First of all, before I start, have to tell you that I could not find one good picture of myself with the kids. Would think these kids are raising themselves. Anyway the best I could do. This picture is horrible of Birkley but was taken on her 4th birthday. I rented a bouncer because they are her favorite and loves to lay on them.

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To start, I have three kids. My oldest daughter Devlin is 6, my other daughter Birkley is 4, and my youngest boy Bode (pronounced Bow-dee) is 23 months. Yes, it is hard sometimes day to day because Birkley doesn’t walk, talk…and then there’s Bode who is still little so I need to watch out for him too. In other words life is nuts but who’s isn’t?

I do freelance web design and development from home when I’m not working on Special Living Today. Wish I could work more sometimes to escape the craziness but we all know how it goes with a child with special needs. Once you hire your sitter or nanny to come, it almost becomes more work. Birkley won’t eat(meaning take her bottle which consists of Carnation, fruit, rice cereal) for just anyone so as I’m running downstairs to try and hop on the computer and then I hear her crying in the background with frustration. Seriously, can I just get away for an hour? Half the time, my money is going to me too trying to get the two acquainted.

On my..ok not free time but off time maybe, I love to do anything artsy. On every holiday and any other day, my 6 year old and I are making crafts, painting,.. whatever. (well she’s making and I’m instructing a little while handling the other two). I finally cleared off our dining room table the other day because was covered with pom poms, paper, felt, and everything else you can think of.

I have a bachelor of fine arts degree and creating has been a love of mine ever since I was little. I remember helping my mom with crafts for sunday school, building mega dioramas for school… the list goes on.

I love fun clothes too. There isn’t any time for shopping but when I do get out to treat myself after a rough month of working and dealing with Birkley stuff, I love hitting the boutiques around town or the discount department stores like Nordstrom Rack. I love Free People clothes, yoga pants and great jeans. I love to find cool clothes but never buy anything that isn’t on sale or a great deal.

I’m a pretty fit person as I like to eat healthy and try to work out when I’m not exhausted. Usually consists of quick 20 minute workouts in the morning but at the most, 2 to 3 times a week before the kids get up. The rest of my workout is carrying a 25 lb. girl around. If I have a mega workout day with Birkley, don’t get me wrong, I have to grab a piece of chocolate, cookie, whatever with my glass of wine at the end of the night.

Needless to say, I’m a mom always pushing to do more. Think at times, I’m obsessed with trying to think of new inventive ideas for Birkley. How can we make our life better? How can we be more like a normal family and do things other families do? Feel like my head is spinning sometimes. I go to bed telling my husband, “why can’t I stop thinking?” Wish I could just let things go but guess that’s what drives me. Good thing and a bad thing.

At the end of the day, I have to say, thank god for coffee, beer, wine, my husbands amazing cooking and our great marriage.