Kay Dudley (Photo Credit: Sally Rong)
Kay and Tay Dudley are true social media stars—with almost 20 million followers on TikTok and Instagram alone. Their feed is full of positivity, including plenty of sweet moments as a couple and with their three daughters (Kinsley is Kay’s child from a previous relationship and her younger sisters are Ellie, 2 and Sutton Blair, born in October).
Recently, Kay was hospitalized with pneumonia and sepsis, a scary few days which Tay shared with followers, starting with a 105 degree fever and finishing with an adorable Easter weekend.
In this week’s Meet a Mom we asked Kay about why she thinks her and Tay’s content resonates, how she’s feeling and what Tay is like as a dad…and how he’d describe her as a mom. Plus, details of her new protein bar.
How are you feeling? 105 fever is no joke!
I’m finally starting to feel more like myself again. It’s been about two weeks since everything started with the high fever and blood pressure, and I’m still dealing with a lingering cough and fatigue. I was diagnosed with pneumonia and early sepsis, so it was pretty serious. Recovery can take a few weeks, and with lupus my body just takes a little longer to heal.a
What got you through?
What really got me through it was Tay. He stayed by my side the entire time, helped communicate with the hospital staff, and made sure I was as comfortable as possible. I can be really stubborn about going to the hospital, but I’m so thankful he pushed me to go when we did. The doctors told us it could have been a lot worse if we had waited, so I feel incredibly lucky and grateful.
You have millions of followers on social media, but only started posting daily in 2022. Why do you think your content resonates so much with people?
I think most people resonate because of how raw we are in our content! We don’t just post the highlight moments, but post the good and bad. Hence the post about my hospital stay and recovering from pneumonia. We’ve found that by telling our story in an authentic way really helps people who are also going through the same thing, whether it’s a pregnancy journey, health issues, or even milestones!
You were also so open about your plastic surgery procedure to get rid of your eye bags. Why?
I hadn’t heard of it until I was having a conversation with someone who knew a person that had the procedure done. That really stuck with me, because this is actually one of the most common cosmetic procedures. And I thought that if I was going to get it done, I’d want to raise awareness to others that might be struggling with the same issue as me. Because people shouldn’t be scared to have procedures like this if the issue is regularly affecting their mental health!
Kay, Tay, and their younger children (Photo credit: Cydnee Jex, CLJ photography)
You’re an age gap mom, with two littles and one older daughter. Have you evolved as a parent since your older daughter was little?
Yes! I think parenting naturally evolves with the world around us. There are so many gadgets and techniques now that I had no idea about 14 years ago. Things like the dream sock that tracks oxygen levels at night have changed how I approach routines and given me so much more peace of mind.
At the same time, I think the biggest growth has been personal. I was so young when I had Kins, and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more patient, more confident, and more trusting in myself as a mom. I don’t feel as overwhelmed by the little things, and I’m better at staying present. I really try to soak in each moment now because I truly see how fast it all goes by.
I would also say I’m a very loving and intentional mom, but definitely the more cautious parent. I’m the one thinking through every little “what if” and making sure everyone is safe. A little bit of anxiety comes with that, but it also comes from how much I care.
One thing that hasn’t changed is how intentional I am about limiting screen time. Even though screens are so much more common now, that’s still something that really matters to me.
How did Hey!Nu come to be?
HEY!Nu really started from something super personal for me. I struggled for a long time to find protein bars that were actually healthy, tasted good, and didn’t trigger my lupus. During flares, I often didn’t have the energy to make a full meal, so I started making my own protein balls as something easy I could grab that would still give me what I needed.
Tay and I would talk about them all the time while I was making them. One day we started joking about what it would look like to turn them into a real product, and that idea just stuck. Over time, that simple conversation turned into what is now HEY! Nutrition.
If you can catch a window where the bars aren’t sold out, grab some. They are so good.
How would your husband describe you as a mom? And how would you describe him as a dad?
Tay always tells me I’m the best mom, which is so sweet and honestly means everything to me. I try to be really loving and present with the girls, but I think he would agree, I’m definitely the more cautious parent. I’m always a little anxious about them getting hurt or something, which is just part of how much I care about them.
And him, I truly think he’s the best dad. He’s always doing everything he can for the girls and making sure they’re happy and thriving. He’s so hands on, patient, and fun with them. They are so lucky to have him.
