Episode 160: Motherhood

write that article for you. Marco Robbie is killing the Barbie looks. I mean, I know we talked about crushing all of them. It's great. He looks amazing. I don't know who the casting director is, but those two together great. Okay. And then finally, I have seen from TMZ footage of vander Pump Rules. They are filming and no one knows

where Rachel is. Where is she I think I saw something last night as I was trying to go to sleep, But you know, I'm really I can't concentrate of Sheena giving it to one of the Tom's meaning yelling, but I'm dialed in. I mean, where is Rachel? Where is she? We should go, We should go as an extra. But you don't really have a lot of time to go out because the third and final headline of the week, ladies in jener my life is over. Aaron Andrews is a mother. Yo, yoday. I took my apologies to the

Calm Down Podcast for rearranging their schedules and everything. Thank you. You guys have been so freaking patient and I love you for it. Now, my girlfriend who's on the other side of this, has been very patient with me through these nine months because she has literally lived, breathed, and her boyfriend's been carrying an egg for me. We'll get to that coming up. Wait, okay, we're going to get

to all the specifics. But seriously, and I have cried every happy tear for you, and I literally was going to drive to the hospital and meet you as soon as your baby boy came out. Now, tell the world his name, tell me everything in that moment, and then we'll work backwards on how this incredible nine year journey culminated in a perfect baby boy. But tell me, like, take me into the delivery room that day. WHOA, yes, exactly. We gotta go. We gotta do an outline. Where are

we starting? Okay, where should we start? I want to start with the moment that you saw him, because I don't think you and I haven't talked about this. We've talked about a lot of it. So the moment we saw him, I think I was like, Hi, Hi. It was funny because as soon as the nurses took him out, they were like, he's got hair and he's really cute. And we had had you know, it was kind of crazy in the delivery room up until they got him out. We can get into that. So I wasn't even thinking,

oh my gosh, does he have hair? Is he cute? I was just like, is this guy? Okay, what's happening? Hey? Another headline? Jets on hard knock. I know a quarterback that's gonna love that. By the way, welcome to Aaron Andrews in Motherhood. We're talking about the baby in the birth analogies like breaking news. Back to you, Kevin and Greg Jesus, I love you, Okay, go back to your baby. Okay.

So yeah, just was I was like Hi, Like it was just kind of like they just like throw them in your arms and it's all happening at once, and it's wild and it's crazy, and like I remember, even when we were getting ready to take him outside back into our room, we put him in this rollie thing and we're like, are we allowed to take him like out like and they're like, yeah, put him in this little rollie thing, which those are great. By the way, we haven't even talked about that newborn in a stroller.

I got a lot to teach you before it's your turn, we're going to talk about. Oh, I love that you just said to me. I got a lot to teach you. Okay, So you mean the actual like things that you see in the movies where they put the babies in the little like plastic dead thing and then which, by the way, like our nursery is still a thing like oursen go and one he didn't go into the nursery. He stayed in our room overnight. All right, let's start in order.

Where are we'll start? I just wanted that moment that you like, see because this has been a nine year journey, which I know that we sit here and rightfully so and can like make like funny little like qrps and jokes and you can smile because you finally got the baby boy that you've always wanted in granted, boy girl, whatever it was that, I just can't imagine how grateful and everything that you feel. But on the other side

of that, you know how difficult this has been. So yeah, to start wherever you want to start, let's go, and let's go through. Because I know that there's a lot of people that listen to this podcast that are going through similar things or have one through similar things, And a lot of our listeners have been so awesome in terms of reaching out DM wise of like books for me to read, you know, when I hadn't divulged that

we were actually pregnant and so forth. So you know, we have been pretty candid on this podcast, which I have a appreciated, just about my journey and the struggle I did nine years of IVF. Like you know, was trying really really hard. You and I have talked about it about trying to get eggs. I just couldn't produce eggs. Yes, did my age have a lot to do with it, sure, But also I was dealing with you know, cervical cancer, and sometimes you know, your body just doesn't really do

a great job with producing these eggs, and that was me. So, you know, we would get so long in the process and you would just get one egg. Sometimes sometimes you would get eleven. Sometimes you would get too well. Then you want to mix in your husband's sperm and make embryos, and you're waiting, you're weight and you're waiting, and then you don't have any and you just feel I And so I ended up having to do IVF. I did

nine or I did eight rounds of IVF. And don't you always feel like CHRISA Like every vacation I was on, every event I had to go to, I was shooting up, like I feel it. I so many of our vacations were affected by my freaking IVF. This was like my first summer I didn't have to. We were in Montana, I you know, Kelly and Matthew wanted to stay longer, and I was like, I have to go home because I have to go get you know, I an ultrasound. Like everything I was doing for the last nine years

was affected by IVF. And it sucks because there's no like rhyme or reason, there's no right timing. You just it's like you don't even know when your right time

is going to be it to crapshoot. And by that it's also the phone calls and the different things that you're doing while you're trying to do your job, or even the medical stuff that you had to go through and wearing you know, unfortunately, like certain things in your clothing because you had to have an operation, and reporting on Packers Cowboys coming up in America's Game of the Week.

Like there's so much that little game. Yeah, exactly. But that's to me, which is why when when you know when you which will get to in a second, like told me that this embryo took, and it's just like it's so incredible. Okay, So starting at the very beginning, you had how many embryos left, like how many like did you know that you could like try to get pregnant with. So we didn't have many at all, as

my doctor would say, less than a starting lineup. That's one thing I loved about my fertility doctor so much is that he knew for me my way to kind of cope with things is sports. And so I would be like, all right, what are we looking at follicle wise? And you've got you have enough for a starting lineup. You know, this one could be your point guard, this one could be your starting quarterback, like things like that, to tell me the strength of the embryos and all

that stuff. So less than a handful, less than a starting lineup, which isn't great. And then we started realizing, you know, I, when I was diagnosed with cervical cancer, I should have gotten a second opinion. I didn't. I went to the first doctor that told me that she could get this out, and she didn't, and she packed me open and I lost more of my cervix than was necessary. But unfortunately the cancer went past the march, so I had to have another surgery, and at that point,

holding a baby was just not going to happen. Literally, we went to when we were like, okay, am I going to try to get pregnant now? After cervical cancer. We went to a lot of doctors that gave me advice about if I did go into labor while and work in a Green Bay game, or if I did go into labor while I'm working a Patriots game, I have to stay in New England. I have to stay in Green Bay for the rest of my pregnancy, like

I cannot move. They even talked about like potentially stitching me up so my cervix could hold it, but unfortunately we made the decision there just wasn't enough there to actually carry a baby, and which was really hard, it was really hard to hear that. But COVID Easter, we were in our house and we're normally at our friend's

house who has kids, Jackie Quick. We're usually there, and we're usually with everybody who has kids, and we're just here by ourselves, and we're like, this sucks, Like this just sucks. This is I mean, my husband's great, we love each other, but we're like what are we doing? So it wasn't really until that Easter because we were kind of like, well, maybe I will get pregnant, maybe I won't go into labor, and maybe it was just

like this isn't working. I'm not getting pregnant. They don't want to use the embryos on me because I don't have very many and the potent may I'm older, the stats are up against me, the numbers are up against me. I probably will lose the embryos. So you know, finally we were like, let's just try. Let's look into saragacy. Let's see what we can find out and let's see if it's even for us. So probably twenty twenty one, we really looked into it and we finally found someone.

And this is a really difficult process. It's it's mentally exhausting. You literally are. You go to an agency, they look for candidates. Then they send you profiles or resumes of different surrogates and maybe sarrogate of her and her husband, and you kind of read it. You read it all read all about their life, and you feel feel like you really think that they're a good match. You could say, I'd like to meet them. Then they read my story and they read Jarrett's story of why we need saragacy

and why we're looking to go this avenue. Then you get on a zoom because nobody does anything in person anymore because of COVID, And you meet them and you talk to them and you end up crying and you end up saying, you know, thank you so much. This would mean the world to me for you to you know, be able to have my baby, and this is what we've gone through as a family. It's a lot, it's exhausting. Then from there you have to get legal involved and they check them out and then you end up, you know,

having them looked at. So we went through that with many, many different women. And my doctor was so so particular and sensitive about who he chose as a surrogate because I didn't have many, so we'd get so close and if they had one little thing wrong with them, he was like, oh my god, I can't I can't do this. In twenty twenty one, we found a lovely, lovely woman. We loved her so much. We adored her family, huge hockey fans. They were just perfect. They were absolutely adorable.

They were right up the road. It was perfect. We went into this very we just we didn't really know the risk of it all. We thought it was going to be so so easy to do, and we ended up putting two embryos in and we lost them both and that was so hard. And that was actually a podcast we did and we didn't say what it was

and I was just sobbing. I think you were in Lake Tahoe and I called you no Lake errolhead, sorry, but I had the text because because we knew like you had you know, these embryo, like the transfer it happened, and just waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for

the news. And then I'll never forget that text that I got from you where you're like neither of them were, and I just my heart like I'll like cry thinking about it, because you know, these are it's their goal, like these are like when you only have a few. And then just like my heart like broke for you in that moment. And we, like I said, we went

into it so blind. We kind of just thought, well, like, well, well let's get it over with, let's have twins, like it'll be like really quick and then we'll be done, or if one doesn't take, we'll have the other. And we kind of just thought that's how it went. And so that was a really hard go for me. Jarrett was so good because he kind of like mourned and grieved right away. I remember he went upstairs and just laid in our bed with our dog and just balled

his brains out. And I just kept thinking, Okay, we have to get past this. We have to get because that's just how I am. That's how I am with like everything. Let's just hey, let's talk about the jets on hard knocks, what's going on? You know, I just don't want to get deeper, and I got really fucked up. I don't know if you remember. I was just not right. I just couldn't communicate my feelings about it. I think

I was scared to move forward. What does this mean if I we just lost these two, we don't have much left? What if we don't have success? We're now going to have to find a different person. This is all like crazy And I ended up having to get some help because it was actually, I know I've told you this, having a hard time like forming sentences. I just was like missing words more so than usual. You know, I'm good for that, but it made me kind of deal with a lot. It was hard. It was really hard.

But I think the biggest thing it made me do was start talking to you guys about it all more because you're you're a tough cookie like you. Let us in us is the proverbial. You know, your friend group, your family, like we we know when and when you don't want to open up about stuff, and it's like it's hard because you don't want to press someone. But when you love someone so much and you care about them and you know, you know, you just want to do anything that you can for them, so that's even

more of a reason why with your baby boy. Have you said his name? Mat, I'm here, Maggaroni man, tell everyone, tell his full name. It's Mac Roger for my grandpa who loves sports so much Stole. So now all the more reason why Mac being here and again and we'll get into that other stuff of like the Megan Mitchell story of like they choose you and like everything happens for a reason, and like we've got a lot of

years something about that dinner at pawn shows at another night. Yeah, they've run for episode two of this story because it's so it's just so special. So as on the side of heartbreak is the side of joy. So now being able to sit here and go back on this journey with you and really like think about how long it's been for you, it's a testament to who you are.

And I know I've said this to you, whether it's you know, at our pseudo baby shower, which I made you have because you reluctantly didn't want to have that and I respect that, but because you don't want the attention to ever be on you. But you have worked so hard and this baby boy is here because you and Jarrett didn't give up, and that would be the message I think, and I would hope that people like you know there's always another option, even if it wasn't

your first choice. So after all of that happens, then for you sort of what that next step was and how you kept going even if it was so hard dealing with myself talking about it with you guys was a big one for me, you know, Like you said, this led us to something and even greater. We then found our kind of angel, one of our angels. Her name is Stephanie Levitt. She actually runs family Match consulting and her story is incredible and she's just an awesome person.

I love her so much. And she led us to our surrogate. That wasn't easy though either. We had actually a couple other people that we had interviewed. We got really close with another girl that we thought we were actually going to do it with the transfer with, and that didn't work out obviously for all reasons that you know. We're fabulous on the other end, but very hard at

the time. And Steph made this whole process just a wonder full experience how it should be, and she led us to our girl and our family, and I'm trying to think. I think it was last summer maybe that we met her. I think it was. I think it was maybe like gosh, like May or June that we met her. And yeah, we met her, and we did a zoom with them, and we thought that they were lovely. But it's kind of like this is like your sixth

or seventh interview with a surrogate. You know, you're like, all right, let me cry and tell you my story again, Hello, how are you? But you know, they were great. We met him a few times for lunch and everything, and then when she checked out medically and everything was good. I was telling this story the other day. Obviously I'm a person that can block my feelings, my emotions hide

behind sports. Not the healthiest thing to do. But I was working a forty nine ers game in I think it was probably like October, maybe the end of September, right before the transfer, and I just blocked it all out, blocked it all out, and then got on the plane to go take off back to LA and I knew, oh no, no, that wasn't even the transfer. The transfer

that was to find out if she was pregnant. So on this Sunday, I'm flying home and I just was looking out the window and I just started bawling because I'm like, shit, this is happening tomorrow. We were texting. I think I was like, I'm having a panic attack, and I was like yeah. And then I was also grateful that you were only on a forty five minute flight because I was like, I need you on the ground. I need you because I don't need you cross country and then you checking out on me, and all of

a sudden, I'm like I can't get to you. So let's make this forty five get home and get in your bed, Like, would you like anything to drink before we take off? Yes, I'll have three drinks, thank you. I'll have Run white and Blue. Yeah. But it's really happening. And so that's where like emotionally you were at there and then and then the next day it was a crazy day. Well, first of all leading up to that. After the transfer, it takes about ten to twelve days

to figure out if they're pregnant. So my girlfriend Chrissa Thompson and Kelly Stafford girlfriends drop off this huge care package to my house and was basically the twelve days of waiting to see if you're pregnant, and each day had a note and a different gift. There were Disney magazines, there were cuddly socks. There were jammis that I wear

