"Dear Mara Rose"
The Mealey family and their little miracle, Mara Rose; San Jose, California

It is now 5:30 a.m., and you have been up nursing and playing since 3:00 a.m. As I look across the room, you are smashing a block into your piano with intensity and a purpose known only to you. You see me watching and flash me one of your ear-to-ear grins with your smile that is Mommy’s and the sparkling blue eyes that are your Dad’s. It is much too early for either of us to be up, but seeing your joy at play, I cannot help but smile and be thankful that I am up at 5:30 a.m. to see and share this moment.

At just 10 months, you will be too young to understand how much we fought for you, and what a miracle you are, for quite some time. But this is the story of Mara, and how mommy and daddy loved you long before you were in Mommy’s belly, and how hard we worked to get you to us.

A year after your Daddy and I got married, we decided to start trying to have you. For the first several months, we were not worried, and thought that you were just taking your time. But after 8 months of trying to make baby Mara, we went to Mommy’s doctor for help.

Both Mommy and Daddy went in for tests with their doctors. We found out that Mommy was having a hard time making eggs, and Daddy’s sperm was having a hard time getting to Mommy’s eggs. The doctor gave Mommy some medicine to help make eggs, then put Daddy’s sperm close to her eggs. But after 4 tries, that medicine did not, and Mommy and Daddy were sad because they knew you were out there waiting to find us.

So at the very beginning of 2004, after almost 2 years of trying, Mommy and Daddy went to the Zouves Fertility Center in Daly City for in vitro fertilization (IVF). The doctor told us that, based on our test results, he could help us, and he gave us a prescription for Bravelle and Repronex. Mommy had to get shots every day for a month, and Daddy had to give them to her. Daddy became a mini-scientist, mixing his cocktail of medicine for Mommy. And while Mommy doesn’t like shots any more than you do, Mara, it was OK; because we already loved you so much that we would have walked through fire if that helped.

Then in February 2004, after the medicine had a chance to work, we went back to Dr. Zouves' office, and they took Daddy’s sperm and 6 of Mommy’s eggs and put them together in a dish so that they would hopefully make you. We were worried because it does not always work the first time for all Mommies and Daddies, and we did not want to wait any longer!

Then we had to wait a whole 2 weeks to find out if baby Mara was in Mommy’s belly yet. Mommy went in for a blood test, and we found out that it did work, and that you were in Mommy’s belly growing every day! We were both so very happy, and all of the tears, and all of the worrying, and all of the waiting was over, and we got to put all of our attention into planning for you, and getting ready to be a Mommy and Daddy. And we got to tell your Grandparents and your Aunts and Uncles and all of Mommy's and Daddy’s friends that you were on your way, and that made everyone so happy because they knew we had wanted you for so long. And because you are so special, we didn’t only have 1 party, we had 2 parties to celebrate baby Mara, with balloons, and music, and games!

Dr. Zouves gave Mommy the right medicine, and we got our baby girl the first time we tried IVF. For the next 9 months, Mommy got bigger and bigger because you were getting bigger and bigger. And then it was time for you to come out and meet everybody for the first time. You made quite a ruckus when you came out because it was much warmer and quiet in Mommy’s belly, but we were so happy that we both cried, and I can remember your Dad asking Grandpa, “Is it just me, or is she the most beautiful little girl ever?” And do you know what Grandpa said? He said, “No, it’s not just you, she is the prettiest baby I have ever seen!”

We will always love you, Mara. You are our miracle girl!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy