I have been blogging over at The Next Family for about a month now. If you haven't ventured over, please do.
This week's post is regarding my best friend, who is also a Surrogate. More specifically, my empathy for reading horrible comments online when you give birth to "Celebrity Babies"- which she has also done.
Here's the link to A Surrogate Mom's Best Friend . . . or Click HERE
And here's the link to my page that has all my blogs for The Next Family- Click HERE.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Ask Me About My Uterus . . .
As much as I'd LOVE to do a third journey, I'm having an insurance issue that is making it almost impossible. I won't go into specifics just yet and we haven't exhausted every option but it's starting to look like my days of being a Pregnant Surrogate are over . . . a type of "menopause" you might say ;)
Surrogacy has made such a huge impact on my life and I am not ready to give up. If I can't be a Surrogate for the third time, I can still help support current Surrogates and be a Consultant for Surrogacy Agencies. I have created a new business, Just the Stork Consulting, that I'm very excited about. We have already been contracted with one of the oldest and largest professional surrogacy agencies in the world, Growing Generations. I am not going to discuss my business model and research methods but I am very excited to work with Surrogates as an advocate and to make sure they truly feel supported in their journey. Later, Just the Stork Consulting will approach other agencies to offer them assistance as well, reaching even more Surrogates.
Something that I've been doing for years and will now do a lot more of, is talking openly about Surrogacy. When I told my family that I was going to do a second surrogacy journey, my mother in law said, "Kelly, you can't help every gay couple have a baby . . . " but I beg to differ ;) Sure, I can't carry thousands of babies but I can help find great Surrogacy candidates! My goal has always been to try to educate people on Surrogacy in hopes that someone might hear my story, and say to themself, "Hey, I could totally do that!"
So now, my new goal is to Recruit! Recruit! Recruit! Besides blogging and tweeting about Surrogacy, I need to step up my game. I have been brainstorming ways to get Surrogacy "Out There" and a few things have come to mind. One is educating other Surrogates about openly discussing Surrogacy and some other ideas about what else I can do myself.
One funny thing that I came up with is playing off all the bumper stickers you see for various products- so here's the new Bumper Sticker I'm having made. I'm sure it will get a lot of people confused . . . maybe even confused enough to visit my blog and in doing so, have their eyes opened to Surrogacy.
It's been awhile since my last Bumper Sticker Creation, so I thought it was time to create a new one. Your thoughts in the Comments!
Surrogacy has made such a huge impact on my life and I am not ready to give up. If I can't be a Surrogate for the third time, I can still help support current Surrogates and be a Consultant for Surrogacy Agencies. I have created a new business, Just the Stork Consulting, that I'm very excited about. We have already been contracted with one of the oldest and largest professional surrogacy agencies in the world, Growing Generations. I am not going to discuss my business model and research methods but I am very excited to work with Surrogates as an advocate and to make sure they truly feel supported in their journey. Later, Just the Stork Consulting will approach other agencies to offer them assistance as well, reaching even more Surrogates.
Something that I've been doing for years and will now do a lot more of, is talking openly about Surrogacy. When I told my family that I was going to do a second surrogacy journey, my mother in law said, "Kelly, you can't help every gay couple have a baby . . . " but I beg to differ ;) Sure, I can't carry thousands of babies but I can help find great Surrogacy candidates! My goal has always been to try to educate people on Surrogacy in hopes that someone might hear my story, and say to themself, "Hey, I could totally do that!"
So now, my new goal is to Recruit! Recruit! Recruit! Besides blogging and tweeting about Surrogacy, I need to step up my game. I have been brainstorming ways to get Surrogacy "Out There" and a few things have come to mind. One is educating other Surrogates about openly discussing Surrogacy and some other ideas about what else I can do myself.
One funny thing that I came up with is playing off all the bumper stickers you see for various products- so here's the new Bumper Sticker I'm having made. I'm sure it will get a lot of people confused . . . maybe even confused enough to visit my blog and in doing so, have their eyes opened to Surrogacy.
It's been awhile since my last Bumper Sticker Creation, so I thought it was time to create a new one. Your thoughts in the Comments!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
What's Your Number?
One of my favorite things about following my agency, Growing Generations, on Twitter is that they announce babies that are born. As of March 14th, 933 babies have been born in their surrogacy program. A few of us asked on their Facebook page what numbers we were . . . and they told us!
