People don't post about the bad times. I'm sure she has lots of happy moments, but just as many struggles. No one is perfect. I always feel like people who project this perfect life image are hiding something and not authentic. I like people who are real.

I think I read a two or three part article on this in a parenting magazine, how she didn't know her daughter was going to have down syndrome at all? I still remember that picture of everyone celebrating with champange and her in the back looking lost.

I've seen her blog. The photos also made me feel horrible. I don't take a lot of pictures of my kids. I never took photos before kids. I'm just not terribly creative or into stuff like that. It's who I am. Look at it this way...I'm sure you have lots of other great qualities. I like to think I'm pretty funny, I love to read, and I'm very athletic. So I don't have artfully perfect pictures of my kids. Hopefully some of my good qualities will rub off in their own ways. It is what it is, right?

15:39 again. Yes, part of my disappointment is that the post from the day Nella was born was so raw, and so real -- and then -- nothing. Nothing after that. When I read the post about Nella's birth I was very excited and felt that I was finally onto a blog where a special needs mom was expressing something real. But since then it's just been the usual "Trip to Holland," and my daughter is just such a miracle, such an inspiration, we all think of her as a gift from god, she's changed my life in so many ways....blah blah blah. It's not real....she talks about getting people to contribute to Down Syndrome all the time, but she doesn't even really talk about Down Syndrome. Example: her blog entry from when Early Intervention visited her house. She has pictures of them evaluating Nella, but then...what? What are the effects of DS on Nella? What does it mean that Nella has DS...there is no thought process here...again, it is all sunshine and lollipops and what an amazing gift I've been given. I just gave up because it was like eating a bowl of sugary cereal.

I totally agree. I read it and feel comPletely horrible. But I have four boys . And when the oldest was 3, I was much more positive and energetic

Have you read the post from the day Nella was born? Pretty painful and full of self doubt. I think she is just a pretty positive person and I enjoy reading her blog. BTW I also have a severly disabled child.

One of my favorite parts of her blog:

"The Minivan
Looks like this.
And smells like old hamburgers and stale sippy cups. And what's totally wrong is that I'm starting to be okay with it."

See, she's human after all! No need for the crappy feelings.

Never heard of this person. Is she suppose to be some Mother of the Year nominee???

Who cares! Blogs are usually full of bull shit anyway. It's worst than reading facebook "happy" stories.

Just do what is best for your family. If you yell to maintain order. So be it. If you plop the kids in front of the tv for some sanity. So be it.

Whatever. Save your fretting for more important things.

OP again. She really is amazing. I have been following the blog for over a year now - with the birth of her daughter Nella Cordelia. I was pregnant at the time and in TEARS - at work, reading her blog. She really just seems amazing and reading her blog has taught me a lot. I honeslty do feel like a bad Mom some days, but I will not go there again. I am who I am.

Full.of.shit.

As the mom of a special needs child, I have a lot -- a lot -- of problems with Kelle Hampton. Every day is sunshine and lollipops for her. I have no problem with the fact that she clearly adores her special needs kid. But she doesn't seem to have "wrestled the bear" as we said in law school. She glosses over any problem and never discusses any situation that might verge on sadness in any depth. She just moves on to how beautiful it all is. It's just not real to me. I see how many awards she gets for "Best Special Needs Blog" and I can see it's all quite appealing to outsiders -- no one has to deal with the actual pain of having a special needs child. Just the beauty.

Huh... I never knew about her blog before. It looks like it's a very popular blog.

She sounds amazing and her photos are great to boot.

I'm sure that she doesn't "do it all". She's just portraying it that way on her blog.

You're not a shitastic mom.

She's a photographer, it makes sense for her to take tons of pics of her kids. TV is not the end of the world. You're okay. Your kids are okay. Try to take a break from reading things that make you feel bad about your perfectly good parenting.

Thanks for linking to her blog, it looks interesting.

I hear you sister and I'm with you. Know that you are not alone. Thank you for posting what I was thinking.

http://www.kellehampton.com/

I don't take nearly enough pictures of my DC'ren
We don't do much crafts
They watch more TV than they should
I yell sometimes

She seems amazing and I wish I had half her energy!

She also seems to have so many friends and family members. I want to go live with her and spend time at the beach with her family! My family is small and friends have moved away and we have lost touch