all the time now my Kate'spade jammys. There were bathrobes, there were lip glosses, there were like Charlotte Tilbury like it was just so sweet and so of course I had it back here like during the podcast and we were filming, and I was like, oh god, people are going to see this every day. Jeret would come down and be like, so what is day three? Like what's

he four? Like what do you guns? Jarney? So but no, we just wanted we you know, because I remember Kelly and texting me and she was like, we have to distract her. And Kelly's been very very open about her struggle about the journey, journey exactly, and that is I think the thing and hopefully to anyone that's listening, like the support system, and whether that's you're am meeting get girlfriends, or whether that's strangers that you don't even know, is that.

Unfortunately and fortunately this community is really really big and if you lean on them, waiting rooms are packed if you let your friends or even strangers like support you, then you don't feel like you're so isolated. And I don't know, I mean I have never I haven't went on this journey that you have. You can only hope to like support somebody in that be like, Okay, we're here for you. So it was the Twelve Days of Distraction and the Twelve Days of Christmas. It was so good.

Thank you Baby Jesus culminated in mac Roger Stole because oh my gosh. So then we get through that week because we're all in this together. You guys are doing it. The Stafford's, the Thompson Candaries, like the Stole Andrews. Yeah, like we're in it. My girlfriend Jackie, Heather, Meghan, my

other Megan. Yeah, like everybody's in it. They know we're supposed to find out if she's pregnant or if she's not, and that Monday, and so usually when you find out, like last time we found out it didn't work, it was about like four o'clock in the afternoon. So I had said to you guys, like you guys were being so sweet. And a lot of times friends don't know how to react, like they don't know what to do. They don't want to get in your way. But you guys wanted to be helpful if it didn't work. And

I get that, So Kelly tell the story. Kelly had the idea, We're just going to plan a dinner regardless, We're going to plan a dinner because I this is what happened when Matthew won this Super Bowl. Yeah, yeah, we're planning a dinner. We're meeting at such and such a restaurant, Dantannas. What who cares? What the saying at Dantanna's. Let's say whatever time it was, we were going to be at seven o'clock. And yeah, so then you're supposed

to find out I think like around four, right, was that? Yeah? And then and then tell everybody what happened? Well, what are you and Kelly doing? That? Whole time? You guys are just texting right like have you heard? Have you heard? Like of course you're updated. Do I have a wife again? Why is a signal? Strong? I remember seeing that we're waiting at South Beverly Grille and they're like, ohh And

I was like I'm going to need another drink. They're like, you're already at your max psychopath, like you got to go to another restaurant because I was like, we're waiting, and we're waiting, and then like as time keeps going by, and I was like, oh no, because now you're like, oh fuck, like this might not be good enough. Times like keeps going by. So I know we were just waiting for you to tell us great news. But then

we got the text that's yeah. So I was laying on the couch and it's like finally five o'clock and I'm just like, I'm literally my heart is just coming out of my check. I'm like, this is crazy. This is like torture to put people through. Jared's stomach's killing him. He's running up and down and so the stairs. It was so finally I just I called the fertility clinic and I was just like, I don't want to press three for help. I don't want to press four for English, Like,

just get me an operator. I don't want to hear this music. Just let me know what's going on. So my sweet sweet nurse who I love so much, was like, I am so so sorry. The test results are not going to be in today. You're not going to find out until tomorrow. And I'm like, they can't do this to me. They cannot do this to me. And instantly I went into let's call Neil Latosh with the rams, let's call somebody from the chargers, like who do we

know to break into the lab? Like I literally thought, who from the I'm gonna call Sean McVay right now, I'm gonna call Sean McVay and ask for help, like I need help to get into this lab. And she just said, I'm so sorry. There's something we can do. And I texted you guys and you were just like and then our reaction was, how can we break it? We're gonna get arrested into this lab. We don't care. Let's go yep, yep. And Jen was like, we get

your clothes on, let's go. Let's go meet them, Like, let's go meet them, and let's just go have a time because sitting here, we're gonna drive each other nuts. I'm gonna, you know, cause some sort of pain or whatever, like to my heart. So I was like, all right, fine, So we got an Uberg, we went up to Hollywood and we had a night. Oh my god, we had

a time. In this particular case, Steve my boyfriend had been carrying around this little dish with an egg, like a raw egg for how long at that point, like a month the transfer. Yeah, so since the transfer, he had been carrying around this egg and continued to carry it around until we found out that it worked, and then kept it in our refrigerator until we met Mac because he's like, just because we wanted to make sure

through the entire pregnancy, like it was like his. I have so many pictures of Steve and random faces, the flat family things of like you take the picture of like the random cut out, like and we're in Asia, We're in this hiffel tower. There's seven hundred photos in my phone with Steve with the egg just randomly around. But yeah, so he brought the egg that night and

it was excellent. We were wild, wild, and at one point I got way to whatever with my hands and broke the egg and you guys realized they broke out and that minor craft there was a minor crack. But I was like, okay, that's okay, that's okay, this doesn't mean anything. We're still good. Uh. But yeah, we tried to get you through that night, and then I had to leave on an early flight the next day to

go wherever I was going. So then I was like, oh shit, like when we find out this news, if I want to, like, I better have Wi Fi on this plane, like okay. So then the next day happened and I am I have to connect through somewhere, and I remember being like, oh my god, I don't want it because I don't also want to annoy you, like

I need what's happening. What's happening. But then I finally like my phone starts ringing and it's FaceTime with you and Kelly, and my plane's about to take off, and you tell me on the plane that if it weren't I crying like staring, and I have this I have this cot over my head and it's like because I'm trying to like muffle, We're about to take off. Then close the door on the plane. Yeah, close the door.

And so then you tell me it worked, and I spilled my coffee all over it goes down, I like down the woman next to me, and they at this point,

I'm just hammered. I'm about to get escorted off the plane because they think I've had way too many which has happened at the bar but in this case, I was like hysterically crying, like tears of joy, and it was just we have like stupid pictures of the FaceTime screen shots from that day, but like, oh my god, like that feeling for you and remember hold on, remember the flight attendant going, ma'am, you need to turn off your phone and you put a blanket over you. You're

like Kristen Wig and Bridesmaids. You're like, I'm sorry, my friend is pregnant. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, and you're crying like you are so lucky they didn't kick you off that plane. But I was once crazy, Yeah no I didn't. I look like a stone, but I didn't. Yeh. I was like, actually kick me off this plane. I dare you too, because I'd love to finish this conversation.

Oh my gosh. It was so exciting. So then for you, so this journey in a colonia and like the news that you've been waiting, you know, the nine years, your whole life here and like you and Jared having that moment, and then for you, like how did the pregnancy for

your starting it? Did it feel like it went by fast or like because how is that process for you and how did it feel sort of being like, you know, just letting this and of course be the member of your family now, but like, you know, somebody carry your baby and that's sort of all the psychological stuff that goes with that and thinking about it daily. I feel like now looking back at it, it does seem like it went by fast. I mean, we were in the middle of a football season. The first time we went

to go hear his heartbeat. I had conference calls and zooms with the Packers and the Cowboys because they were playing that Sunday in America's Game of the Week. So I remember we went to go listen to his heartbeat and see it, and then I had to race out of there, and Jared's like, let's go celebrate, and I'm like, I have to get in the car. Zach Martin is calling me. I've got to do an interview with Zach Martin as my husband's at the bar, you know, having

two Savean blancs celebrating hearing our kids heartbeat. And then I'm like, hey, we got to make this quick because we got we have Aaron Rodgers at three o'clock. He's like, can we toast our kid? Like really, so you know, it's like I was like trying to cram in a football season and then deal with you know this, you know, pregnancy, But it did seem fast, I think looking back at it now, she was everything is everything that we and

anyone could ever want. A surrogate, super calm, super chill, the opposite of real mama, so positive, maybe the opposite of real mom. No, I'm kidding. She's a mom already. She has two kids of her own, she has four kids total, but she also has her husband. She is a great wife, she's a great friend. So she's like everything we wanted in a sarrogate. And then that even like culminated in the delivery, Like we'll get to that. But she was such a freakin' baller through that. So

she's amazing. She's everything I'm not in terms of being calm, so chill. She knew she had done Sarahenacy before, she's a mom. She just kind of really led us through it, held our hand, which was incredible. Also a sports fan, here's a fun one. When I had my playoff games, she would turn the TV up so he could hear my voice. No, they did the same thing for Jarrett when Jarrett was on TV so he could hear Jarrett. So yeah, they just got it and they really just

guided us through this whole thing. It was awesome. That is so special because we talked about this. There are not enough words to describe the self angels of the service. Yes, I don't even and I would love I mean I know that of course, the anonymity and rightfully so whatever, but like I just want to do like a whole like conversation with like how and why and all the things. And obviously you know, let's talk Arrious on the podcast

one time. Let's bring her in. Yeah we should, we definitely should, but like, wow, what an incredible person to do that. I mean that is like the ultimate act. So that's so and so thoughtful. Like oh, you know because again we hear all the time like babies, and the woman can like hear music, and so for her to turn up your voice, that's so sweet. I know, sweet,

she's the best. She was the best. And like you know, just to fast forward to delivery and all that stuff, that's where you know, we had a great relationship with them. We'd go meet them, we'd text them, we were on a family text chain with them everything like that. But it wasn't until the delivery that it was like, wow, I mean she just I mean it just the relationship just moved to a whole different place. And we had a little bit of like kind of an emergency in

the delivery room. Nothing major. She just dilated really really fast. He dropped. They wanted to, you know, kind of get his heartbeat like back chill like. They didn't lose his heartbeat, but they wanted to get him ready for delivery, and that's stressful for the baby when they're going through the birth canal. All the things we talked about it countless number of time am I going to be in there? Am I going to watch? What? Am I going to do? I don't know. We have a good friend that just

went through Sarahgacy. He and his wife were so lovely to me to tell me what they did, and that really helped a lot. But once again my sarrogate. She guided us through this with her husband as well, and we kind of walked in and they were working on getting the baby calmed down before delivery. They also wanted to get her doctor in there in time because the

doctor had left. Nobody thought she was going to give birth that quickly, and she, you know, everybody's kind of yelling, and I'm up against the wall and I'm like, oh god, what's happening. And I said to Jared should we be here? Should we be here? Should we be here? And He's like, we're fine, We're fine. But I had my head facing the wall because I didn't want to be in the way of the doctors and the nurses and a lot was happening. They were trying to stabilize a lot of things,

and Jarrett was seeing a lot of stuff. So then all of a sudden, a nurse grabbed me and said, she wants to hold your hand. She wants to hold your hand. And I was like, I don't want to get in the way, and she's like, go be with her. They grab me. I walk around and it's the most unbelievable thing, and then I'm like, Jared, Jarreed, come be with me. She grabs my hand. Chrissa and this woman like like she's giving birth. I look at her, she's her baby tear just coming down her eye one tier.

She's like just an angel, a machine just crushing. And at that moment, Jarrett and I turned into like the biggest sports fan, and we're like, come on, you can do it, like you got this girl. And I think I've showed you this picture. I think Jarrett hasn't. And this is where I'm so proud of my husband and I'm just like really following his lead in this is that he we have this picture and he can't wait to show everybody. It's the perfect picture of what Sarah

Gacy should be. I'm kissing my girl on the head and Jarrett is just holding the nurse as she's like cleaning up Mac, and he's like, you know, he looks like he won another cup, and it's like that is the perfect picture of Sarah Gassey and he just like, you know, they gave us Mac and we was like, oh my gosh, okay, and it was just so crazy. But then Jarrett could not wait to give him to our girl to just be like, look what you did.

It was amazing. That says everything about me. If you have a fantastic experience, that's what you feel like, that's what you feel like because you're just like you knew that, yeah, this person's giving a birth, but this person is giving birth to your kid, and they are like rock stars doing it. Jarrett couldn't wait, and he has this picture, like he shows it to everyone. I know he probably showed it to you and Steve, but like he's like, look at this picture. This is the first time she

saw him. Like it's so sweet. And then we we had a moment when we said goodbye to her in the hospital the next day and she came in to say goodbye and all her family was with her and that was really emotional and like she said bye to Mac and Jarret closed the door and he walked back into the hospital room and he was just crying, and I was like, what's happening, and he goes, that's it, Like it's just she did so much and that's it, Like that's not it. She's a part of our family forever,

Like that's not it. But yeah, it's really cool. That whole thing is like another level. I remember you just said that, you know, you know who you're talking about who helped you sort of from that outside perspective of what to expect. So if you could give anybody advice, I know it's so fresh because baby bears like brand new.

What advice do you have or mothers that are on the other side of you know, waiting for their surrogate or just sort of like what kind of wisdom can you now bestow upon someone that might be listening that's like hasn't had their baby yet or is thinking about this sort of your big takeaways on the chapters of surrogacy and sort of what you've learned throughout this like

incredible process. It's a lot, It's so much to take in mentally, and I would recommend being with a great group that like our Family Match Consulting are our woman Stephanie, who matched this with this arrogacy. No text was too late or too early in the morning, no text was stupid, no question was ever you know dumb or you know, I know that's redundant, but she just she literally held

our hand through it. She also got to know us, so she knew who to place us with, who to match us with, and that was really helpful, especially when you know you even get like what you're packing when you're going to the hospital, like I don't know what I'm bringing, you know, like all those things. So I would say that was the number one thing for us

Family Match Consulting. This is not an ad. I can't hype her up enough you need someone that you really trust because it is a whole new territory we had never been a part of before. You have a ton of questions. You have people in your life asking you questions, so you want to get those answered. And that was big. And another thing, you know, Stephanie really guided us on is the fin The financial burden of this whole thing is incredible. It costs a lot of money to do this.

And it really got me to thinking. And I know I talked to you a lot about it, is that it is for me. I did this because I was not able to carry a baby. That was just not our option. It wasn't a luxury thing. It's not because I didn't want to be pregnant on the sidelines. I would have loved to have been pregnant on the sidelines. I think the guys would have gotten a kick out of it. I'll tell you one of those guys, and I'm gonna remind you because he I'll tell you. I'll

tell you after it. But okay, who So I told Travis Kelsey when I saw him at the charity event that you know these and I hope you don't care, but he's sending me a little care, I know, but like I told him because he said, you a badass like baby Louis Vauton like things. But he was so excited.

It was the same reaction that Terry Bradshaw gave when you showed Terry the ultrasound picture when we were in Las Vegas and the guy's face, and I like, that's why, like I just I'm so excited, like for so many reasons. But yeah, so Travis like, oh my god, that's like just so excited for you because you have you are the sister to so many of these guys, you know, and like they're the big brothers, and now like Mac has so many big brothers, so it's really really special.

I think that's the part that's tearing me up because I like, I've talked about all this stuff, but like

I haven't talked to the boys. Yeah, you know, and like Brian Davill texted me the other day and he read it and he's like, I'm so happy, and it was just like those boys know you like right that, Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're the I mean the journey and the hours and you have spent so much of your life not being able to start your own family or or starting it later in your life because your life has been your professional career. Yeah, but that has been your family, right,

And I feel the same way. I sit here and yeah, I don't have kids, and like so many those are that's our family. That's our family exactly. So it's just like becomes this extended group that just is so excited for you. And I know that what you want is other people to be able to have the same opportunity

that you know you have had. And you just mentioned that there is a huge financial burden, So I think it's really special you spoke about it on the Today's show and the platform there, and I know that it's really important for you to be vocal about this process. So what do you want people to know that maybe didn't get a chance to hear what you said earlier. No, we're going to wrap up this never ending podcast after this.

I do want to talk about this one point quickly, and I have two funny athlete stories about this whole thing. I do want to talk about the financial burden. That's one thing I learned a lot through this whole thing is that you know a lot of people do this, yes for a luxury purpose, but a lot of them do it because it's their only way that they're going

to have a baby. And I just every time we would talk to Stephanie or write a check, I just thought, oh my god, think of people in the LBGTQ community think that this is their way to have a baby for you know, men a lot of obviously, and then think about people who went through cancer like I did, spend all their money on these medical bills, and now if they want to have a kid and this is the only way to do it, they've got to pay for IVF and sarrogacy. It just a lot of it.

I think we need to rethink the way we talk about it. We need to make it comfortable in conversations, and then I feel like it's going to be easier for people to realize people need financial help for this. So Stephanie, who I've talked about a lot, I noticed that she would align herself with this group called Baby Quest Foundation, and she actually helped a woman go through

sarrogacy and she helped get it financed. And Baby Quest Foundation, I want to say it right, they actually are on a mission to make parenthood happen for those who cannot afford the high cost of IVF, sarrogacy, egg and sperm donation, egg freezing, embryo donation. They're focused on helping couples or singles in this journey, especially those who are cancer survivors, military personnel, regardless of genitor and sexuality. They've given out

twenty grants to help people get their babies. And this is just something that I'm really really really excited about aligning myself with. I just I feel like we have a purpose. I feel like we have a voice for all this, and I'm really really looking forward to it, so more to come on all of that. I think that's so special because it is it's not something that you should be you know, you should feel like, oh,

I can't do it because of financial reasons. So knowing that there's options, I think that's really special to pay it forward because that is the ultimate thing, is that you have the ultimate gift now and you've had a lot of people that have helped you along the way,

but that all want to help others. I know you're quick to deflect, yeah, attention, but it also starts with you and Jared and that you know that that that athlete mindset that you guys both have like you don't give up, and you didn't give up, and now you have a baby boy. So I have to ask the question of like, what has been the best part about being a mother, albeit your short tenure, what has been like the greatest thing, Like what has surprised you the

most good and bad? Like changing diapers or like like give me the good, the best, the biggest surprise, good and bad. Just kind of studying his face watching my husband with him, Jared Is, I was like, I'm your Dutch hotter to Jared really hot, hold a bit, I'm your dad, I'm your dad. And then because we're both super competitive, not so much with each other, but just in life, it's like, all change the diaper. I want to try this because we both want to nail it, Yeah,

to be better than each other. I'm setting a tested this. I'm sitting on your couch because I was like, I need to see him immediately, like the second like I got over there, he needed deciper change. And you guys were like, so it's really sweet to watch you guys as a team. I love you. Where it's like, oh no, you can hope if you do it, Like it's just really special to see your relationship now with Jared in a completely different way, and seeing you hold a baby

