COSTA MESA : Mother’s Day Fest for Miracle-Baby Moms

Dozens of couples who feared they could never have children brought their offspring to a Mother’s Day celebration Friday at the California Infertility Institute.

Though the moms were the guests of honor, the children took the spotlight at a picnic at the private Costa Mesa clinic.

Among the stars was Kathleen Shelton, 1, whose mother, Sharon, was 51 when the child was born.

Shelton began fertility treatment in her late 40s after she remarried. Though she and her husband already had a son, a daughter-in-law and a grandchild living with them at their home in Orange, they wanted a baby of their own.

“We already have nine grandchildren who are older than Kathleen,” Shelton said. “But this is better than having more grandchildren because we get to keep her at the end of the day.”

Another celebrant was Fountain Valley resident Teresa Santoro, 32, who had five miscarriages before giving birth to Ariana, now 5, and Alexandra, 4.

Despite side effects of fertility medication and the thousands of dollars that Santoro spent on office visits and treatments, she would do it all over again. “It was so worth it,” she said.

Daughter Ariana added proudly, “I am a miracle baby.”