We Hold Aelyn for the First Time

Rob and I went back to GA 2 weeks after my last visit to see Aelyn again. Her firstmother was actually on vacation in FL at the time. We weren't sure how everything was going to work out the Wednesday before we left as the hospital was very uncooperative. Everything worked out in the end and we actually were able to hold and feed her over the next 2 days. Rob was welcomed into fatherhood the first time he changed her diaper by her "pooping" on him. What a wonderful and welcome experience after the last years. It definitely made everything seem much more real.

Our First Meeting - 2/18/08 and 3/8/08

As many of you know we were matched with a wonderful set of birthparents on Feb 1, 2008. She was pregnant with a girl due to be born on April 29, 2008. However, we received a phone call on Feb 12 that the baby was born prematurely weighing 2 lbs, 13 oz. She was doing well but would be in the NICU for some time. On Feb 18, we "accidentally" missed our connecting flight in Atlanta in order to meet the birthmother, birthfather and our new baby girl for the first time. Everything was as perfect as could be expected. Conversation flowed and we discovered many connections between all of us (Would you believe the birthfather is also a MacNeil?).

Kim went back up to visit 2 weeks later. Papers had been signed on March 7 and Aelyn was now our daughter. She was still in the NICU but her firstmother was visiting her and it was comforting for us to know that she was being cared for in GA.