I found out that Natasha and Anjali were babies #678 and 679 and Gideon and Harper were babies #903 and 904. I LOVE that I know that now. My friend Stacie just gave birth to her Surro girlie "Baby V" on the 12th, exactly 5 months after my wonder twins were born. Her number was 934 . . . so 30 babies in 5 months . . . I'm guessing baby #1000 will be born in June or July? Maybe in time for PRIDE? ;)
*update . . I was tired while thinking about this, and of course "blinded" by PRIDE, so although I'd love the 1000th baby to be born around Pride, if it's about 5 months per 30 births- it is probably a better estimate to say that the 1000th Growing Gen baby will be born somewhere between January and February 2012. And although now it won't be my friend Heather who's due with her surro twins in June, it is always PRIDE Somewhere, right? Hell, if I could figure out my insurance issue and get this ball rolling, I could get matched and pregnant in the next 2 months, it could be me! LOL
I found out that Natasha and Anjali were babies #678 and 679 and Gideon and Harper were babies #903 and 904. I LOVE that I know that now. My friend Stacie just gave birth to her Surro girlie "Baby V" on the 12th, exactly 5 months after my wonder twins were born. Her number was 934 . . . so 30 babies in 5 months . . . I'm guessing baby #1000 will be born in June or July? Maybe in time for PRIDE? ;)
*update . . I was tired while thinking about this, and of course "blinded" by PRIDE, so although I'd love the 1000th baby to be born around Pride, if it's about 5 months per 30 births- it is probably a better estimate to say that the 1000th Growing Gen baby will be born somewhere between January and February 2012. And although now it won't be my friend Heather who's due with her surro twins in June, it is always PRIDE Somewhere, right? Hell, if I could figure out my insurance issue and get this ball rolling, I could get matched and pregnant in the next 2 months, it could be me! LOL
Friday, March 4, 2011
Nanny Envy
I admit it. I've got it. I've contracted a mild case of Nanny Envy. This isn't my first time and I know I'm not the only Surrogate who has been afflicted with this embarrassing condition.
Now, I know this post is going to come off as totally shallow but I'm not going to apologize. I try to be truthful in my blog and tell it how it is, or at least how it is for me and several surrogate mothers I know. So, buckle your seatbelt and get ready to take a trip back to high school, because it's about to get a little . . . . childish.
So my wonder twins are vacationing. I got the cutest picture of them this morning in their tropical gear (almost peed myself it was so hilarious/adorable). I knew they were going on the trip weeks ago when I was talking with their parents. The four of them and the nanny were going to meet some other friends. The Nanny. Right. Of course she'd go with them. It's her job. But I want to go. Not only to visit this wonderful place (sorry I don't want to be specific) but to see them, to hang out, to give some lovin' to some surro-babies. To be with them all. But alas, I can't because my job is over.
This same thing happened with Natasha and Anjali too. I remember talking with George and Sanj and hearing them name drop the Nanny. Part of me was glad they found someone great to help with their girls but somewhere deep down I'd think, "Ugh, her again". Now don't get me wrong. She is sweet. I even have some pictures of her with the girls as babies. No, I didn't scratch out her face (a la Junior High Yearbook Bitch) but I did get a little bummed when I'd hear how great she was or how marvelous she was with my surro-girlies . . . now HER girlies.
That's the true issue really . . . my job is over. If they wanted to (and luckily they don't) they could never talk to me again. I have nothing for them really . . . no updates about being pregnant. How I'm feeling. When the next OB appointment is. No ultrasound or belly pictures,etc. (Sure I can still send them belly pictures now . . . but after two back to back twins, not to mention my own three, NO ONE wants to see this belly!) When I was pregnant I was important. Now that they have their children, not so much. Of course if asked, I give parenting advice. And like I said earlier, if they ask if I'd like to visit, I'm there! But she's there, a few times a week to help out, not me. And it's not just my surro-girlies or the wonder twins, it's the parents more so. I have these day dreams of all of them hanging out, laughing, having a blast with their nanny . . . oh, she's so funny. She's so caring. She's so great. Kelly who?
