Today is the Day

There is a point in every summer that we decide it is time to go back to India. It is the time when we are tired of running around, ready to have our home back, ready to see our dog, ready to see our Delhi friends, and just all around tired of dealing with everything. Today Douglas and I looked at each other and almost simultaneously said "I am ready to go back to India."

We are heading home next week and that is a good feeling.

Chad

Two Years

Two years ago today we crossed the Mississippi and entered the great state of Iowa. We grabbed a quick lunch and then jumped over to a office building where we got married in their conference room. It was far from fancy, but it was official. At least in the state of Iowa. 

During the adoption hearing Thursday was the first official time we outright declared that we were husbands. Indiana does not recognize our marriage, but our attorney wanted it to be in the court testimony that we were in fact married. It felt so liberating when asked "What is your relationship with Douglas?" and my response was "He is my husband."

We have been together five amazing years. and legally married for the last two.

Chad

How Long Does Surrogacy Take?

Today, we have an answer to that question. In our case, it took one year, five months and 21 days from our first meeting with our surrogacy agency in India until our paperwork to become a family with an order of adoption for both dads for both kids was final. I realize that others' journeys down this road may take longer; but, I am sharing this with you, dear readers, to let you know--if you are on a similar path--that there is an end to all of the paperwork and legal documents and getting there feels really incredible!

Today is an incredible day for our family as it represents a milestone we've reached after what seems like a very long journey, even though I know that our journey wasn't nearly as long as some people.

Today feels like another birthday for my kids, and another anniversary for me all rolled into one.

Today, I am proud that, despite some serious backwardness regarding LGBT issues, we live in a state that recognizes that families are all different, and the state has an interest in promoting stability through legal recognition.

Today, we reaffirm our commitment to our kids and to each other.

Love to all!
Douglas 

When You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say

I've heard some crazy things while out with our twins. Some people, even when their intent is not to be rude or prying, really have no filter at all.

But, this story takes the cake. Take a second and read it!

Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, Chad and I had brunch on Sunday at one of the more popular breakfast places in the gayborhood. The food was great! The service--well--not so much. I am perfectly aware that, while being the 12th largest city in the US, Indianapolis is not a bastion of progressively-minded families. Nor are people really accustomed to seeing two-dad families strolling around.

But, I was completely unprepared for the cold-shouldered reception that we received from this particular LGBT-friendly restaurant. Now, let me provide some context: our stroller was stationed out of the way, not taking up any usable table space, our kids were quietly playing with their toys, we went at an off-peak time and our order was uncomplicated.

 Despite all of those mitigating factors (and when compared to our last venture out for breakfast which occurred at a Bob Evans with a waitress named Jenny who almost hugged our faces off because she thought our kids were so cute), we were totally not taken care of. I'll spare you the details on all of the things the waiter did that I found rude or dismissive; suffice it to say that in spite of leaving with full and happy bellies, I was scratching my head a bit.

And then I read this. And I wondered even more about what had happened to us on Sunday morning. Did we get the cold shoulder because we were a family at a restaurant other than Bob Evans? Or is there something else going on in the LGBT community.

Chad and Ezra doing some people watching from our 2nd-story loft in downtown Indy

We have about two more weeks to explore the area around our loft, so I'll let you know what we discover. 

Gone Fishin'

At the beginning of June, the boys had a mini photoshoot with the uber-talented Amanda Beam (Southwest Ohio). Now, I just have to figure out what kind of frame to get and where to hang it in our apartment.

Meanwhile, things are a bit louder here in the loft. Cedric is working on some teeth, and has not been pleased for the last 48 hours. We're thinking about buying better noise-cancelling headphones.

Kidding (mostly).

Cheers,
Douglas

Let's Give 'Em Somethin' to Blog About

If you haven't heard, we're on vacation in the USA. Not India. Unfortunately, the weather in Indiana, and much of the middle feels more like New Delhi. Despite the obnoxious heat, we've settled into a routine of eating new foods, playing in our rented loft and walking around town. We've visited with family in Indiana and Ohio and seen fireworks, and all is well. For several weeks, everything has been pretty normal.

Ah, yes! The doldrums of summer have arrived.

And then, yesterday our dear Cedric decided to sprout two teeth at once! He has been remarkably calm and not very fussy for all of the dental calamity that he must feel on his little gums. With this recent development, he evens up the tooth count. Both boys have two.

Exciting times!!

Twin Update

The boys are almost eight months old, and we went to the doctor in America for the first time. Everything is going great, and the boys are growing bigger and bigger. Here are some highlights:

Ezra has two teeth and is starting to crawl. Others who meet him often remark how athletic he is. He has very muscular legs and loves to move about. He smiles often. He's no longer stoically silent twin, as he has found his voice in the last couple of weeks; although he's still not quite as talkative as his brother. He is eating two "real food" (read baby food puree) meals per day and loves all of the food we've tried except for sweet potatoes. He is still our petit homme but has added on almost two pounds since we left India and now weighs 13 lbs, 6 oz and he is 25.7 inches long. Despite the severe weight discrepancy between Ez and his brother, the doctor is not concerned as he is growing at a normal rate. He's had some eczema patches on his skin since the beginning of June (which will be the subject of another post), but those have been kept under control with lotions and emollients. He loves to go hunting for his brother's pacifier and use it as a teething toy.

Cedric loves to roll on the floor and uses his hands to turn in a complete circle while on his belly with remarkable agility and quickness. None of his teeth have broken through, but he has two that are waiting just below the surface of his gums. In the last week, he has become an expert at sitting up on the floor unassisted and is becoming very proficient at holding his own bottle and feeding himself. He loves to swim and go under the water. He is still our big boy and weighs 16 lbs 15 oz.He is 27.5 inches long. He follows conversations that are going on in the room and really loves being around people. He has a severe addiction to his pacifier when tired and falling asleep (way to go, Dads!). He loves to eat and gets very excited when he sees his food. He's loved everything that he's tried except for peas.

All in all, a great trip to the doctor!