When they did decide to have a child, pregnancy didn’t come easy for the Idaho couple.  When they finally were able to conceive and welcome a daughter, Tina knew her life was changed forever.

“I was nursing my daughter one day and thought, ‘oh my gosh, I can’t imagine someone not having this experience.  I could be a surrogate,’” she says.

“I loved being pregnant, I knew I wanted to be pregnant again but knew I didn’t want more children.”

And so Galletti’s surrogacy journey began.

While raising her daughter, Galletti started researching surrogacy and she along with husband agreed to pursue it.  Although she researched, it was a sort of spontaneous decision which led Galletti and her family down a four year journey of helping other couples.

Gestational surrogacy is when a woman agrees to have an in vitro fertilized embryo implanted into her uterus, and then agrees to carry the baby to term. She further agrees to relinquish her parental rights upon birth of the child.

There are no known statistics, but there have been between 50-100 surrogacy arrangements in Canada and about 1,400 babies born in the United States via surrogacy in 2008.

Galletti was first was matched with a couple in Australia when her own daughter was 16 months old.  She had her first transfer but unfortunately it didn’t take.

“They called me and said they didn’t want to try again because it was too hard, so of course I was devastated too because I wanted to be a surrogate.”

She was matched a couple months later and had a little boy in August 2008.  The baby’s parents, male and female, called every day, came to the big ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby. But after Galletti gave birth, contact with the couple became more limited.

“After that surrogacy journey, I didn’t feel fulfilled. It was not what I was hoping for, the end of that journey,” Galletti admits.

Galletti says that it’s a difficult transition when the surrogate relationship ends abruptly, especially when the surrogate is going through the post-partum experiences.

“You go into it with the mindset that it’s not your baby, but that when it’s over, it’s the end of a journey, the end of talking to those people, all of sudden it just ends.  When that contact is cut off, which happens for many surrogates, you kind of feel empty and a sense of sadness,” she said.

During the interview process, both hopeful parents and surrogates need to be open and honest with one another before making such an important decision and huge commitment.

“It’s very easy to get caught up in everything. The first time you’re so excited and you look past some things that in hind sight you maybe would have changed.  Get to know each other before committing and it’s okay if you have doubts, don’t – it’s alright to say no, it’s not right for me.”

Working out a contract doesn’t just involve money but very serious issues like termination.

“Really know who you are and stand firm – be very specific, and know what you want and make sure it’s in the contract, then you’ll have peace of mind,” Galletti says.

Through reading through surrogacy boards, Galletti decided that she wanted to carry again – but this time for a same-sex couple.

“I was matched with a male couple from New York and fell in love. We always refer to our first meeting as a blind date.  All three of us felt kind of giddy, couldn’t wait to talk again after our first phone call.”

Galletti was pregnant in April 2009 gave birth to twin boys in December 2009.  “We have an ongoing relationship. We talk at least once a week from London and they Skype with me so I can see the boys.”

Her daughter was very understanding of the arrangement and was quite involved in the process.  “She came to my appointments, was very in tune with what was happening.  When someone would say, ‘you’re going to be a big sister’, she’d respond, ‘oh no those are not our babies.’”

While she had no intention of carrying a third time, Galletti decided she would be a surrogate for another male couple again.  Her second set of twin boys were born in November 2011.  She was able to breast feed both sets of twins and pump for them and ship for the first four months.

“My second set of Dads love their boys and try to include our family as much as possible. We have been to see them twice already and hope to move closer to them so we can see the boys often.”

While the relationship with the parents is wonderful, the last pregnancy was extremely taxing on Galletti’s body.  She knew that this would be the last time she could carry when the twins came suddenly at 35 weeks.

“My health was at risk, I hemorrhaged with the last two, placental abruption I had an emergency  c-section and luckily we all came out of it okay.  It was scary – I have a family and if something happened to me, they’d be left without me,” she says.

“There are so many risks involved. I know some surrogates that have come close to dying. That’s obviously something we don’t want to see happen.”

When you become a surrogate and give birth, many people ask – is it hard to give the baby away?

“I say no, I’m giving them back.  I love them as my own but have never felt as though they were mine or want to parent them I just want to be in their lives and watch them grow into wonderful men.  I’m fortunate that both sets of dads allow me in their lives and respect and love my family.”

Galletti has changed three families’ lives forever, given them families of their own. But she sees it differently.

“I think they’ve changed my life in ways I never would have imagined going into this. I never thought I’d get so much out of it for me and my family. It’s a life-long reward.”

“Seeing the parent hold their baby for the first time is the most amazing moment,” Galletti says.

“It’s just amazing, as a woman to know that because of my ability to carry a baby, they are going to a have a life of beautiful things.”

For more information on surrogacy, visit http://www.surrogacy.ca/ and http://unitedstatessurrogacy.com/

Nope, not twins though!

Her parter, Heidi Rhoades, gave birth to a boy on May 3… AND Michael’s recently adopted a daughter, Lukensia, 2, from Haiti.

“We’re swimming in babies over here,” Michaels, 38, told People magazine.

Michaels has moved on from being a boot-camp warden on the Biggest Loser to a loving mom twice in one week!

In the magazine, she talks about her long adoption journey and reveals that Rhoades, 31, gave birth to their son, Phoenix, the same week that Michaels finally brought daughter Lukensia home.

Now, Michaels has a full house!

“I don’t even answer email. I don’t have time to care about anything else,” she said.

“I want to be really present and enjoy all the nuances of their growth and development. I don’t want to rush any of it.”

Congratulations to them!

“Anchorman 2″ has its first official teaser and all I can think of is, I hope the movie won’t suck.

Will Ferrell will return as the suave, mustached newsman in the sequel to “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” along with his sidekicks Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner.

“Ain’t this an old-fashioned shot to the nut sack?” Ferrell’s Burgundy says in the clip.

The film isn’t even scheduled to start filming until February 2013 for a release later next year, but the trailer is a great tease to remind us of what fabulousness is to come.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uksrAqwgbPU

Banana S-fit by Cathy Barbarossa

Run out of ideas for breakfast? If your kids are bananas over bananas, they’ll love this faux ‘banana split’.

It’s not only super easy to make, but it’s super healthy too!

How to make:

1 Banana

2 Strawberries (sliced)

1 Yogurt plopped on the sides

1 tsp Light Whipped Cream

Drizzle a tiny amount of Chocolate Sauce on top.

You can also sprinkle oatmeal, granola, blueberries, walnuts or honey on top.

Enjoy!

Cathy Barbarossa is a freelance copywriter in the ad industry, an up-and-coming author, a proud mom and wife, and a cougar in denial on girls’ night out. She still giggles when she farts. Yellow makes her happy… and she shouts “hooray” at least once a day.

Apparently, men and women in their 30s are more dissatisfied with their sex life than any other age group.

Why?

Take a wild guess… kids!  The financial worries and the stress of caring for children is the cause for a lack of action in bedroom, a new study says.

The Sex Census 2012 reveals that 25 per cent of those aged 30 to 39 are unhappy with their sex lives because of the demands of modern life and financial stresses.  The study involved almost 25,000 respondents.

Of those in their 30s, 35 per cent said caring for babies and young children was having a negative impact on their sexual relationships because they were just too tired.  Other reasons cited include depression and low body confidence.

Well, don’t despair!  The best sex happens later in life anyway.  According to the study, as respondents got older their satisfaction levels increased.

When does thte best sex happen?

In your 50s apparently!  And sexual confidence peaks between the ages of 60 and 69.

Wow!

Do you agree with the results of this study?

Source

Not really!

But Burke-Charvet manages to pull it off in a spoof entitled “The Difference is Clear.”

Merck, the makers of non-drowsy CLARITIN® products, has teamed up with the Dancing with the Stars host to create the short film, which is a crazy over-the-top look at two versions of one busy woman’s day who is juggling work, life and family while also dealing with allergies.

In the first version of her day, Brooke’s character doesn’t take her allergy medication, and her non-stop allergy symptoms cause an impossibly upside-down day, where nothing goes right and everything goes wrong.

In the second version, she treats her allergies and has an impossibly outrageous day, so much so, that there is no limit to what she can achieve.

To view the trailer and see behind-the-scenes footage, visit www.YouTube.com/Claritin.

For more information on allergies and Claritin, visit www.claritin.com

I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour conducted by Burst Media on behalf of Claritin^®. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program, but my opinions are my own.

by Dawn Lyons

Why does my teenager sleep so much?  Why is my teenager so lazy and tired?

If you find yourself almost having to hire a crane to pull your teenager out of bed before noon, you’re frustrated with constantly finding them dozing on the sofa, or don’t understand why you find them in their room not doing homework, not communicating with friends, but in fact doing nothing, you need to read this post.

It’s easy to get frustrated by the amount of time your teenager seems to ‘do nothing.’ If a nagging refrain involving the words “get up” or “do something” resonates in your home, you need to know why, at least sometimes, it’s ok – even a good thing – for your teen to do nothing.

1. How long should teens sleep? According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, teenagers need between 9 and 10 hours of sleep a night to help them stay alert and not feel sleepy at some point during the progression of the day. Sleeping in on the weekend, like many of us enjoy, can also be enjoyed by your teen, however it is recommended that the regular amount of sleep only be exceeded by 2 – 4 hours. Sleep is important not only for the body to recuperate and restore energy, but also for proper brain function.

Many teens nap in the afternoons, either on weekends or after they arrive home from school. While napping can be valuable (for people in any age bracket), the amount of time for teenagers should be kept to half an hour or less, so that a nap does not create interference with sleep at night. Also, keep in mind that too little sleep can be just as detrimental as too much sleep, and that a combination of reduced energy with an appropriate or extended amount of sleep could be the symptom of a deeper concern.

2. But they need to contribute to the family unit. This and other objections related to why parents think their teen needs to wake up and stay awake are valid, but sensitivity to your teenager’s continuing physical development, hormones and exhaustion that may be caused by a variety of factors such as exams, tests and assignments, involvement in sports or other extra-curricular activities and the weight of other responsibilities should not be overlooked. Where possible, find a way to align the contribution you need them to make with the other demands of their schedule and the fact that you know they will either sleep in and/or nap, particularly during weekends.

Also, give the contribution a value that your teenager will understand and appreciate. That doesn’t necessarily mean monetary value – though that does help  – but make sure that they know their contribution will be appreciated so they don’t feel forced into undertaking tasks that are solely for the benefit of Mom and Dad.

3. They need ‘me’ time, too. You know how you feel like you’re so busy with all of your responsibilities that you covet any amount of time you can spend by yourself to once again find the real you and recharge?  The same is true for teenagers. Time alone is important for them to think things through and figure things out as they experience the relationships, responsibilities, and stressors that come with the teenage years and figure out who they are and what they want their future to look like. Just as you cherish time at the gym or spa, a getaway with your spouse, or an hour of solitude with your favourite book, your teen similarly craves and appreciates some alone time.

4. Remember when…? What were you doing when you were your teen’s age? If you think back, you’ll probably remember sleeping late, napping when you needed to, and extended periods of time chatting or spending time with friends, or being alone reading, listening to music or whatever other non-labour-intensive pastime struck your fancy.

Sometimes, it may be necessary to adjust your teenager’s schedule to reduce the amount of activities and responsibilities that can cause undue stress, limit their amount of sleep and not allow them to have any down time. Consider this information the next time you’re tempted to call your, or any other teen, lazy due to their tendency to be in bed or “laze around” all day. It is likely that it is their bodies and brains telling them they need rest, and an honest need to spend time as their own individual person that has them zonked in the family room or ‘doing nothing’ in their bedroom.

A professional writer and editor, Dawn Lyons created ‘Write’ Steps 4 Teens by combining her passion for writing with her desire to help teenagers resolve stress-inducing concerns and consciously create their own success stories. Find out more by visiting her online at linesbylyons.com.

Nothing says spring and summer like nautical stripes and bermuda shorts!

Shopping for boys clothes isn’t nearly as fun as shopping for girls, especially dresses.

But we’ve looked around and have found 10 cute spring outfits for boys 2012.

Here are our top picks for 10 Cute Spring Outfits for Boys:

Vogue magazine has pledged it will no longer use photographs of dangerously underweight models.

In a statement published across all of its 19 international editions, the iconic magazine’s editors promised not to picture models under the age of 16 or those who they believe have an eating disorder.  Just recently, Israel passed a law banning underweight models.

“The Health Initiative” aims to encourage a healthier approach to body image within the fashion industry.  Editors agreed to be “ambassadors” for a healthy image and “not knowingly work with models under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder”.

“As one of the fashion industry’s most powerful voices, Vogue has a unique opportunity to engage with relevant issues where we feel we can make a difference,” Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, said.

“We will work with models who, in our view, are healthy and help to promote a healthy body image,” the statement said.

In the statement, Vogue editors said they would encourage designers to consider the “consequences of unrealistically small sample sizes of their clothing, which limits the range of women who can be photographed in their clothes, and encourages the use of extremely thin models.”

Is this a sign of good things to come with respect to body image in the media?

I was about 10 (or 11?) years old at the time – it was an awkward age, okay?  Just look at my photo and you’ll understand why.

I remember how much it rained that day so we were wearing those thin plastic covers that we bought at the park.  We were visiting just for the day so we toured the park non-stop, seeing as many attractions and going on as many rides as humanly possible.

Fast forward many years later (not going to say how many!), and now my kids want to go to Walt Disney World.

Surprisingly, they are asking to go now – at the ages of 5 and 7.  I have been waiting for the time to come for them to ask about Disney World and have been keeping “the secret” quiet.

I’ve been putting off a trip until the boys were older, so that they could walk the park themselves and actually remember it!

I’ve always associated Disney with the Magic Kingdom – pure fantasy.  Cinderella, Snow White and the Little Mermaid, stories that my boys just wouldn’t be interested in hearing about or watching.

They’re into superheros and aliens and ninjas.  Now imagine if there was a Marvel theme park!  (I just so happened to Google it and there it is – a Marvel Superheros theme park is expected to pen this year in Dubailand!)

The boys love the Looney Tunes but they are Warner Bros. characters.  doh!  So I’ve always thought, why bother going to Disney if they only Toy Story and Cars (and now that they’re older, they don’t really as much anymore).

Well, they are now asking to go!  All the time. Yup.  My kids want to go to Disney World.

What kid wouldn’t, right?!

I have to admit, I’ve been sorta itching to go myself too. We’ve been visiting Florida every year and haven’t made the short drive to Orlando but it’s definitely on the radar.   Lately, it’s been on my mind more often and I’m sort of blaming the hashtag on Twitter called #DisneySMMoms.  Damn you Twitter!

So it looks like planning a trip to Disney World on our next visit to Florida is an absolute must… or else I’ll never hear the end of it.