like is my like magic. I'm so happy for you there, I'm really happy for I love you and I can't thank you enough for just helping and guiding me through this. And and somebody asked me the other day, when is your like real big cry going to happen? I think I'm very much like Cameron Diaz from the Holiday, like I know it's going to come. I don't cry right away about things. And somebody told me you're gonna cry when that baby, like he's a newborn now, he eats, sleeps, poops,

and like that's it. It Like she's like when he acknowledges you when you walk into the room and he hears your voice. I feel like he's doing that now, but not really. Two quick funny athlete stories about this. I can't wait to get more because obviously we're announcing it today officially like it's been announced, but like we're

commenting on it. A couple of weeks ago, we were at the Fox seminar and you are so lovely and you're so wonderful, and you give a shout out and you say Fox's Family and we have a new Family edition. Rob Gronkowski is sitting there. I mean she hears Aaron Andrews just you know hat newborn son Mac, and he goes, oh, really, I was just with you a three weeks ago. I didn't know she was having a base Sarah get Gronk, Sarah Get. But I love him so much, like, you know,

like I was just with her three weeks ago. But I notice, so it was a bag. Sure I didn't have Yeah, actually I just discovered that you can have a baby in three weeks. And I'm already back in my skinny jeans. Like it's so I God love that. It's very on brand. We uh. We saw Tom Brady in February and my husband was so excited to tell him,

and they were skiing for a bit together. And then I saw Tom later that day and he gave me a big hug and he's like, congratulations, Like I had just come off doing the Super Bowl, Like we had a kick ass broadcast, great game, Mahomes comes back from an injury. You know, I get Kelsey and Mahomes and I go thanks. The game was awfo hundred fifteen million viewers. Yeah, one hundred and fifteen million viewers. TV goes, congratulations, so happy for you. I was like, thanks, it was like

one of the best Super Bowls I've ever worked. I was like mahomes Kelsey was. I was like, we missed you and it was a time and he was like, I mean about the baby, and I was like, oh, yeah, this is my favorite. Is that. It's so great though, because again, and this is like one of the many reasons why I'm so excited for you, because like now

your first thought will be like he's here. It's so different because like, you know, like we would be sitting there and we're in Montana and Steve orders a cake and he says happy third trimester, and the waitress three master, the waitress didn't hear him correctly, and she and it says happy third Measter, and we all just we all started cracking up because we're like, it's your third trimester,

and like just you know, and this is Aaron. She's like, happy third trimester, Like but like cheers, here's us and no, it's honestly, I'm so happy. Like Aaron, you're a mom. I love you. You're a mom. Guys, when you're a mother, you know, that's gonna be that's my favorite phrase. You can say forever. Now, wait, has he pete on you yet? Paper? Oh? That was the story I couldn't tell when I got the tattoo. One of our good friends, a little he was like, a he's like a thirteen fourteen year old.

He saw this and said, Aaron, you're a mother. Yep, sure am, Augie, sure am. Has he peed on me? Yes? He pe on me right in the hospital that night, and then he's peed yeah, peede on me during a diaper change here and then peede through his diaper one time. So we're good, We're gold. You. Well, I cannot I couldn't be happier for you. And I just can't wait for like all the stories and like I know now that you being able, I got a lot of stories, guys, I got a lot of stories building up for the

past nine months. I'm dying now. You the other part that I'm so excited because I'd start to say something and I'm like, Nope, can't say it yet. So don't you know, relieved? This is real? Scoopid. Yeah, finally Yeah. Also, like we're great like liars or actresses. We've been holding this in for nine months. We've been lying to our audience, you know, but not to ourselves. Here's a teaser for next week. Sugar water is the pits. And also here's

the other thing. I can't wait to go on a rant about this stuff you have to buy for newborns. Here's the thing. I've been for nine months keeping this in and dying to go off about it. But I am next week when you tell me to get a bascinet and the fitted crib sheet and I can't find a waterproof pad protector to put with it. Just make it a package. Just make it like I'm going to Chick fil A and I'm getting the sandwich and the

value and the sprite. Just give it to me, like I don't want to have to be doing measurements and looking around. Guys, this could be a lot. Easy guy. She's a mother, She's a mother for this, this this, I'm a mother. Well this is the headline of the week. Aaron Andrews and Jared Stole. Congratulations on your perfect baby boy, mac Roger Stole. Welcome to the world. I'm already obsessed with you. I ask you for like pictures every single day. I love you so much. And Erin. I'm so freaking freakin'

happy for you. Love you, love you, love you, love you. Calm Down with Erin and Carissa is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio apps, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.