Learning and Growing at The Little Gym

I'm always amazed at how much my girls learn and grow on a monthly basis. Things that seemed crazy-difficult for my girls at one point seem easier with the blink of an eye. Although things in my world stay fairly consistent, their worlds change constantly. It's an important time for them to be learning and growing, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

The girls started taking classes at The Little Gym in August, and I can't believe the progress they've made in six short months.

My oldest was just starting on backbends when she started at Little Gym. She was scared to go from standing to backbend and didn't have the arm strength (or confidence in herself, really) to attempt a back walkover. After six months of coaching and encouragement from the awesome instructors at The Little Gym, she can do a back walkover from a standing position! I've also noticed significant improvement in her handstands, cartwheels and confidence on the beam. I loved gymnastics as a kid but beam always got me. I was so, so afraid of falling off! My oldest performs handstands, cartwheels and pirouettes on the beam with extreme ease these days. Color me impressed!

My middle daughter has also made huge strides thanks to The Little Gym. She is a true middle child, generally struggling to find her voice when she is neither the first nor the last baby. She has really found her ability to shine at The Little Gym! She races into class each week, eager to participate in all the activities with her peers. She has gone from barely able to do a somersault to working on handstands and cartwheels. She loves the bars and beam and is really starting to blossom as a gymnast! She loves the encouragement she gets at The Little Gym!

My youngest daughter is also my boldest. There is neither fear nor hesitation in her eyes when it is time to practice a new skill. She will attempt any flip, jump or turn you suggest- and she usually won't let you help, either. The Little Gym has given her a safe, fun environment to hone her gymnastics skill with proper guidance and instruction. She walks around singing songs she's learned at The Little Gym and is always recounting stories of incredible Little Gym feats- from awesome beam dismounts to crazy spinning around on the mats. Her cartwheels are coming along nicely (especially for a 3-year-old!), and I'm always amazed at how much bolder she grows each week!

I'm so impressed with how much my girls have grown under the guidance of the awesome staff at The Little Gym. I love how much they look forward to class each week, and I love their excitement when they master a new skill. It's amazing how far they've come in six months at The Little Gym- and I can't wait to see where they are in six more!

Alternative Preschools: Education Outside The Classroom

It's that time of year again... Time to start thinking about where your kiddos will attend school next year!

I'm trying not to have a major panic attack wondering whether or not my middle daughter will get into the Corey Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language. She so desperately wants to join her big sister there. And we won't find out until April. Deep breaths. Big, deep breaths.

But I still have one in preschool. And I'm looking at non-traditional programs for her. Because sometimes learning doesn't happen in a traditional classroom. And there are some awesome programs out there, if you are willing to drive (and pay, let's be honest).

So, here they are. Some very awesome programs that aren't too much of a drive that will foster your child's learning in a non-traditional way!

Zoo Preschool at the Fort Worth Zoo (https://www.fortworthzoo.org/education/camps-programs/zoo-preschool/)
Zoo preschool is offered during the school year for kiddos ages 3-5 (you must be 3 by September 1 of 2017 to enroll for next year). Classes meet once per week on the day of your choosing, from 9 to 12 or 1 to 4. Tuition for the year is $850 (zoo members will receive a discount). Curriculum is based around animals.

Zoo Preschool at the Dallas Zoo (http://www.dallaszoo.com/education/camps-classes/preschool/)
Dallas Zoo's preschool runs on a semester basis, fall semester and spring semester. Classes are held Friday from 9 am to 2 pm. The theme for this semester's class is From Apes to Zebras, the animal alphabet. Non-zoo members cost is $490 per child for the 13-week semester (this semester starts 2/17). Class on March 3 is held at the Children's Aquarium at Fair Park. For kiddos age 3-5.

Nature School at River Legacy (http://riverlegacy.org/nature-school)
This program comes highly recommended by a number of local moms. Classes are held weekly and divided by age. Classes are offered for kids ages 3-4. Class goes on for the duration of the school year; there is a new 4 year old class that meets twice weekly. Kids interact with nature each class, weather-permitting. Child to teacher ratio is 9-12 kiddos and 2 teachers. From the website: Kids get a "balanced curriculum encourages a hands-on, minds-on exploration of nature – enhanced through music, art, literature and dramatic play.'

Museum School at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (http://www.fwmuseum.org/museum-school)
While the schedule for the next school year is not yet available, the museum does offer a preschool class for kiddos ages 3 to 5. Each week kids get to learn and discover new and exciting things at the museum. Classes and times vary but are available daily. Check the website mid-February for information for next school year.

