A Child's Point Of View

When people see me with my children they automatically assume that we have another on the way.  They tend to make comments like "oh you're a very busy lady" or "wow, and another one on the way"  First of all it always amazes me that people feel that they can comment on your reproductive business, but I'm not ranting about that right now.  I have chosen to inform people about my surrogacy.  So, when they do make those comments I inform them that this pregnancy is not for us but for someone else.  That changes their perception of me very quickly....and I always get positive responses from them.  It doesn't matter what strangers think about me doing this, but there are people in my life who I care a great deal about how the surrogacy affects them....my children.

When we started out on this journey my husband and I decided that the children would be involved all along and we would be honest in answering any questions they had about the babies and the process.  My children met the IP's the same time Mike and I did, they've seen them each time we have and we talk about them in our home like they are a part of our family....because they are.  From the day of the transfer even my two youngest who are 2 1/2 knew that a doctor had put two eggs in my belly and we were praying that the eggs would grow into babies for my IP's.  We talk about the babies whenever the children show interest in the subject and now they are trying to feel them move through my belly.  We often ask the youngest ones questions about the babies to help them understand.  This is a conversation that I frequently have with my daughter Teagan.  It warms my heart every time we talk about it.

Me:  Teagan, what's in Mama's belly?
T: Babies
Me: How many babies?
T:  Two babies.
Me:  Who's babies are they?
T:  Lorlie's (that's how she says IM's name)
Me:  Where are the babies going to live?
T:  Lorlie's house.