Forget her Philly Special husband, her Super Bowl-bound brother-in-law and his singing girlfriend. What moms across America want to know is this:
What's Kylie Kelce like?
This Pennsylvania-raised mom of three has collected a solid fan club of women who appreciate her no-nonsense banter with her husband, her sense of humor about the chaos of raising kids and her pro-leggings approach to fashion.
And while we know the things that have put her in the spotlight today — her Philadelphia Eagles husband Jason Kelce; his brother, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, and his romance with Taylor Swift — Kylie is ultimately a reflection of the mom we all want to be.
Whether she's rolling her eyes when Jason brings a portable fan to her hospital delivery room or checking her watch to see how much longer she has to keep the kids quiet while her husband records his podcast, Kylie shows us the parts of family life that we intimately know from our own households, and it's powerful (and hilarious) to see those moments onscreen.
In a conversation with TODAY.com, Kylie chatted about her supermom status, and we were delighted when she said the most mom-tastic, mom-approved, Sisterhood of the Traveling Moms thing possible:
"I really appreciate the support," she says, humbly. "As a mom, all of the other moms know that we're in this together. We're all in the grind, so to see that other people see that and appreciate that ... it kind of gives you a little boost to keep you going."
Kylie and Jason are raising three adorable young girls: Wyatt (4), Elliotte (2) and Bennett (11 months). She takes her role very seriously.
"My first priority in anything that I do is to make sure that my kids are squared away and taken care of," Kylie says. "I just appreciate that people connect with that, and that they're supportive of that, and they understand my thinking and belief in that because they're living their lives the same way."
In addition to modeling the caring and concerned aspects of motherhood, Kylie also wants to banish misconceptions that mothers are "always going to have it together."
As the wife of an NFL player, Kylie has been forced to parent in public, whether it's at last year's Super Bowl or their recent trip to Orlando for the Pro Bowl and Disney World. We asked her how she keeps her cool and her sense of humor on such occasions.
"I don't always," she answers bluntly, but with a smile. "And that is the secret."
Kylie wants to dispel the notion that "parents know what they're doing." She says that she and her husband quickly came to the realization that "no parent knows what they're doing and we're all just figuring it out as we go. Knowing that, it gives you a little sense of relief because you don't feel as lost as you originally did."
Even so, Kylie isn't just winging it completely. She is thoughtful about her interactions with her children, and makes sure that she uses her "serious voice" sparingly.
"Ultimately, I am always trying to come in with a calm, levelheaded demeanor. But, you know, sometimes the day gets the best of you. Sometimes you've been pulled on or yelled at or whined at too much," she tells TODAY.com. And when that happens, or when someone is being unsafe, Kylie brings out her "serious voice" and asks the girls if they can hear how serious her voice is.
But she takes those moments in stride. "It can't always be right here, right?" she says, indicating a level playing field. "And if it is, power to you, but that's not our household."
She also works to repair her relationship with her kids if she happens to mistakenly venture into "serious voice" territory.
"I will make sure I apologize if I raise my voice and it wasn't warranted," she says. "I give myself grace that if I do freak out, I can't be the only one who freaked out today."
Chatting with TODAY.com about her partnership with Lindt chocolate and their "Life is a Ball" Super Bowl commercial, Kylie, an admitted childhood chocoholic, and says it's a "constant battle" between her and her middle daughter, Elliotte, for the biggest sweet tooth in the family.
"She will wake up and say, 'I'll have sugar?'" Kylie jokes, correcting Elliotte that sugar is not on on the family breakfast menu. "Last night she asked me, 'Is pasta sugar?' I think that if the answer was yes, she would have eaten the pasta."
Kelce, party of 5
Just last year, Kylie was a mom of two, attending the Super Bowl (38 weeks pregnant) with her obstetrician. This year, she has two toddlers plus an almost 1-year-old, who recently learned to walk.
Calling the transition from two kids to three "innnteresting," she says, "With two, you have one for each hand. At any point, you can grab and catch both of them." Even though she's a new walker, Bennett is already "off to the races" and "almost at a full sprint." And now, when her kids scatter in three directions, she has to do the mom math of, "Who do I grab first?"
Luckily, 4-year-old Wyatt is now able to "corral" Bennett if requested to do so. She puts her little arms out to the side to try to keep her sister in one spot until her mom reaches them.
"Jason's parents have confirmed that Wyatt is very similar to him when he was growing up," she says. "She feels her feelings very strongly."
Elliotte, on the other hand, seems to be more in line with Kylie's personality. "My dad has this look on his face when my second will talk to him, like he's talking to me as if I was still little, so I think we're more aligned there."
And how about their third daughter? "Bennett is a toss-up. We'll see where she ends up. But right now, she seems very even keeled and sweet, very sweet."
Other than slightly challenging logistics, Kylie says that Bennett has been what she assumes is “the stereotypical third child.” She sleeps well, she only fusses for specific reasons and she’s “an outstanding addition and her sisters are obsessed with her,” Kylie says.
With her brother-in-law — who her daughters sweetly refer to as "Uncle Trav" — playing for a back-to-back Super Bowl championship, Kylie is hoping to be in Las Vegas watching the game live.
“But you never know,” she says. “There’s kids to factor in and poor flight times, so I don’t want to say a full commit, but the plan right now is to hopefully be there cheering Trav on in person.”
Kylie knows her kids are only one virus away from changing her plans.
As the supermom she is, she will take it all as it comes.