Early Childhood Education at the Perot Museum (http://www.perotmuseum.org/events-and-programs/early-childhood/index.html)
The Perot Museum in Dallas offers mom and me classes that center around art for kiddos ages 18 months all the way to 5 years. Each week has a different theme where kiddos can create masterpieces to take home. You can pay per class. $20 per kid, $10 per adult. Members receive a discount. Classes are held Monday for 3-5 year olds, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the younger ones. 

Cooking Classes at Taste Buds Kitchen in Southlake (http://tastebudskitchen.com/southlake/kids-cooking-semester-classes/)
Taste Buds offers weekly classes for kids ages 2-5 and their caregivers. Come weekly for 6 weeks and let your kiddo learn about kitchen basics. Offered Mondays 9:30- 10:30 am. $165 for a 6-week semester.

Preschool ABC Art at Van Grow Art Studio (http://www.vangrowstudio.com/schedule.htm)
Weekly classes take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. Classes are one hour, and kids can be dropped off (but you are welcome to stay). Crafts are designed to be completed without help. $72 for four once-weekly classes. 

Check all the above websites for information about registering for next school year. But be quite quick about it- many of the classes fill up within days of registration opening!

There are also lots of great classes in the area that happen on a one-time or once-monthly basis. The Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth and the Dallas Museum of Art both offer great drop-in art classes to enjoy with your tot. the CR Smith Museum near the airport also has great activities for kiddos that go year round! Central Market Fort Worth has some fun parent/child cooking classes if that's your thing- they are quite pricey though!

Working Out... With Kids

Now that my surrogacy is behind me and I've successfully completed four pregnancies, I'm faced with the forever-irritating task of losing the baby weight.

Four pregnancies in seven years has, ahem, really not done my body any favors.

The massive mountain of Girl Scout cookies lining my dining room hall is also not helping the situation.

So last week I decided to stop making excuses and start working out again. Because I want an option that allows me to bring my kiddos, I tried out Stroller Strides/Fit4Mom of Arlington/Mansfield.

I attended class Wednesday morning (because Tuesday I was too sore from a 3-mile run up the blasted Arkansas Ln. hill with my running group) without my kiddos. I was actually nervous it would be weird to show up to a kid-friendly workout sans kiddos, but everyone was very welcoming and friendly and seemed indifferent to my missing stroller. We started with a warm-up and introductions and then proceeded to jogging around Veteran's Park, stopping intermittently to do body-weight exercises. During each exercise we sang songs to keep kiddos entertained, although it was not unusual for a mom to have to stop and tend to a cranky baby or fussy toddler. No one even batted an eyelash! The workout lasted a full hour- and that hour flew by! 

My favorite part about this workout, besides being able to bring my kiddos (or not), was that it can be as easy or as hard as I make it. The workout incorporates resistance bands and weights (I borrowed some, although I do have my own weights I could bring), which means I can make it harder on days I'm feeling it and easier on days I'm not. (I was pretty sore Thursday, so I effectively worked those muscles for sure!)

Friday the workout was moved indoors because it was chilly in the morning, and I brought my girls. They sat with snacks on the bleachers at Dottie Lynn, occasionally jumping in the stroller when they saw us running laps around the gym ("faster mom! Go faster!). They socialized with other kids and came to ask me a silly question on more than one instance- and, because we are all moms, no one was bothered by their interruptions.

Besides getting in a great workout two days last week, I met some great moms! Everyone is at a different stage of motherhood- some have infants, some have older children, some (like me) are right in the middle. But every mama is there to take an hour and focus on her own well-being, which is so, so important. It is also beyond important to have an awesome support group of moms you can turn to for anything- and these women seemed to have formed an awesome group!

Stroller Strides/Fit4Mom of Arlington/Mansfield is owned by awesome local mama Lauren Galipp. Lauren is a mom of three who lives in Arlington. Any questions? Email her at laurengalipp@fit4mom.com

I Escaped The Perfect Escape!

I've seen my friends posting on Facebook about escape rooms for months now.

I'll be honest- I really had no idea what they were.

But I'm always up for trying new things. So, when The Perfect Escape, a new escape room in Arlington, contacted me about trying it out, I jumped at the chance!

I invited my brother, his fiance, my sister and my husband to help me out, because, if I'm being honest, I'm kind of crap at puzzles. Or, at least, it takes me a bit longer than it takes, ahem, others, to figure out the answer.

The premise of escape rooms is this: you get "locked" into a room with up to seven other people and have one hour to find all the clues that lead to keys or lock combinations to escape the room. (For safety reasons, you are not actually locked in)  If you get stuck, you can request up to three hints from the game master, who is watching you and your partners-in-crime via cameras in the rooms.

Here is the premise of Arlington's escape room, taken from the website:

We’ve lost contact with several agents trying to put away known local thug Franky “Sawed-Off” O’Bannion. Our informant has revealed some evidence might be kept at one of his store fronts that launder his illegally gained wealth. Do you have the skills it takes to help get this criminal off the streets!?

I have to be honest- I LOVED it! I went in having no idea what to expect and left saying "I can't wait to try this again!" It was challenging in a very creative way. Piecing all the clues and bits together to escape the room before time ran out proved much more difficult than I would have expected, and that made the experience all the more worth it! The twists are turns were many. We were frantically piecing bits together until, quite literally, the very last second!

This is great for adults and children alike. It's not spooky the way some may think (my sister-in-law was worried this would be like a scene from Saw come to life!), and is suitable for kids. I'd recommend ages 12 and up as the clues are a bit sophisticated for anyone younger. This is fantastic team building experience for businesses and corporations. Or great for breaking out of your usual dinner-and-a-movie date night rut!

The Perfect Escape is $30 per person and is located at 2501 Avenue J, Arlington, 76006. Times are available all day. Each "escape" is designed for up to eight people. If your party is smaller, you will be booked with others. Trust me, you'll want all the help you can get!

Drop into the hottest kids classes in DFW... All the reasons we love Pearachute!

My oldest spent months last year begging me to try cheerleading.

"Mom, when can we do cheerleading?" "Mom, when does cheerleading start?" "Mom, I want to be a cheerleader NOW!"

I called around and priced out all the area programs. I gathered all the necessary supplies (mostly from her closet) and got her ready to go.

Halfway through the first class, she was done. She wanted to goof off and practice her backbends. She had no interest in jumps or cheers or arm placement.

I'm just glad we discovered she didn't really want to be a cheerleader before I invested all my time and money!

Now each time my girls beg to try something new, I try it out through Pearachute, a new concept for kids that launched here in DFW in late October.

Pearachute is a drop-in class pass for kiddos ages 0-12ish. Pearachute partners with local businesses in the area and lists their classes on the Pearachute platform. Then I can go on and select classes for my girls to try out without committing to any one singular activity.

Pearachute launched successfully in Chicago more than a year ago and has been a smash hit! Pearachute is now branching out to DFW and Kansas City. Check them out here- www.pearachutekids.com

The benefits of a Pearachute membership are many...

1. I can attend classes with my girls on my time. No more committing to every Wednesday at 11 on to realize three weeks in that Wednesday at 11 doesn't work and having to find a new class. I can do Wednesday classes for the girls only when it works out for us.

2. We get access to all kinds of amazing kids classes! Through Pearachute, we have taken art classes, dance classes and music classes to name a few. We have also been to several open play facilities in the area as well as trampoline parks! Pearachute also has swim classes, karate classes, cooking classes, French classes- the list goes on!

3. The girls get to make new friends and find their "spot." My middle daughter is an artist. She loves to draw and create. We've discovered amazing art classes all around DFW through Pearachute, and she's nurtured her talent through the different lessons. My youngest is my musician- music is so very much her thing. She's taken some great music classes through Pearachute, and we have more scheduled!

4. You can access classes all over the area. Need to run up to Frisco to grab something at Ikea? Why not drop into a class while you are up there? Reward your kiddos for a fuss-free trip with a cooking class or swim time through Pearachute! Going to visit family in Mesquite for the day? Drop into an open play area after you visit relatives!

Pearachute is super easy to use, too! I login to the website (www.pearachutekids.com) and search for classes. I can filter the search by age, day, area of town, etc. Then I select what class I want to attend and which kiddo will be there and voila, I'm ready to go! I can sync the class to my Google calendar, and they send me a booking confirmation email. I can cancel the class up to one hour before the booking to avoid paying a cancellation fee, too.

Businesses benefit from the partnership, as well. Partners get paid each time a Pearachute user drops into their classes! It is free for a business to be a partner, and they get to expose new kids to their classes through the partnership!

Interested? Pearachute offers three membership levels- 3 classes per month, 6 classes per month or unlimited classes per month. Use the code StephanieJ2017 to get your first month of a 3-class pass for $1!

Then start dropping into the best classes in town! We recommend: Mini Music at Destiny Music Studios, any age-appropriate class at Little Gym, any age-appropriate class at A. Persons Dance Legacy, open play at The Happy Lark or Small World, Big Imagination and art classes at Van Grow Art Studio. Happy discovering!

Own a local kid-oriented business? Feel free to message me to learn about becoming a Pearachute partner!

I am an ambassador for Pearachute Kids and do receive free memberships for my girls in exchange for promoting the business.

Baby It's Cold Outside!

With the weather being as, um, unpredictable as it is, I like to have a plan.

For my kids.

Because if we stay home, our house becomes a war zone and my sanity the casualty.

Toys and chaos descend upon us, and I can't clean it up quickly enough.

My girls become mortal enemies when their favorite dolls are involved, and then best friends when they are conspiring against me and my quest for order.

It's exhausting.

So, when the weather is gross, we head to our favorite hot spots.

Several of these spots are new to the area, and we discovered them in the Fall and fell in love. Unfortunately, they aren't in Arlington, but they are in the greater Fort Worth area and so very, very worth the drive!

1. Inneractive Playhouse, 5950 Vista Park Circle, Keller. $6 for kids 2 and under, $10 for kids up to age 10. Higher weekend rates apply.

We discovered this place because I discovered a Groupon. It takes about 30-35 minutes to get there from south Arlington, so we make a day of it. (There is actually a fantastic McDonald's not far from it- this place is right off Denton Highway on the Keller/Fort Worth border. The McDonald's is right near your exit if you take 820 to Denton Highway like I do... It has a train theme and the girls love it!) There is a toddler area for the 2 and under set and a fantastic, brightly-colored play area for the big kids. There is seating for adults, and private rooms are available if you want to have a birthday party. 

I'd recommend this for the 7 and under set. My oldest loves playing here with her little sisters, but I would say she is on the outer age limit for this facility (although they allow kids up to age 10). I also recommend bringing water as it gets warm in there, and the kids get thirsty! They have a snack room so feel free to pack something for the littles, or snacks such as goldfish and granola bars are available for $1 each.

2. The Happy Lark. 5816 S. Hulen St., Fort Worth. $10 per child; $12 for two kids.

The Happy Lark is a modern escape just south of Hulen Mall, about 20 minutes from southwest Arlington. The playspace is a large room filled with mod, wooden toys for imaginative play. There are building toys to foster creation, a chalk wall to encourage art, a storefront to encourage role play and so on. There is a back room with play doh and magna tiles for gets to really get creative. There is plenty of seating for adults... And the best part? A shop in front of the playspace filled with all the modern, trendy wonders you see in parenting magazines to take home for your kiddos! Think adorable clothes and baby accessories in muted, modern colors.

I'd recommend this spot for kiddos under the age of 5. My oldest has never been, but I don't think she'd adore it the way my younger two do. The toys are geared toward younger kids.

3. Small World, Big Imagination, 280 Commerce St., Suite 125, Southlake. $12 per child over age 1, includes a snack when you leave.

I'm so excited there is a spot like this on the west side of the Metroplex. So many of my Collin County friends rave about playplaces like this in their neck of the woods that I was over the moon when I found out Southlake got one! (The drive from southwest Arlington is about 30-35 minutes) This place a is a mini wonderland for your tot. Where do I start? There is an entire arts and crafts section for creative minds. There is a large wooden truck with an open hood for kids to tinker with. There are several themed "rooms" for kids to play in including a store, a doctor's office and a fire station. There is a small canoe in the room's center with fishing poles and magnetic fish to be "caught" by your munchkins. There is so much to entertain your kids for many, many hours. Believe me... We've stayed here so long my phone has died.

I'd recommend this spot for kids ages 10 and under. My oldest is very creative and can color and glue for hours. She loves this space and is rarely bored, even if I think some of the toys are a bit young for her. 

4. The Tubes at Irving Bible Church, 2435 Kinwest Parkway, Irving. Free.

The tubes are just what they sound like... A big playspace made up of tubes to climb through! Picture a McDonald's playscape on steroids. This is a great spot to escape to if you need to get out but don't want to lighten your wallet. Kids can run wild through the tubes free of charge. Parents can sit outside the noisy play area at small tables and watch kids run out their energy. Definitely pack and lunch and make a day of it (though there is a coffee bar inside the church for my fellow caffeine-addicted mamas).

I'd recommend the tubes for kids ages 3 and up. The playscape is large... And it's tough to rescue a tot who gets halfway up and starts to cry (been there, done that). We've also been on days when school is out and there are lots of older kids running around. So 3 and up is safe. There is a soft padded area adjacent to the tubes for young tots, age birth two about 18 months will be happy here while older siblings play. 

I made a list of awesome play spots over the summer, but I had to add in these great "day trips" we've since discovered. I was not paid or compensated by these places in any way- I just simply had to share their awesomeness with my fellow moms! All pictures used were taken from the playarea's Facebook page. Be sure and call or check websites for opening times as they vary.

If you are looking for something closer to home, definitely check out hot spots such as Urban Air, Flight Deck Trampoline Park or the Arlington Skatium for some fun!

My Surrogacy Journey

There I was, waddling around Old Navy, 40.5 weeks pregnant for what very well may have been the last time. I was solo, my three girls with my Mother-in-law in East Texas while hubby and I stayed behind in case I went into labor (no pressure there, kiddo). As I strolled past the baby section to check out the skinny jeans for my 3-year-old, I tried not to let my hormones get the best of me. There was no need for adorable onesies or footed pajamas. This sweet boy, growing in my belly, belonged to someone else.

That's right. I spent the bulk of 2016 pregnant as a gestational carrier, or surrogate. Willingly, I chose to go through the journey that is pregnancy only to leave the hospital with the full boobs, floppy tummy and wicked-crazy hormones but without the baby.

I had talked about being a surrogate for years before I actually had the courage to submit an application to a reputable agency. I discussed it with my husband early on in my second pregnancy, when I realized that I was one of the fortunate women who handles pregnancy well.

I always thought I wanted five kids. Two boys, three girls. Seemed like the perfect brood. And then I had three kids. Three girls, to be exact. In four years. My youngest two are 17 months to the day apart. Three girls that close together... Well, it isn't for the faint of heart. My husband was happy with one kid. He was happy with two kids. When we (unexpectedly) hit kid (and girl!) number three, he was done. While I lived for several uncertain years in the land of "maybe I'd like another," my husband stayed resolute in his belief that our family was complete and told me if I wanted to be pregnant again, I should be a surrogate. So, ladies and gents, here we are...

Let me stop here and clarify the difference between a traditional surrogate and a gestational carrier. Several times throughout my journey people asked me if I was the biological mother of the child in utero. A traditional surrogate would, in fact, be the biological mother of the child. Traditional surrogacy occurs when a woman becomes pregnant via artificial insemination with the sperm of the intended father or other donor. A gestational carrier, as I was, becomes pregnant via IVF. In this case, the egg and sperm meet in the lab to form an embryo, which is the transferred into the gestational carrier at the fertility clinic. 

The road to delivery of the sweet little dude I gave birth to in December 2016 was incredibly long and bumpy. In fact, if I were to give a potential surrogate advice on starting her journey, it would be this: Be patient. The process is long. Before you are able to be put on a roster and matched with potential IPs (intended parents), you have to show the agency that you are a stable, reliable person with a clean bill of health. I had to gather my health records going back seven years. My husband and I both had to submit to background and credit checks. I had to drive to Dallas to undergo a 1.5 hour psych evaluation. Lastly, we had to have an agency representative come to our home and meet our children, just to be sure (You are required to be raising at least one child of your own in order to qualify to be a surrogate)... Well, to be sure that I lived in a safe environment in which to be pregnant for nine months with someone else's child. This process took about six months.

Once I was approved medically and ethically to be a surrogate, I was placed on a roster where IPs got to read over my profile and determine if we were a good match. It's tricky, the matching process. As I was filling out my profile, I found myself pondering questions I never thought I would have to. For example, under what conditions would I terminate a pregnancy? This was, luckily, not something I ever had to ruminate seriously during my own pregnancies. But what about when the child in question isn't mine? If the child is sick, perhaps terminally so, would I be okay with terminating if the IPs wanted to? And what about multiples? Most fertility clinics transfer two embryos to increase the chances of at least one little guy sticking around and simultaneously increasing the chances of twins. But what if both stuck and one egg split- triplets! If the IPs really only wanted two babies, would I terminate? What about life insurance? If the IPs are interested in taking out a life insurance plan for me and the baby, and then we both die at some point during the pregnancy, how does the money get divided up? See. Tricky. And then there is the delivery. Would they be okay with an epidural? I'd had two previous c sections, would they just expect me to have a third? Or would they be okay if I wanted to have a trial of labor? I also preferred midwife care, an issue I was passionate about. I prefer midwives who operate out of a hospital, but midwives all the same. Would IPs be okay with my preferred care provider?

Some of these questions were answered in the profiles I was given to review. Some I knew the answer to right away- no, I wouldn't terminate if you had three healthy babies but only wanted two. That's the risk in transferring two embryos. Yes, I would be okay terminating if the child was incompatible with life. But what about our relationship during the pregnancy? How much contact did I want? And how about afterward? How much contact then?

The woman whose child I gave birth two in December was actually my second match. My first match fell apart after a long, drawn-out affair. We matched. I went through extensive testing in Colorado to make sure my body was ready for a surrogate pregnancy. I even underwent a mock cycle, in which I took medications each month to prepare my body for an artificial pregnancy- a trial run before we actually transferred embryos. It was costly for them, and taxing on me. But the clinic was happy at every step, my body responding appropriately to each patch and pill. Then it came time to draw up a contract and everything spiraled into madness. They claimed I never told them I preferred midwives, and they adamantly desired an OB-GYN. I tried explaining why I loved my care providers and how comfortable they made my pregnancies. They responded with their concerns, chiefly that midwife care was not the level of care they expected for their child or children, and they called off the match. There were tears, lots of them, and I seriously doubted whether or not I could go through another match like that.

The woman I carried for ended up being nothing like the IPs with whom I initially matched. She was a wonderful, bitty thing who was advised by doctors not to get pregnant for health reasons. She and her ex-husband (yes, ex!) already had a four-year-old son for whom they both wanted a sibling. She is Chinese, and splits her time between Seattle and China. For me, this meant I wouldn't see her much. In fact, I had one Skype interview with her before agreeing to carry. I met her at the Fertility Clinic in San Diego when we transferred two embryos and then didn't see her again until the 20-week ultrasound during which she found out she was having another sweet boy. The next time I saw her was at 42 weeks when I was in the hospital in labor. We texted and emailed a lot during the pregnancy, but she trusted me (and the legally-binding contract I had signed) to make my own decisions regarding the pregnancy. While the contract stipulated many cans and can'ts (I was only allowed the caffeine equivalent of two cans of soda per day; no soft cheeses; no alcohol, no traveling more than 125 miles from my home without prior consent), she still bravely put a lot of trust in me! Looking back at my first match, I feel confident that it fell apart for a reason.

Once the contract was in place, the fun really began. And by fun, I mean the pain and torture that is fertility drugs. To all my friends that had to undergo fertility treatments, you are incredible. They are torturous. I don't know if I would have had three kiddos if I'd had to go through all those shots each and every time... I found the whole process of preparing my body for an artificial pregnancy interesting, though, once I figured out how mentally manage the physical pain. I started with Lupron, a drug that stopped my ovulation. For about two weeks, my husband gave me a shot of Lupron every day to stop my body from releasing any of its own eggs. About a week before transfer, I started on Estrogen patches and pills. This is what a woman's body produces to prepare to sustain a pregnancy. Since the Lupron stopped my body from releasing an egg, I had to be given artificial estrogen to prepare my body. After transfer, and then every day until I reached the 12th week of pregnancy, I had to endure progesterone shots, to help my body sustain a pregnancy it may not have otherwise wanted to. If you've never taken progesterone, rest assured, you are missing nothing. Progesterone shots are given in oil form and administered in your rear end. They are slow to be injected. After about week six, I had welts the size of baseballs in a less-than-ideal place (the shots go in at about hip level, making wearing jeans difficult). By week 10, I would literally start crying as I prepped the shot, and my husband repeatedly asked if I could give it to myself because he hated inflicting the pain (although on the days I was a moody nightmare I'm sure it gave him some sort of satisfaction, if only for a moment!).  And yes, as if the physical pain of these shots isn't enough, they give you mood swings, as well.

But I was one of the lucky ones. We transferred two embryos and one stuck immediately. Oftentimes surrogates go through all of this (or women trying to get pregnant with their own babies) and then the embryos don't take. Once I survived 12 weeks of fertility drugs, it was smooth sailing. My pregnancy with sweet surrobabe was incredibly uneventful.

