here comes the sun

It’s been a long & winding road with lots of rain & clouds, but the sun is shining on us now! It's taken three and a half years, involved three egg retrievals, three surgeries, two egg donors, and an amazing gestational carrier (GC, aka surrogate) to get us to where we are now.
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We couldn’t have weathered the challenges without the loving support of our Village of amazing family & friends. You held on to hope when it got to be too heavy for us, and we are forever grateful to have been able to stay determined and to keep trying.

Baby Shower

  • Attire: Wear your favorite sunny summer attire: sundresses, bright colors, and whatever feels good!
  • Deliciousness: Brunch will be served with dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan options; a variety of beverages, including bellinis; and sweet treats.
  • Parking: You can park on Park Place, 6th Street, or nearby streets. Please do not park in the top section of the 'T' at the uphill end of Park Place. This is a private road/entrance to Corning Inc's The Knoll. If you park there, they will send security to yell at us. Reach out if you need further clarification.
  • Gifts: If you choose to get us a gift, please note that we are opting to do a newfangled Display Shower (click here to learn more). Please bring any gifts unwrapped with a tag attached with your name on it (so we can still properly thank you!). If you prefer to have us unwrap a gift, simply let us know, and we will honor your request.
  • Adults Only Please. Thank you for understanding that we cannot accommodate everybody's children this time. Instead, join us for Part II on Sunday from 10:30 - 11:30am at the Carder School playground. We will have a special little something for them then.
  • Important: Our GC will likely make an appearance. Because of the nature of our arrangement, her identity needs to be kept confidential. If you post any photos on social media, please make sure our GC cannot be seen in any part of the photo.

Getting Creative
The idea is to make a garland to live in kiddo's room (kind of like the photo) where everyone who is a part of kiddo's life has their own circle connected to everyone else's. As new people enter her life, they will get to add their circle to the garland, showing her how we're all connected, how much we surround her with love and support, and even though people come and go, we all have a lasting impact on each others' lives.

At the shower, we'll provide pre-painted wooden circles and paint markers. Folks will be invited to draw and/or write on a circle:
  • On one side, you can do whatever you like: words of encouragement & love, a short poem, a drawing, math equations, etc.
  • But on the other side, please write how you want kiddo to refer to you: a nickname, Uncle [insert your name here], Auntie [XYZ], cousin, etc. 
**If you cannot attend the shower and would like to do a circle, we prefer to wait until the next opportunity to see you in person, instead of doing things by mail.

Registries
We've been lucky enough to already inherit a ton of hand-me-downs from family and close friends! We LOVE being able to accumulate what we will need in a sustainable way. (See photos for proof)

That being said, we want to be careful not to over-accumulate too much stuff. The registries below cover any leftover gaps. Beyond that, if you still have a burning need to give even more, please consider the cash funds in the Babylist registry.
**Please note: If you would like to share our registry, please share only the link to Babylist or contact info to Card Carrying and not this webpage. This webpage is for baby shower guests only. Thank you!

Fun Extras For Fun

© Amelia Fais Harnas Cueva, 2003 - 2025