Hello, I’m Patricia Williams, a 43-year-old woman originally from Ogden, Utah. I grew up in a Mormon community and later moved to Los Angeles in 2003. In my role as a mother, I have the privilege of raising four lively boys, two of whom have albinism.
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Rockwell is wearing terry one-piece with hats print
How would you define your parenting style and has that changed over time (or from kid to kid)?
My parenting style may come off refined and chill when in public, but I’d say behind closed doors, we are a very REAL family of 4 boys… meaning messy, wild, house in constant disarray, forts in the living room and someone always yelling. My oldest was raised on whole wheat pancakes, eggs and oatmeal, but now that we have 4, those warm home-cooked meals have turned in to cold cereal every morning for breakfast and sometimes that’s served in a plastic Ziploc while driving to school.
What’s one part of parenting that you have been doing differently than your parents did?
Both my husband and I were raised with strong religious backgrounds, but we are choosing not to raise our kids with religion. We are raising our boys to make the best decisions for themselves and when they are older, they can decide if religion will be something they want to pursue or not.
What has been the most challenging part of motherhood for you so far and how have you been dealing with it?
Each of our boys is so different, so it’s been challenging trying to foster each of their individual interests (not to mention costly!). Our oldest is into parkour and death metal, so he needs more one on one time in order for us to stay connected. My husband has taken him to a couple of concerts to see his favorite bands. Even though it’s not my husband’s taste, he still feels its important to share these moments together. Our 7-year-old is a bit of an introvert and would prefer hanging indoors, so we visit a lot of kid-friendly museums that are fun for our whole family. Our 5-year-old is very creative so to fill his need, we have an entire craft cabinet for him filled with paper, coloring books, and art sets. He draws each of us a picture every single day. We understand that their tastes and interests will change, as they grow older, so we have learned to adjust and adapt to each new thing.
Any advice or parenting hacks you like sharing with new moms?
We have always felt that it was important for our kids to learn a musical instrument but because both my husband and I had a “not so great” experience learning the piano, we decided not to force our kids into taking lessons they are not interested in. Instead, we have filled our home with lots of different instruments, various guitars, drums, and a keyboard, which our kids all play on at their leisure. Our oldest has gone through various interests from playing the drums to the guitar, the violin and now he wants to start singing.
When it comes to parenting hacks, I have two favorites. The first is using my car as an office to get work done and catch up on emails while my baby is napping in his car seat. Second is when we walk our dog, I add two leashes so the boys don’t have to fight with me about who gets to hold the leash.
Rockwell is wearing terry harem pants with cats and hats print
CREATIVE
How did you start your kids clothing line?
After having my third child, I realized the need for an affordable, edgy infant and toddler basics line. I wanted basics that featured all the details I liked in my own clothes like black, soft vintage washes, frayed edges, cut out necklines, curved edges, and a baggier fit. The baby clothes I did find with these features were incredibly expensive and I couldn’t justify paying for something that was going to spit upon, stained, ripped or grown out of in 6 months. I was so determined that I could design this line myself, that I borrowed a friends sewing machine and just started cutting and sewing my own patterns without having any prior experience.
Do your kids play part in your creative process?
Absolutely. Our 7 yr old has vision impairment due to his albinism and I noticed when he started walking that he would trip a lot and skin up his knees. My drop shorts were designed specifically to cover kids’ knees so when they fall, they wouldn’t scrape up their knees. I also ensure that each of my fabrics are soft and comfortable because our boys like to be able to run and move around. None of them can stand the way jeans feel. I’ve been known to ruin kids from wearing jeans after they’ve worn my drop shorts (sorry, moms!).
Wolfgang is wearing two-ply jersey leggings in gray with “been around” print; Rockwell is wearing them in rust with “going places” print.
Do you feel like you personally or your life changed a lot after becoming a mom? In what way?
Becoming a mother will completely change you. I have looked back at everything I said prior to becoming a mother, and have tossed pretty much all of those thoughts and values out the window with each kid. I have become stronger and more vulnerable. I have had to balance keeping a stern tone, while also knowing when to be gentle and empathetic. I am the world’s biggest empty-theater and my kids totally know it. I have really had to force myself to be “in the moment” when my kids come to me with something to say, and really listen to them. I have learned to say “I love you” in very uncomfortable situations and to be okay if I don’t hear it back. My kids may not always “love” me 100% of the time, but I want them to always feel loved by me and my husband 110% of the time.
Are you still doing things that you did before becoming a mom? I can imagine it’s super challenging with 4 kids but I feel like you’re super YOU still so we need to know your secret!
Fortunately for me, I married my best friend. He has supported each of my creative endeavors and to that, I am incredibly grateful for it. We share so many of the same interests and he is still my most favorite person to be around. We go on dates often, we love to travel and go to concerts. We eat out at fancy restaurants but we also LOVE fast food. He keeps me laughing and that’s truly what gets us through each day.
How do you describe your personal style?
It’s always been all black everything. But I’d also say there’s a very fine line between what my “personal style” is and what me just being plain lazy is. Recently I’ve been drawn to oversized button up’s with 80’s prints. I’ve also been wearing oversized dresses paired with baggy loose fitted bottoms. I feel like after kid #4 I got into a whole “baggy on baggy” look trying to hide my body, but also, I just want to be COMFORTABLE.
Does this affect how you dress your children? If yes, how so? If not, why not?
I realized that after a few years of dressing my younger kids in mainly black pieces from the time they were babies, that they both now hate the color black. Like totally, utterly DESPISE it. Fortunately, my oldest shares my same love for all black everything and he has a very unique and impressive style all of his own. My younger kids now ask for bright colors and tees with superheroes on them. It all makes me cringe a little inside that I’ve lost the control in “branding” my 5 and 7 yr old but I still have full control over my baby (at least for the next few years!).
What are some of your favorite OMAMImini pieces and why?
I have been dressing all 3 of my younger kids in OMAMImini for the past few years. It’s become a staple in my boys fashion. OMAMImini rompers and bottoms have always been my fave!
