonderful thing to have!
Congratulations! So glad things went well. Our daughter arrived this past week too.
This was so beautiful–no dry eyes here! Congratulations! The two of you (now three!) have given me so much hope.
I finally just watched this video and it brought me to tears. I am so so very happy for you. What a journey and you have so much perseverance and hope and it is so inspiring. Congratulations!
I wept through this entire video. I am overjoyed for your family! Coming from someone who is 3.5years into a fight against infertility, thank you for the hope! God bless you and beautiful Grayson.
Wishing you congratulations on finding a way to beat infertility and best wishes on your new parenting journey! Thank you for sharing your story with so many others on the infertility rollercoaster ride…
I saw your story on MTV, and decided to do a “where are they now?” sort of deal. I am beyond happy that this is the result of that search. Congratulations to you and your beautiful little girl.
Thank you for sharing your story. I am in the process of becoming a surrogate. My husband and I have 2 kids of our own, and we love them more than life itself. The moment when you guys watched Jellybean come into this earth was priceless and brought tears to my eyes. Congrats to you both on the birth of your precious baby girl.
I have been following you both for a while since MTV. So happy for you guys!
So happy for you!!! Watched your story on True Life.. And know all to well what your going through. Hubby and I have been together 13 years. With that whole 13 years trying for a baby. Finally had our “miracle baby” 6 years ago. Got pregnant naturally, thankful that I’ve had a chance to do it once, but would give anything to have another. Just not working out that way. Congrats again!! Your “jellybean” is so lucky to have you as parents.
You have no idea how many times I’ve watched this video… It gives me so much hope!
I had a hysterectomy in April and our carrier just lost our baby in December (he/she was only a 3 weeks old). We are as “stubborn” as you guys were. After 5 surgeries, 4 IUIs, a hysterectomy, and now a miscarriage we WILL continue trying to have our own “Jelly Bean”.
I hope you are enjoying your miracle.
Thank you for sharing your story!
Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl! Watching your video has confirmed my decision to be a gestational carrier. I can’t wait to give a wonderful couple the opportunity to be parents!