Charitable Cause: Autism Speaks
What is your favorite memory as a mother?
This is a tough question! While I have absolutely cherish every moment turned into a memory with my children, there a few that I will never forget. With my daughter, it would be her surviving her birth after losing her fraternal twin brother and art projects. With my son, it would be hearing him cry at birth on his own (super preemie baby) and watching my son do everything the Dr’s said he wouldn’t ever be able to do on his own (walking, talking and feeding himself etc).
Are there any celebrity moms you would rate as a “Perfect 10?” Why?
No one is a perfect, but there are definitely some incredible Moms out there! I adore Meredith from That’s Inappropriate. She is raw and genuine. Her videos make me laugh but also address real life topics. I also really love Cat & Nat! They are two larger than life ladies with incredible personalities. I love their #momtruth videos.
What is the best or worst “mom purchase” you’ve ever made and why?
The BEST purchase I have ever made as a mom would be the Sassy Baby Infant Feeder (Infa-Feeder). These are similar to a baby bottle but this bottle will allow you to mix baby cereal with formula or breast milk. This bottle also allows you to introduce baby foods. It was a life saver especially considering how close in age my children are. A full little belly, is a happy sleepy belly.These bottles helped my tiny babes gain weight at an appropriate speed for preemies.
If you could know the absolute and total truth to one question, what would you ask?
If I could know the absolute and total truth to just one question, I would want to know why I lost one of my fraternal twin babies, Khooper, just a few months before the birth of his surviving fraternal twin sister. I spend many nights wondering if I could have done something different. I spend even more time thinking about the life that could have been. On these days, I look at my daughter and thank the Lord for giving me her.
What is the craziest thing one of your kids has done?
When my son was around 3 years old, he was non-verbal and SUPER mischievous. One night, he climbed his baby gate wheel we were all in bed. He went into the bathroom, removed the lid from the tank of the toilet and pulled on the plumbing pieces. He then proceeded to flush one of the cords down the toilet, which resulted in a flooded bathroom. I was elbow deep in a toilet to retrieve the “flushed” hose. I was successful, but sheerly amazed by his strength and how quite he remained during his little nighttime prowl.
What was your biggest misconception about being a mom?
When I first became a mom, I was young (18). At times, I would feel completely overwhelmed. After reaching the point of being overwhelmed, I would take a step away to take a deep breath. I would immediately feel guilty. For the longest time, I thought that having any time to myself made me a bad mom. I was wrong. It is essential to have a “mom moment” every once in a while. Self care is vital!
What is the most useless or unique talent you have?
I would have to say that my favorite talent is photography. It may not seem like a super special talent, but it gives me the opportunity to channel my inner artist and tell a story without using words. Photography has given me the opportunity to travel and allowed me to see the beauty in other forms.