[MilliesMommy]

DH and I recently connected with eMom from our personal adoption website. We've had great communication during the past couple of weeks, and now we're planning to meet her and her mom next Sunday for lunch.

With our DD and her eMom, we met through our agency and the match meeting was facilitated by the SW from our agency. But this time, we're meeting eMom before she contacts our agency. That said, I'm wondering what is appropriate to bring to the meeting. I immediately thought about bring flowers for eMom, and I'll definitely bring DD's photo album. Any other ideas?

Thanks!!!!!

[Waiting_for_my_baby]

I brought some lotion and bath stuff from Bath and Body works. Also some comfy socks. Just stuff to make her feel good you know?

[jp4ga]

Why do you feel the need to bring anything to a match meeting? Some states would consider any type of gift a bribe. Why not just go to the meeting with the photos and offer to pay the tab for the meals.

[sissyminsky]

While I don't think you have to bring anything, I also don't think lotion, socks or a journal could really be considered a bribe.

However, my recommendation is to bring some baked treats you and DD have made - cookies, banana bread...whatever you would like to make
That way she has something nice to take away that shows you have been thinking of her (as you have) -

Plus, it is a nice way for you to burn up some of that nervous energy that often comes before a match meeting.

[binkybear]

I bring stuff when I meet people for the first time or if I havent' seen a freind in a while...it's what I do normally...go to someone's house I bring something, meet a friend for lunch I usually bring something little I know they'll like (teas, something I saw that reminded me of them...something I baked, etc). So bringing a small globe arrangement of flowers to our meeting wasn't odd in my mind. It was something pretty just for emom (now bmom) and her home. I did ask the agency ahead of time and they said it was totally appropriate and fine to do. Once B was born we did bring some nicer bath n body products to the hospital, but that was because what they had there for bmom was...well, gross.

We also brought more recent pics of our family, our recent vacation, and some pics of what I do for a living...stuff that wasn't in the profile that I would want them to see since we were entering into the more one on one "specific" relationship. The profile was pretty detailed, but it really only touches on who we *you* are. We wanted for them to have more details than the profile showed.

[MilliesMommy]

Thank you for the ideas! DD and I are going to make my favorite cookies -- no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies!