What You Need to Know

If you go to Villahermosa:
First of all, stay at the Marriott! It's in a much better location. The supermarket and mall are right next door. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza. Though the food was actually really really good and the price for the food was great, there's not much around there. Just a Chili's, Domino's and a Starbucks. That's it. So go stay at the Marriott.

Here are some tips and tricks I think might help if you end up going to Clínica Médica de Jesús a.k.a. “Jesus Clinic” (as someone calls it) in Villahermosa and staying for two days at the hospital:
What to Bring for Baby(ies):
bottles you can bring one to two sets of bottles. They will provide the formula for you if you like. They gave us Similac. The nurses take your bottles and give it to you with formula ready to feed the babies every three hours - 1 oz. every three hours. We just had one bottle for each baby and they just washed it in between feedings
onesies enough for two to three a day per day so maybe 6 or so per baby just to make sure you're covered if there are any accidents
hats 3 per baby. you’re going to want to change it after the first day and they (nurses) like new ones after each bath
gloves maybe 3 per baby - they like new ones after each bath
socks maybe 3 per baby - they like new ones after each bath
pants 3-6 per baby. we didn’t bring any but they were really really adamant about having pants. Plus, you might need new ones if there's a poopy accident
swaddling blankets I’d bring 2 or 3 per baby in case they spit up on it and you can’t wash it
*diapers!!! enough for four to five days. we only brought a few thinking they would provide it, but they don’t!
wipes bring a lot, you’ll needthen
towels for the baby you can bring one for each baby and then hang them up to dry for the next day
diaper cream
baby soap
baby lotion
baby friendly laundry detergent we didn't have extra clothing and what not. We could have used it because of a late night incident where we needed to wash a few things but we ended up just using the bar soap they provided for us. If you bring extra clothes then this is not a must.

*The babies peed and pooped a lot a lot - way more than we thought and more than we read about. I guess they had a lot of waste to expel. Fun fact, their first few poops are a black tar-like substance. It’s weird! I forget the term they call it. We basically had to change their diapers after each feeding, which was 1 oz every three hours. 

U.S. Embassy

Make copies of your documents of things like the contracts, passport, birth certificates, etc. things of that nature. They'll also want to the originals. I would bring at least two copies of each. The CRBA folks will want them and the DNA folks will want them as well. 

Bring evidence of proof of residence. It's subjective so you never know what they'll ask for. One of those yearly Social Security statements might be helpful. That's what my CRBA official asked me for. That's all. We overheard others while we were waiting nearby and officers asked for college transcripts, utility bills, W-2s and what not. What we brought with us: yearly Social Securty statements, cell phone bills, tax returns, W-2s, paycheck stubs, random utility bills, college transcripts and I was able to print out a yearly calendar of attendance from work with my work email signature on it. 

Passport picture for baby(ies) 

You can get them beforehand. If you can't or don't, don't worry. There is a little kiosk right there in the Passport office where a lady will take passport photos for $60 pesos each. 

-Get there early. If you have a appointment in the morning, there will be a long line. Go to the line at the front right of the building. There you will have to go through the first set of security where they ask you what you're there for. Then he confiscates any electronics you have as well as chargers. You can't take any of that with you. You then go through a metal detector and x-ray for your items. You then go through another set of triage where a guard either directs you to a waiting area or directly straight to the window where you check-in and get a visitors badge. Once they allow you up to the first floor, you have to go through another line to wait. 

What to pack for babies:

We thought we would be clever and brings diapers and formula in boxes and get rid of those boxes as we went through things. Well, turns out we were no so clever. It was very cumbersome to lug all those boxes through the airport and to hotels. Though looking back, I think the only thing we would have brought was formula. We are using the formula from Costco so that might be the only thing we wouldn't be able to easily get there. There is a Wal-Mart in Villahermosa and in Mexico City where you can get diapers, wipes and anything else you think you might need that you forgot/didn't pack. 

I would recommend bringing their clothes, bottles (unless you want to buy those) and whatever items you think they might need like pacifiers and receiving blankets, what have you. 

We would recommend you bring your own car seats! Catherine and Joey thought it would be practical for them to supply the car seats but logistically that turned out not to work so well. It will be cumbersome on your way to Villahermosa but in the end, it works out for the better for everyone. 