When friends and strangers alike found out I was a surrogate, they often asked how I was going to be able to give a baby away after bonding with it for nine months. As I type, I'm four weeks postpartum, and I feel that I am finally able to accurately and fully answer this question.

Nothing about this pregnancy was similar to the pregnancies I had with my girls, at least from an emotional standpoint. With each of my sweet girls, I grew excited from day one. I would talk to my belly and dream of what each baby would look like. I'd make lists of names in notebooks. I'd stroll through the baby section at Target for hours, delicately examining each baby outfit and gadget. I'd pack and unpack and repack my hospital bag. And I knew, each time, that the end of the pregnancy would be the beginning of the rest of my life as a mother of one, then two and finally three. While the end of each pregnancy was always a bit bittersweet, I knew each time it was really the beginning of the rest of my life.

But this time I knew. I knew that little boy wasn't mine. From the very first flutter, first kick, first hiccup. As cool as it was, I knew. There was no pausing in the baby section to pick out something adorable. No stocking up on diapers or onesies. There were no lists of names my husband would ultimately veto. And I was okay with that. As I would tell everyone, if my husband and I wanted another baby, well, there was a certain way we would go about making that baby. Nothing about making this baby was anything like making my own babies. It was different from the start. My agency caseworker, during one of our early conversations, compared being a surrogate to watching a close friend go through pregnancy, and I find this a decent comparison. You are excited for her, each step of the way. But it isn't the same excitement you experience when you yourself are pregnant. There is a certain disconnect, no matter how close the friend. And so it is with surrogacy. An exciting, wonderful time that you are a part of and yet disconnected from.

Even as I approached delivery, I didn't have, not even for a second, any sadness or disappointment that there wasn't a baby at the end of this rainbow. I have three wonderful, incredible, healthy, happy little girls. And that's enough. While I'll always being a bit melancholy that I'll never again need to shop in the baby section, that I'll never again need to debate which brand of diapers to buy, that I'll never again need a bag the size of Texas to haul around all the paraphernalia that babies require, I know we are moving into the next phase of parenting. So I went to the hospital ready to give birth to a little boy who had a family ready and waiting for him.

My girls got to meet the baby before he left for Seattle with his mom, and even they were okay with letting him go. We talked from the very beginning about this little boy belonging to someone else. While my oldest is still sad each and every day that she won't have a brother, we reminded her over and over again that the little boy in my belly wasn't ours. She still begs my husband now and again for a brother, but he just reminds her that she would probably wind up with another sister, and I'm pretty sure she feels that she's had enough of those.

Recovery for me has actually been pretty good. I wound up with another c section, which was the most scarring part (literally and figuratively) of the whole experience. I decided, for a number of reasons, to let my milk dry up rather than try to pump for any length of time, and that was the worst. I nursed all three of my girls, so I never had to deal with that before. It was incredibly painful for about 10 days after delivery. My c section scar is healing nicely, likely because my body knows exactly what to do. And I haven't had too many hormonal issues. Recovery from child birth is significantly easier when there isn't actually a child to care for because you can focus on yourself. Aside from the baby weight, which, after four babies, is more of a permanent battle scare than a passing imperfection, I'm doing just fine, thankyouverymuch.

To those of you wondering how money plays into all this... Yes, I was compensated. I don't tell people I was paid to be a surrogate because, quite frankly, I wasn't. The money I received was for the use of my body, time and so on. We were fortunate enough to be able to use my insurance for my prenatal care and baby's delivery because there was no surrogacy exclusion in the policy. Had we been unable to, my IPs would have been expected to provide a policy for me for the duration of my pregnancy. I was given a stipend each month to cover the cost of prenatal vitamins, gas to and from midwife appointments and any other small, miscellaneous items relating to baby boy. The IPs paid 100 percent of any out-of-pocket medical costs pertaining to baby, including portion of my insurance copay. I received an allowance to pay for maternity clothes. I received an extra amount for the pain and inconvenience of a c section. Let me be honest- I could have made more money had I gone and gotten a regular 9-to-5 job. But I didn't choose to be a surrogate for the money. I chose to be a surrogate because I'm the crazy one who likes to be pregnant. Being compensated for it was just a bonus, as was being able to be home with my sweet girls in the process.

Would I do it again? Let's just say this... I'm not saying no. So if you know anyone looking for an experienced surrogate who is ready to have a baby in 2018, well...