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We are Oliver and Paul from West Hills, California. Words cannot describe the appreciation and respect we have for you as you go through this journey, and we hope that we can have a chance to be a part of it. We are extraordinarily honored to share our story with you, and hope that through these pages you will get to know us a little. We cannot wait to get to know you as well!
The most important thing in the world to us is our family, and we have been dreaming of becoming dads for as long as we can remember! We promise your child will grow up in a home full of unconditional love and support, endless adventure, creativity and laughter. Most importantly, we promise to encourage them to be their true and authentic self and to support them in chasing their dreams. This is how our parents raised us, and what we believe is the secret to a happy, thriving children.
We met online in 2018 and immediately became each other's best friend. We bonded over our shared values and interests, realizing that our similarities make us exceptionally compatible while our different skills, talents and cultural backgrounds allow us to complete each other. We know that being such an awesome team will make us excellent dads.
Oliver proposed to Paul in 2020 at the LA zoo in front of some very curious giraffes, and we got married a year later in Hawaii. Our wedding was an opportunity to bring together two of our favorite things in the world, adventure and our families. We loved watching them get to know each other and truly bond. Following our wedding, we bought our first home and are excited about starting a family together.
I grew up in Buffalo, New York, surrounded by a large, loving family. My childhood was filled with lots of family gatherings, big holiday celebrations, and summer camping trips. I was extremely close to my siblings, cousins and grandparents. My dad’s father was a handyman who taught me all kinds of skills, as well as the value of hard work and doing the job right.
As a kid, I would beg my mother to take me to the community pool all summer long, and I started swimming competitively when I was 8 years old. Swimming has remained a very important part of my life and I love going with Oliver to swim at our neighborhood public pool. We cannot wait to spend summers with our kids swimming as a family.
In my spare time, my favorite thing to do is to cook and bake - I love sharing the gift of food with family and friends. Some of my favorite things to make are grilled whole fish, homemade hummus and pita, and pancakes!
I am lucky to work in my dream job as an architectural lighting designer, working from home for a company based in New York City. I am so grateful that I can spend more time at home with Oliver and that I will have the chance to be more present in my child’s life as they grow up!
Paul is the most caring and selfless person I have ever met. Whether it's through cooking a meal, listening to a friend in need or helping a neighbor out with a home project, he thrives when he is able to give from himself to help others. He is supportive and nurturing so I know he always has my back and I trust that he will always be there to take care of our family. I especially love seeing him with his nieces and nephew, he is a natural with kids and it is very clear that he is their favorite uncle. I can't wait to see Paul become the super dad that I know he is.
Throughout my life I have been fortunate to live and visit many different places around the world. I was born in Los Angeles, lived briefly in Singapore, was raised in my parents' home country of Israel, went to college in New York City and even did a semester in Berlin and in Mexico. These experiences created a strong appreciation for different cultures and gave me a greater sense of compassion for the world. I am so excited to celebrate our future children’s heritage and expand our multi-cultural family.
My biggest passion in life is nature, animals and especially the ocean. I first went scuba diving when I was 14 and immediately fell in love. Today I am a certified master diver and can’t wait to take our kiddos on scuba and surfing adventures.
I am the Head of Creative Operations for Thrive Market, an online grocery store that is focused on sustainability, ethical sourcing and activism. I am fortunate to work from home, have generous paternity leave and an unlimited vacation policy, all of which will allow me to be present for our future child and enjoy watching them grow.
Oliver is extremely motivated, passionate and hard working, all wrapped up in a warm and welcoming personality. In our relationship, Oliver is the planner - he is my rock and keeps our family on track and running smoothly. He cares deeply about all the people in our life, and is the person everyone relies on for advice and guidance. He is a fantastic teacher, and extremely encouraging - from helping with math homework, to teaching our future kids how to surf, he will make sure there’s nothing they can’t do. I feel extremely supported by him and know his love for me is truly unconditional.
Paul’s Family: Paul’s parents, Ann and Steve, live in Buffalo near his sister Mary, her husband John, and their two kids Ruthie (4) and Johnny (1). His brother Matt lives in Minnesota with his wife Meghan and two kids Fiona (6) and Chloe (3). Every year the whole family comes to Buffalo for Christmas, which is our absolute favorite family tradition! His parents are retired and love to escape the Buffalo winter by visiting us in sunny California. We are most excited about hosting Paul’s siblings and taking the kids out to Disneyland!
Oliver’s Family: Oliver and his sister Tess moved to California from Israel in 2014. They’re best friends and hang out all the time. His Mom Michelle recently moved to Los Angeles, and his Dad Uri to West Hills, to be close to their kids and future grandchildren. His Mom is a fantastic cook and loves to teach Paul her recipes. His Dad is a retired architect and is the person Oliver always confides in and goes to for advice. We are so grateful that our future children will grow up with a big family close by.
Our Friends: We are so lucky to have an amazing group of friends that are always there for us, and we know they will be an incredible support system for our future kids.
Our home is in the foothills of a nature reserve where there are countless hiking and biking trails, beautiful community parks, and closeby the famous Malibu beaches. We are a few short blocks away from a top-rated elementary school and close to Universal Studios, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland and the LA Zoo. Our neighborhood is filled with friendly neighbors, kids riding their bikes and lots of families walking their dogs.
One of our favorite things about our home is our beautiful backyard, filled with succulents, fruit trees and many hummingbirds that visit throughout the day. There is a nice big lawn with plenty of room to run around, and a swingset, fort and a slide.
Austin is a 4 year old wire fox terrier with a ton of personality expert snuggling skills. Her favorite thing in the world is playing fetch on the beach and going on camping trips. Whenever we walk Austin in the neighborhood, she can spot kids from a mile away, and immediately her tail starts wagging like crazy. She loves interacting with all humans, but kids excite her the most.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. We hope that you were able to get a sense of who we are and what kind of parents we aspire to be. We are incredibly inspired by your bravery and hope we can be a part of your journey. We have so much love to give and hope that we can share some of it with you as well.
In our home, you will always be known as an incredibly brave and selfless woman, and we will welcome you into our family in any way that you would feel comfortable with.