We are pleased to introduce, Alicia Gonzalez, as a new
Mami of Multiples Contributing Columnist!
She is a Autism and Special Needs Contributing Columnist.
Connect with Alicia on her blog at 247modernmom.com.
Hi! I’m Alicia. I’m a New York born, San Francisco based, Puerto Rican-Cicilian married to a Mexican, and we have five children. I love to write, cook, create, and entertain. I’m a fierce advocate for minorities, underprivileged youth, and children with special needs. I also love soccer! All of my children play and the oldest ones also ref. In fact, this past summer, I coached my triplets’ team. Whoa! Let me back up a second here. I haven’t told you about them yet. This is them below, once they finally graduated from individual incubators and were able to stay together in the NICU.
Every time I write about my children, I’m surprised by how many I have. I mean, I know I have five. Whenever we go anywhere I’m counting them; 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Okay kids, let’s go! Every. Time. Still, five feels like a lot of children and every day is chaos an adventure. See how I did that, the positive spin? Over the years, I’ve mastered the art of positivity, despite what can only be summed up as a complicated life. In fact, my own site, 247modernmom.com is all about sharing simple solutions for complicated lives.
The triplets’ entry into our lives was the most complicated experience we’d known, up until that point. My husband and I were a family of just the two of us. We had two more children, making us a family of four. Then there was my last pregnancy, which was not only unexpected, but it was triplets, and we became a family of seven. So, along with my little darlings, 24/7 Modern Mom was born, both literally and figuratively! Here are the triplets now, seven years later.
All of the triplets have Autism, two of them have Epilepsy, and they’ve had a long list of medical issues along the way. It’s been a complicated journey, but they are happy and mostly healthy children! Not only did I learn how to advocate for my children, I also became an ABA Therapist and work part-time providing ABA services to other children with Autism. I’ve always focused on moving forward, whether it be one day at a time, or one hour at a time. Our lives might be complicated, but I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Despite the obstacles, we’ll keep moving forward.
Also, I have written an e-book called Autism Means What?: A Parent’s Guide for Explaining Autism to Friends and Family which was a recent #1 new release on Amazon. Feel free to download or purchase it on Amazon.
That’s my oldest son, Antonio, above. He’s almost 18 and it’s nearly impossible to get a picture of him that isn’t off-guard or while he’s on his phone. I’ll probably cry all day and have fictitious labor pains when he turns 18, but I’ll get through it. He’ll always be my baby.
The handsome boy above is Pedro. He’s my kind-of-middle-child. You know, because triplets! Pedro is 13 and people say he is most like me. I always wonder if that’s actually a compliment. For his sake, I’m hoping it is! Pedro is a fierce soccer competitor and aspiring YouTuber. In addition to playing pro-soccer, he wants to be a Teacher when he grows up.
It’s almost impossible to get an appropriate picture of my husband, because he’s got jokes. The second he catches me trying to snap a photo of him, there’s a bird or other gesture to pretty much guarantee I won’t be posting that picture of him. Well, I’ll always this one!
It’s my hope that this little corner of the internet will help you keep moving forward, too! Be the best you. The happiest you. The most fulfilled you. Whether you’re trying to figure out what to cook for dinner when you have to get the kids to soccer practice in a half hour, how to cope when you can’t deal, need a little entertainment, or experiencing serious life changes, I’ll be here sharing tips and resources for it all!
In addition to my new Mami of Multiples column, feel free to visit my blog at www.247modernmom.com
Instagram: instagram.com/247MODERNMOM
Twitter: @247ModernMom
Facebook:facebook.com/247ModernMom
Looking Forward to Connecting With All of You!