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be a Nanny. I'm just jealous that she gets to be with the Parents and kiddos and I don't. I said this was childish, right? I warned you. I'm like that brat who wants it all her way. "Gooses! Geeses! I want my Goose to lay gold eggs for Easter!" I know it's irrational. I know that the parents still like me and still talk about me because they call and text and email and send me photos and videos. And I know that I will always be THEIR Surrogate but sometimes, hearing about/seeing the Nanny, makes me feel jealous.
Could you imagine if they went with another surrogate in the future? Oh, my! I'd probably go off the deep end! Spouting off some sort of gibberish about having Tigress blood flowing through my uterus, how me as a Surrogate = Winning! :)
I know how stupid these feelings are and that's why, until now, I've only talked about this to other Surrogates . . . because they know mypain envy. They have contracted Nanny Envy too. It's an epidemic! We know it's immature and unfounded but Hell, it just may be contagious, so if you're a pregnant Surrogate reading this, watch out!
**UPDATE**
Wanted to put this here in case you don't read the Comments. Someone commented, " . . . you seem to accuse you (sic) IPs in some way . . ." I have to say NOT AT ALL. Just like The Surrogacy Blues, I fully admit my IPs are doing EVERYTHING right by me and I'm IRRATIONALLY feeling this way. Again, they are doing nothing wrong. (The rest of my comment is in the comment section).
Now, I know this post is going to come off as totally shallow but I'm not going to apologize. I try to be truthful in my blog and tell it how it is, or at least how it is for me and several surrogate mothers I know. So, buckle your seatbelt and get ready to take a trip back to high school, because it's about to get a little . . . . childish.
So my wonder twins are vacationing. I got the cutest picture of them this morning in their tropical gear (almost peed myself it was so hilarious/adorable). I knew they were going on the trip weeks ago when I was talking with their parents. The four of them and the nanny were going to meet some other friends. The Nanny. Right. Of course she'd go with them. It's her job. But I want to go. Not only to visit this wonderful place (sorry I don't want to be specific) but to see them, to hang out, to give some lovin' to some surro-babies. To be with them all. But alas, I can't because my job is over.
This same thing happened with Natasha and Anjali too. I remember talking with George and Sanj and hearing them name drop the Nanny. Part of me was glad they found someone great to help with their girls but somewhere deep down I'd think, "Ugh, her again". Now don't get me wrong. She is sweet. I even have some pictures of her with the girls as babies. No, I didn't scratch out her face (a la Junior High Yearbook Bitch) but I did get a little bummed when I'd hear how great she was or how marvelous she was with my surro-girlies . . . now HER girlies.
That's the true issue really . . . my job is over. If they wanted to (and luckily they don't) they could never talk to me again. I have nothing for them really . . . no updates about being pregnant. How I'm feeling. When the next OB appointment is. No ultrasound or belly pictures,etc. (Sure I can still send them belly pictures now . . . but after two back to back twins, not to mention my own three, NO ONE wants to see this belly!) When I was pregnant I was important. Now that they have their children, not so much. Of course if asked, I give parenting advice. And like I said earlier, if they ask if I'd like to visit, I'm there! But she's there, a few times a week to help out, not me. And it's not just my surro-girlies or the wonder twins, it's the parents more so. I have these day dreams of all of them hanging out, laughing, having a blast with their nanny . . . oh, she's so funny. She's so caring. She's so great. Kelly who?
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be a Nanny. I'm just jealous that she gets to be with the Parents and kiddos and I don't. I said this was childish, right? I warned you. I'm like that brat who wants it all her way. "Gooses! Geeses! I want my Goose to lay gold eggs for Easter!" I know it's irrational. I know that the parents still like me and still talk about me because they call and text and email and send me photos and videos. And I know that I will always be THEIR Surrogate but sometimes, hearing about/seeing the Nanny, makes me feel jealous.
Could you imagine if they went with another surrogate in the future? Oh, my! I'd probably go off the deep end! Spouting off some sort of gibberish about having Tigress blood flowing through my uterus, how me as a Surrogate = Winning! :)
I know how stupid these feelings are and that's why, until now, I've only talked about this to other Surrogates . . . because they know my
**UPDATE**
Wanted to put this here in case you don't read the Comments. Someone commented, " . . . you seem to accuse you (sic) IPs in some way . . ." I have to say NOT AT ALL. Just like The Surrogacy Blues, I fully admit my IPs are doing EVERYTHING right by me and I'm IRRATIONALLY feeling this way. Again, they are doing nothing wrong. (The rest of my comment is in the comment section).
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