Rando Person- Will you tell Jellybean about the surrogacy?
Me- DUH, Yes.
How can I not share her amazing story of how she came to be? This surprises some people who have asked us this same question. Maybe it is the fact the surrogacy is not the normal path to parenthood. So naturally people are curious of what is unknown to them. I just use these moments for rousing awareness. Really the truth is, yes we will tell her but I have no idea how. Just like I have no idea on how to explain the Tooth Fairy. WHICH IS REAL. Umm… moving on. Jellybean is only 13 weeks so we have some time to ponder over it for now.
It does make that uncomfortable birds and the bee’s barrage of questioning from the mini humans come up a little sooner than we would like to though. It has been a real challenge explaining Jellybean to our nieces and other various related rugrats. Deviously, we just spike that ball straight back to their parents to try to explain it. But never the less, explaining our surrogacy to these young minds is more confusing than I was in my Quantitative Analysis class in college. Really, how do you explain surrogacy?
A perfect example is when Chris’s sister (who is expecting) and seven year old niece, recently came into town to visit us and meet their new family member. Being already curious of her mother and now seeing a new baby, we were hit with a storm of curious questioning. I explained that like kangaroos, Jellybean was carried in some else’s pouch because my pouch was broken. Brilliant right? Not my geniusness, I stole the concept like a bandit from a book I gave to my surrogate’s kiddos called “The Kangaroo Pouch” by Sarah Phillips Pellet. More on that in a second. Unfortunately for us, Chris’s niece is very smart and started asking very detailed questions. Kudos to his sister who had masterfully perfected the art of changing the subject.
Now, there are a ton of children’s books out there that help explain adoption on a level that is easy for kids to understand, but how about surrogacy? Lets just say there is no shelf at Barnes and Noble dedicated to surrogacy children’s books. I stumbled across “The Kangaroo Pouch” a year ago when I was trying to help our wonder-surro explain the surrogacy to her kids. It was a great book that explained it in such a way that will help buy you some time before the complicated infertility advanced sex-ed 101 conversations need to start. Great right? No need in explaining what a guys bingbong and the chickadees and a girls ladybits are really used for. Just leave it to the art of storytelling to explain it on their level. So that is why it is time for a giveaway! I have 2 copies of “The Kangaroo Pouch” to give away. So if you right in the middle of a surrogacy or about to start it and you would like to enter to win a copy of the book, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. For those on mobile devices, you may need to use a desktop PC to view the widget and enter.
If you missed the giveaway, you can purchase this book here. You see folks, anytime you use our Amazon link we receive a small % of what you spend back to us, at no cost to you of course. It helps support our site.
We don’t know when or how exactly we will tell Jellybean but we are going to make sure that she knows about the incredible love and sacrifice our wonder surro had, all of the excitement and worry we felt during the pregnancy, and how our world seemed to actually start the second she was born. I do know we will incorporate this book into her library so it will make those awkward conversations a little less uncomfortable.
This is Toni so glad u liked the book. Hope I win 🙂
I do like the book! I will be reviewing another children’s book on #surrogacy soon for another giveaway in Novemember.
We had a tough time explaining to our nieces that their mom was carrying our baby. This would have helped! Crossing my fingers that we win so we can share it with them and our little girl when she gets here in November!
EEEP! So exciting November is right around the corner! Congrats.
I would love this book because I am a surrogate, and currently in contract negotiations for my second journey. I have two daughters of my own, age 7 and 9, and they still don’t quite ‘get it’.
Linsay, you are amazeballs for being a surrogate. Or Surrhero? It is a great book and I gave my wonder surro a copy for her two little girls.
Thank you! You’re an amazing lady with an awesome husband! I’ve watched your videos and True Life episode and read the blog, and honestly couples like you and my IP’s are the reason I believe surrogacy is my calling! I’m so happy you got your little miracle happy ending, she’s adorable 🙂
I’ve seen this book but our library system doesnt carry it. I would love to be able to read it to my 2 year old before his sibling arrives in January! Thanks! Laura
Laura that is awesome congrats! January will be here before you know it. Our library sucks here. Really, they don’t carry squat.
If my husband would ever give in and let us use a donor I would definitely let the child know how it came to be.
Kalisu, I think it is so important that it is not a secret. Now it will have to be the right time of course but we are proud of our emotional bruises that got us to parenthood.
I wanted to share with you all that through an IVF miracle, we finally got our BFP! The two of you have been such an inspiration. Thank you for your wonderful blog!!
AAAHHHHHH BFP!!!! Congrats! With hope and faith miracles do happen. Just wait, when you hold your baby for the first time all those years of tears will be worth it.
Thanks! It’s been an emotional roller coaster. I don’t think I’ll be able to really relax until that baby is home with us!
CONGRATS TORI AND SHELLY! They won the free copy of the Kangaroo Pouch!