Jamie & Brian

Our Home:

We are recent transplants to California after living in Chicago for 12 years. We live in Santa Monica, a wonderful little town near the ocean and much quieter than the busy greater-LA area. We love our new life out here, filled with year-round sunshine and nice weather.  Currently we live in a cozy two bedroom apartment near city parks, the beach and the Santa Monica pier.  Now with solid careers and financial stability, we are ready and excited to raise a child whom we can love and support every day.

Meet Jamie: 

When I was beginning to date after moving to Chicago, there were many characteristics that I was looking for in a future husband. Among them was ambition but also someone who knew the importance of family and wished to have one of his own someday.  Jamie certainly has both, and has been a wonderful partner over the past 13 years.  Some of the things I love most about him are the simple day-to-day moments that keep couples feeling close to each other.  When we’re home he likes to turn the TV off (whenever I let him!) and just spend time together – talking, reading, or just listening to music.  And as I’m getting ready for work in the mornings he engages with me in making up silly songs, usually about our dog or about the day ahead.

Jamie’s love of nature and being outdoors is something that our child/children will be exposed to throughout life.  He loves to camp, hike and visit state and national parks.  On every hike we take, we inevitably will stop multiple times so Jamie can get a closer look at some plant – no matter if it’s a flower, tree, or weed.  Jamie’s father is an avid gardener and I see our children getting their hands dirty planting vegetables and flowers in the future.

Meet Brian: 

Brian has wanted to be a father for as long as I’ve known him – in fact, his family-nature was one of the things that most drew me to him when we first started dating. He has a big heart and it was easy to see how much he would enjoy being a father when he talked about the close bond he had with his youngest brother, who had been adopted as an infant when Brian was just 13. He talked about being a teenager and changing diapers and soothing his brother when he cried, which I thought was very mature for someone that age.

Brian is also a very passionate individual who has several hobbies.  He loves to play sports, especially softball (I think because in his mind he pictures himself as a member of his beloved Chicago Cubs.) And whether for a dinner party or just for us, he never needs an excuse to try out a new recipe. I know there will be brownies, cookies and cakes to celebrate special occasions with our child/children. In fact his passion for cooking has become something we love doing together and will certainly become a family tradition.

Our Family:

Brian grew up in Lexington, KY, and his parents now live in Louisville. He has two younger brothers, one living in Louisiana and the other still in Lexington as a student at the University of Kentucky. Jamie grew up in the Grand Rapids, MI area where his parents still live, while his sister and her husband live in Chicago. Because spending time with family is important to us we alternate spending holidays with each family for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Getting together at holidays always involves extended family and dinners around the table sharing stories and laughing.  Our favorite thing to do when we get together with family is play games, whether it’s cards, board games or “spoons.”  We enjoy attending church with our families during the holidays and Jamie regularly attends Mass at Santa Monica Catholic Church.  We can’t wait to share the joy of holidays, family get-togethers and those things we cherished about our childhood homes with our child – like visiting the horse farms and hiking through the hills of Kentucky, and exploring the green expanses and beautiful coastline of Michigan.

On both sides of our family, our child would be the first grandchild – needless to say, our parents are thrilled to become Grandparents as soon as possible. We can promise he or she will get lots of love and attention from Day One.

Our Thoughts on Parenting:

Brian had the unique experience of helping to raise his youngest brother who was born when Brian was 13 years old.  They shared a close relationship throughout his childhood – Brian often was the one to read his brother bedtime stories at night and was the one his brother would run to when he got hurt – and that closeness continues to this day.

Our overall belief about parenting is that no parent can ever expect to be perfect – but we can 100% commit to always being there for our child, whatever he/she may need.  We will always make our child a priority in our lives and commit to raising him/her with unconditional love.  We are willing to also give love that is both warm and caring, as well as tough when needed.  But above all, we will cherish the opportunity to make lasting memories – in simple everyday experiences such as reading a bedtime story or in bigger moments like vacations with our extended family.