David first connected with Dave through OKCupid, sending him a cheesy Filipino pick-up line that a friend shared with him.

“I thought it was romantic,” laughed David, “but Dave thought I was a player and wasn’t having it.”

Nevertheless, they continued talking and met for their first date in January 2013. During that date David shared some pretty big news: he was a dad of two kids. Dave knew he always wanted to have his own family someday, so he embraced the news.

“Being gay, I came out at an age where I didn’t know that was a possibility,” said Dave. “So here I was meeting this guy who was already a dad, and I thought that was so nice that I wanted to keep dating him.”

While David’s love for his kids was never questioned, he wasn’t given the opportunity to be as present in their lives while growing up as he would have liked. David was living in Tennessee with his wife and kids when he came out, and the Tennessee courts did not look favorably on him during his divorce proceedings, even chastising him for his sexuality and “flamboyant lifestyle.”

(Editor’s note: through conscientious effort David and his kids were able to keep their bond strong through all the years.)

On November 18, 2017, David and Dave exchanged vows and were married in front of friends and family. A couple of years later, they decided to take the first official steps to grow their family.

Dave had attended a meeting about surrogacy many years prior. He remembers being very impressed with the presenter – Dr. Susanna Park of San Diego Fertility Center – so he made sure she was their first phone call.

Their journey was not without challenges, but after two previous failed journey attempts, their third journey resulted in a positive pregnancy for their surrogate. The guys credit Dr. Park’s guidance for getting them through the difficulties, as well as a job one of them had offering substantial surrogacy benefits.

In July of 2023, the guys excitedly shared the news of their pregnancy. GWK was lucky enough to catch up with the then-dads-to-be and hear how their pregnancy was progressing – watch the IG Live chat here.

On March 7, 2024, their surrogate, whom David and Dave had become very close with throughout the journey, was induced for labor due to medical reasons. While they had hoped for a vaginal delivery, 14 hours into labor, their baby’s heart rate dropped dramatically, and an emergency c-section was necessary.

“This was very scary as the staff rushed into the room to prepare our surrogate. Everyone was in tears, praying for the health of our baby and our surrogate.”

The husbands waited outside the operating room, not allowed to go in, anxiously awaiting news. After what seemed like an eternity, they heard a baby’s loud cry, which immediately prompted their own tears (of joy!). Soon they met their healthy son Miller for the first time, and the hospital staff let them know that their surrogate was also doing well. (The new dads share that they were made to feel incredibly welcome by the hospital staff.)

“Holding Miller for the first time was so emotional for us as we couldn’t help but think about all that we had been through over the past four years: two failed attempts at getting pregnant, crying together when we thought parenthood wasn’t going to work out for us, the anxiety of the past nine months, and of course the rush and flood of love for this little man we’d waited so long for!”

The dads are now fully in the swing of fatherhood and everything that comes with it. And they’re getting real about it.  

“I think people often talk about the joys you feel those first weeks and how you can’t imagine your life without your newborn … we definitely feel all those amazing things, but people don’t talk enough about the anxiety and fears you have during those first weeks,” shared David.

During the first couple of months, the dads found themselves worrying incessantly about Miller: his eating, pooping, and sleeping; and feeling like they weren’t doing enough or doing it right.

(GWK note to David and Dave: So many first-time parents of newborns share similar anxieties, but don’t worry because we know you’re crushing it!)

Another challenge common among all couples of newborns: finding the time and energy to make time for each other, too. The dads share that they’re making a conscious effort to prioritize their relationship, recognizing that “…we are the foundation of the family and it’s important we keep it strong.” (Great advice guys!)

In a recent Instagram post celebrating Miller’s first month, they proclaimed, “We waited so long for you to arrive and now we can’t believe it’s already been a month! The littlest feet make the biggest footprints on our hearts and we can’t wait to spend the next few months and years by your side as your Daddies.”

Follow the dads here: @2davesandababy

We’re excited to announce David and Dave are joining our team of GWK Academy Mentors, ready to share their expertise and experience with the next generation of dads. Join GWK Academy and connect with mentors, join workshops, and take advantage of surrogacy/IVF discounts.