Soap Star Michelle Stafford (AKA Phyllis Summers-Romalotti-Abbott-Newman) Expecting

One of my favorite soap stars, Michelle Stafford of “The Young and the Restless” (Hey!  Don’t judge me!  As you may know, I used to write for Y&R’s sister show, “The Bold and the Beautiful,” so watching soaps was WORK for me!) is expecting her first child — a girl — via surrogate this December.

Michelle, 43, who has won two Emmys for her role as scheming-yet-lovable Phyllis Summers-Romalotti-Abbott-Newman on Y&R, released this statement:

“After a three-year journey through hell, I’m elated, ecstatic and feel ultimately lucky to be able to announce I’m expecting my own child via surrogate in December.”

Well, that’s one of the more honest statements I’ve ever read.  And she used a curse word!  +1!

Michelle, who is single, tried artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and also looked into adopting after deciding to start a family on her own.  Four surgeries and three egg retrievals later, she finally arrived at the surrogate option.

“I never wavered in my desire to be a mother,” she says. “But I did waver on aspects of the process. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Fingers crossed nobody switched her egg with an alien’s — which, as I learned during my time with “The Bold and the Beautiful,” is ALWAYS a distinct possibility.

Congrats, Michelle!