The Airports

In a previous post I mentioned the airports. We went through Mexico City to get to Villahermosa. Catherine recommends you try to make a connection in the U.S. to get to Villahermosa. I think I agree. In Mexico City, you have to haul all of your stuff all over the airport without a cart! What airport doesn't allow carts?! It's crazy! Once you pick up your baggage in baggage claim, you are only allowed to use the carts up to a certain point if you, like we did, have to take a different airline. That means we had to get our baggage and check-in elsewhere because we took two different carriers. It was a pain! There are however, porter guys with dollies to haul that stuff for you. Weird they have those guys, but no carts. Anyway, try to pack as compact as possible in as few bags as possible. Once you get to VSA, it's the same thing. No carts. The airport is so small, it's pointless. There are only five gates.

Before you come home!
Deal with the immigration card issue BEFORE you leave Mexico. It's the immigration card you get when you arrive in Mexico that everyone fills out and gets stamped at the airport. It's what you MUST present to the airline the day of exit. The babies won't have one and that's what the issue is. You can get "replacement" cards around town in Mexico City from a travel agency or kiosk somewhere. You'll have to look around. You can also try the immigration office at the airport, which we had to do. That took forever! A few hours. You'll have to refer back to a previous blog. It is very difficult trying to explain how we came in with two of us and coming out with four. If you go the airport route, go very very very early - like 4-5 hours early. You will need to make copies of your docs and babies docs (birth certificates and passports). Our recommendation is to obtain the immigration cards before you leave. The U.S. Embassy said it wouldn't be an issue but it was wrong info. It's the Mexican government that needs it, not the U.S. 

Happy 1 Month Edie & Stella

I can't believe it. One month old! They are growing so fast!

They had their first doctor visit in the states at 7am this morning. Really? 7am? yup. Our pediatrician apparently starts at 5:30am. At least, that's what time the nurse said she got there. She said it's helpful for parents who work so they can take their kid to the doctor prior to going to work. Makes sense.

Anyway, the girls both gained about two pounds each in their first month.

Edie
Height: 19.88" (she was about 19" at birth)
Weight: 7 lb 8.8 oz (she was 5.71 lb at birth)

Stella:
Height: 19.88" (she was about 19" at birth)
Weight: 7 lb 9.3 oz (she was 5.67 lb at birth)

Happy 1 Month babies!

Edie & Stella

We're Home!

Finally!

Sorry it's taken awhile to get back. Adjusting to being back home was crazy! We had our things! We have space! We have family and friends around! We actually had to adjust to being back home with all of that. We had it down while at the hotel. Cause that's all we had. One room. We just had to get used to the new normal at home.

We've been home since the 27th of May... a little over a week now.

We almost almost didn't make it home that day. It was crazy. It was really crazy.

We planned to leave the hotel at 10am. Everything was packed and ready to go. Scott goes down a little before 10a to the lobby to get a cab. We preferred a SUV or van with all of our baggage and of course, two car seats. Turns out, it takes awhile to get one of those. 45 minutes. Great. Cab gets there at 1045a and we make it to the airport by 1115am. Perfect. Plenty of time... or so we thought.

packed and ready to go waiting for the cab:

We get to the counter and everything was good up until - 30 mins later - they needed the darn immigration forms. We had to go down to the immigration office directly below where we were. So we rush down there. They need all these copies of the passports, my passport, etc etc. To top it off, to get a copy, you had to go all the way down to Door 7 to some gift shop. That's greater than 3/4 of the way down to the other end of the terminal. Seriously?! They couldn't do it like at the U.S. Embassy where they charge you $1.00 per page for a copy? I would have gladly paid however much to make those copies there and not have to run all the way down with all of our stuff and run back. So we come back and of course, the guy we talked to who needed the copies had disappeared and now, someone else is taking our "case." The more and more Scott talked to her and the more I overheard what was happening, we kinda figured out she was pretty new. She kept asking questions to all the folks there behind the counter. Annoying. We had to explain everything all over again and with the language barrier, it got complicated. So they asked if we adopted the babies. Yes. We sure did. It was easier than trying to explain the whole surrogacy thing, you know? Remember, we got to the airport at around 1115am. At this point, it was around 1:30pm. Our flight is at 2:45pm. The flight boarding or whatever at the counter closes 50 minutes prior to departure. We finally finish at the immigration office after a whole bunch of nonsense paper work and paying and shit and rush upstairs. It's now almost exactly 2pm. Our flight is 245pm. We haven't gone through security yet. We get to the counter looking all haggard and rushed after spending the past two hours at immigration doing not a whole lot but basically waiting. The lady at the counter says boarding is closed. REALLY?!? But Scott is a employee! Couldn't they make an exception? They radio up to the gate and ask. She says, ok. So she gives us our boarding passes and we rush to security.

Oh man! The line is not too long, but it was longer than when Scott had to rush up there maybe 10-15 minutes prior to. So we get in line, and go through. It's now about oh, 215pm or so. Maybe 220pm. We seemed to wait in line forever. Scott and I switch and he now has both girls and I have the roller bag and backpack and diaper bag. I end up going through first. I said I would run over to the gate to see if they can hold off or do whatever. I get through and they, of course, are having issues with Scott and the babies. Ok, I grab our bags and run over to the gate. We were at gate 36, I think, which seemed like it was all the way at the end of the terminal. I had to run through what seemed like the longest corridor ever to get to the actual gates. It was three medium length walking escalator things. Whatever those are called. I get to where the gates are and our gate thankfully is right there! Yes! They were just starting to board the first A group. SCORE!

I run back to the longest corridor ever to find Scott. I see him kinda rushing as much as he could with the two babies in their car seats. We make eye contact and I give him the thumbs up. Phew! Relief! I meet up with him and we make our way to the gate. It's now probably 230pm or so? We finally board the plane and make our way home!

We couldn't believe it took so long! We thought we got there early enough to deal with the immigration stuff. It was non-stop from the moment we got to the airport at 1115am through to boarding the plane at around 220pm or so!

adios Mexico City... until next time!

Edie & Stella's second plane ride:

We land at SNA and got to take some pics in the cockpit! How cool is that!?!! 

Scott & Stella

Aaron & Edie

Aunties Alissa (Issy) and Stacy were right there at the exit of the customs waiting for us! Ahhh!!!

Oh and during decent when they made the announcement on the plane and said, "Welcome to the United States!" it felt so great! We were beyond ecstatic especially since we almost almost didn't make it home that day.

At SNA, it got even better when we get to the counter to re-check our bags. It's a good thing we didn't dilly-dally and checked in right away because the 5:20pm flight to OAK was delayed an hour so everyone on that flight who got to the airport early enough took the previous flight at 3:30pm, which was also delayed an hour. Therefore, the 5:20pm flight was now open! We originally planned on the 8pm flight back home which would have given us about four hours on the ground. Plenty of time to go through customs, get our bags and re-check in and maybe get a bite to eat. We hadn't eaten anything that day cause we thought we would have time at SNA. We were happy to take the earlier flight back. No problem!

Going through security was yet again, another adventure! Four adults, two infants. Thankfully, there were not a lot of people going through security. Stacy and I go through with Edie first. Scott and Alissa are right behind us with Stella. Of course, at this point, people think we're a couple and Edie is our new baby. Whatever, just go with it. Anyway, so we go through and then Alissa is right behind us. Scott is at the end holding Stella. Right after Alissa goes through, the conveyer belt at the one security section jams. So Scott is still stuck behind the metal detector holding now, a crying Stella cause it's time to eat. They were supposed to eat right when we landed. It's around 5:15pm now. So Scott goes through with Stella and they have to scan his hands and stuff (I guess in case he has some sort of substance on his hands?) and it set off some alarm or something. Stella still crying. It was a mess! Bags and car seats everywhere, people around, Scott being detained. He had to go through a strip search. It was crazy. It was just exactly par for the course for the day. Of course.

Babies third plane ride!

Stacy & Edie

We made it though! We made it safely to OAK and safely home at around 830pm. We got to ride in our own car and the babies got to use their very own car seats!

My family came over and we requested on the way back home they bring Chinese food. We haven't had that in a month!

Amongst all the excitement and what not of finally being home with the girls and the family coming by, I forgot to take pics. Oh well, there will be many more pictures to come!

That's about it so far. Just have folks coming by to visit here and there and us trying to get used to being home and getting a routine down, which I think we have now. The girls are still waking up to feed in the middle of the night, but that's ok.

Thanks to all who read this!

Here are Edie & Stella at 26 Days: