Hello, let me introduce myself first..
For the first 30 years of my life, everything was smooth and worry-free. I was my parents’ most beloved child, found my true love in college, and happily married him after graduation.
At work, I was my boss’s most valued employee. Whenever I was in charge of a project, colleagues would inevitably say, “Oh, then I’m totally at ease.” I was constantly named “Employee of the Year,” with generous bonuses every year.
Later, I started my own business. Within just three months, I had broken into the market and started making money. By the fifth month, I was earning twice my previous salary. Growth was steady month after month. Right when the business needed more hands, I serendipitously met an amazing partner, and the company reached a whole new level.
Really, it seemed like at every step, whatever I needed, a pair of hands would always place it right in front of me, just in time.
My Two Girls: Ellie & Mia
Meet Ellie, My Firstborn
In 2020, my husband and I decided to have a child. After trying for over a year, we finally got the news in 2021 that a little one was on the way. In 2022, we welcomed our first child, Ellie. She made me a mother.
She is utterly adorable—big eyes, rosy skin, chubby little hands. Every time I look at her, I can’t help but give her a kiss. She is pure joy, and I love her more each day.
But as a first-time mom, I faced unprecedented difficulties. The postpartum tearing wouldn’t heal, and the pain was excruciating. Clogged milk ducts made my breasts hard as rocks. The severe sleep deprivation… And what was even more crushing was that, with zero parenting experience, I was clueless when faced with her unexplained wailing, night terrors, refusal to nurse, constipation, diarrhea, fevers… I desperately searched online, longing for one accurate, truly useful answer!
It was during this time that I thought, once I make it through this “dark” path, I must leave a light on for other new moms.
And Then Came Mia
Ellie had just turned one when I got pregnant again. In 2024, we welcomed our second daughter, Mia.
Completely different from Ellie, Mia is a great eater and sleeper. Although she had her fussy moments in the first two months, starting almost from month three, she became super easygoing. She feeds on schedule, gradually sleeps through the night, loves her solid foods, and adapted quickly when I had to stop breastfeeding due to mastitis.
This made me realize just how vastly different babies can be! It made me even more determined to write about my experiences.
Why I Had to Start This Blog
The Catalyst: A Life Pivoted
After Mia was born, my business also began to decline sharply. I had no choice but to close it and become a full-time mom. My work no longer involves Excel and Word, but instead revolves around changing diapers, washing bottles, making baby food, and managing household chores…
This has been a monumental challenge for me. All my past achievements seem irrelevant now. Managing two young children has brought me a sense of frustration I’ve never known before.
The Daily Reality
They are always fighting over things. When one is in my arms, the other immediately demands to be held too. When I try to cook, Ellie wants me to read her a book. When I attempt to load the washing machine, Mia has a diaper blowout, and I must drop everything to change her…
By the time I finish all that, I see the cup of hot coffee on the table has gone cold again. And it’s not until evening that I remember, “Oh my goodness, the clothes are still in the hamper, unwashed!”
Of course, being a mom is filled with happiness, but that doesn’t negate how hard it is.
My Promise to You
Because I’ve walked this path myself, I won’t just tell you how joyful motherhood is, like many websites do. I want to share my real, unfiltered experiences so every new mom can find a “companion” here.
I want to tell you: you are not alone. What you’re going through, I’ve been there too. Your breakdowns, your helplessness, your moments of losing control—I’ve had them all. You don’t need to feel guilty. This is just a small, necessary stretch of the journey for every mom.
My Hope for This Space
I really want to share my parenting experiences—not just the warm, glowing moments, but to honestly document the pitfalls I’ve stumbled into, the tears I’ve shed, and the “survival wisdom” I’ve scraped together in utter exhaustion.
The Goal: A Mom’s Toolkit
I hope this blog becomes a “mom’s toolkit,” filled not with vague theories, but with:
- Practical Tips: Like how to quickly figure out why a baby is crying, tried-and-true methods for dealing with clogged ducts, or how to efficiently manage the daily grind with twins (or two under two) solo.
- Pitfall Avoidance Guides: Sharing the baby products I regret buying the most, and those “game-changer” parenting hacks. Letting you know which parenting anxieties you can let go of, and which principles are worth holding onto.
- A Community for Moms: I hope my stories connect me with more moms like you. We can cheer each other on in the comments, share our own tricks, turning the storms we face alone into a journey we walk together.
The Bigger Vision
My previous career taught me to analyze data, solve problems, and optimize processes. Now, I’m applying all those skills to this new “position” of Mom. I want to prove that a mom’s value is absolutely not confined to the home. The mindset, resilience, and creativity we built in our careers can shine just as brightly—perhaps even brighter—in this more complex, long-term “project” of raising humans, and can even be transformed into a force that helps others.
My hope is simple: that every mom who opens this blog can let out a sigh of relief and say, “So it’s not just me.” Then, she can find a bit of practical info, a dose of comforting solidarity, and return to her sweet, chaotic mom-life with a little more confidence and a little less weight on her shoulders.
This road? Let’s walk it together.
heyitsme
member
Re: For those of you due end of Nov./first few days of December....
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Nope.
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Nope.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Nope.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? Nope.
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? No--it's the 15th.
6) Have you done any baby laundry? Nope.
Feel free to add any other questions... I'm just wondering where I'm at in comparison to others!1) Is your car seat assembled yet? No. I'll be getting it in 2 weeks at the shower.
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Not yet. Should set up the appt for the base we do have.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Yes! HAH!
4) Is your hospital bag packed? No. Should it be?
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? Not the big one (had a small one a few weeks ago). The 17th.
6) Have you done any baby laundry? Just sheets, blankets, etc. No clothes yet.
food blog | garden blog | curly dogs blog
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Yes
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? No - but it will be as soon as my car is back from the shop.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Yes - crib in the nursery, and bassinet in our room.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? No
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? Yes
6) Have you done any baby laundry? No - planning on it this weekend though.
Feel free to add any other questions... I'm just wondering where I'm at in comparison to others!
I just want to give you a world as beautiful as you are to me.
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Yes (but it came that way!)
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Nope
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Nope - tried last week, but we were sent the wrong hardware
. Waiting for new hardware now.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? Nope
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? Yes - we had one earlyish Sept. and two this past weekend.
6) Have you done any baby laundry? Nope - have just finished the "staging" area for sorting early clothes, storing later clothes, etc.
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Nope. Don't even have the carseat yet. ILs are supposed to be gifting
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Same as above
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Yes! I telling myself "Well at least she's got someplace to sleep..."
4) Is your hospital bag packed? No, but it probably will be next week.
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? We're having a family shower in our hometown this coming weekend. After my overnight bag is cleaned out from that trip, I'll take care of #4.
6) Have you done any baby laundry? No, I've only let myself buy bigger size clothes (the ones that nobody else buys you) so I won't need to wash them for a while.
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? no, it's still in the box
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? nope, see above
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? crib is assembled, yes. But still have to wash sheets.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? nope
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? over the next two weeks, yes
6) Have you done any baby laundry? nope, but will be starting that soon.
Are you trying to make me hyperventilate?
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? No
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? No
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? No
4) Is your hospital bag packed? No
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? No
6) Have you done any baby laundry? No
I'm due Dec. 6th - 9 weeks away
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Nope - don't even have one yet.
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Nope - dont' have them yet.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Nope - I have a bassinet, but it's at my mom's house (a hand-me-down from her neighbor/friend). So I just need to get it over to our house, but it's all set up. And the crib is in a box in his nursery, so no to that as well.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? Nope - haven't even really thought about it yet.
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? It's on Oct. 30th - when I'm about 35 weeks along
6) Have you done any baby laundry? Nope. We have a TON of hand-me-down clothes, they are just all in bags sitting in the nursery closet.
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Assembled? Not sure what this means, but we have all the parts and it's ready to go in the car.
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Nope, not yet...Probably not for a few more weeks...holy crap...a few more weeks.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Nope...we have the crib set up, but we need to get the cradle from my ILs and buy a new mattress for it. We might use a pack n' play too.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? Nope
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? Nope on the 23rd
6) Have you done any baby laundry? Only what I have from a garage sale, but generally nope.
Feel free to add any other questions... I'm just wondering where I'm at in comparison to others!
I'm starting to get to the point where i need to get on the ball on all the things I've been thinking about. If I do that, she'll be here in no time!
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? yes
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? no planning on doing that before my next MFM appt. next Friday- just in case.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? yep
4) Is your hospital bag packed? yes
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? yes
6) Have you done any baby laundry? yes it is all done and put away
Cooper+Evie=Soulmates
I'm Due Dec. 2nd.
I have had my baby shower, and he's big crib is set up.
I have his small crib/bassinet but need to order a custom mattress.
Everything else on that list is not done.
I need to get busy!
I'm pretty much with you:) I have had one shower and the crib is put together, but not in the nursery and the baby won't sleep in it for the first couple of months.
1. just got the car seat saturday so not installed
2. same as above
3. the travel lite pac n play has been up for a month (we bought it ourselves to get used to the flow in the bedroom)
4. bag not yet packed, we keep getting advice of what to put in it from family, plus have been sick and not thought about it.
5. had both baby showers already. they were incredible. we are so blessed. we got everything off of the registry accept for 3 items (jogger stroller, 5 dresser drawer, and breast pump) amazing!
6. have washed/dried all baby blankets, burping cloths, hooded towels, and wash cloths for baby. Since we are team GREEN!!!! not washing any clothes yet.
7. the nursery is ready.... just waiting for furniture to arrive 3 weeks before the baby is due.....
I am due Nov. 27th:
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Have to buy one yet.
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Same as above.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? The crib is set up, but I have to wash the sheets yet.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? Nope
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? Juest had one on Saturday and the second one is Nov. 6.
6) Have you done any baby laundry? Nope
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? yes
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? not yet, probably next week
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? nope, but it will be by the end of the week.
4) Is your hospital bag packed?no, planning on doing it in the next couple of weeks though
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already?yes, it was last week.
6) Have you done any baby laundry? not yet, we still haven't found a dresser we like.
*** BFP #3 - angel baby at 8w2d - D&C 1.31.14 ***
*** BFP #4 - Chloe Grace, the 'C' to complete our 'A & B' - born Feb 25th, 2015 at 22w2d, lived for 2.5hrs ***
<a href="http://www.thebump.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Parenting Advice"><img src="http://global.thebump.com/tickers/tt1c7a3f.aspx" alt=" Pregnancy Ticker" border="0" /></a>
I'm due on December 5th:
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Yes
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? No
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Crib & Bassinet are both set up
4) Is your hospital bag packed? No, haven't even started this one yet!
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? I haven't had one, I think it might be a suprise?
6) Have you done any baby laundry? I did get some second hand clothes, and I've washed them with regular detergent, but I want to rewash them with dreft.
Feel free to add any other questions... I'm just wondering where I'm at in comparison to others!1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Nope, don't even have it yet...
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Nope, it's with the car seat, LOL
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Set up - yes, cleaned - nope...
4) Is your hospital bag packed? Nope.
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? Nope, 6 days and counting...
6) Have you done any baby laundry? Yes, the hand-me-downs and some of the newborn and 0-3 month stuff
I'm due 12/12 but my DD was 3 weeks early so I'm targeting to be prepared for this one at 37 weeks as well just in case...so that's T-Giving weekend.
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Assembled from DD but needs to be wiped down
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Nope
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? Nope. Will probably set up co-sleeper around 36 weeks. It's a PITA to climb around, esp when pg so I don't really want it "in the way" yet
4) Is your hospital bag packed? Nope
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? No baby shower but my friend is throwing me a little "tea" for a very very very small group of friends. that's the beg of Nov but I'm not expecting gifts or anything from it
6) Have you done any baby laundry? yes! i did a mass washing of clothes yesterday. My neighbor gave me some handmedowns and I hate her laundry detergent smell so I did those ASAP. Have done most of the clothes 0-6 months.
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? No, we still have to buy it
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? Nope, see previous answer
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? The crib is set up but the bassinet for our room is not
4) Is your hospital bag packed? No, I'll probaby wait two more weeks then start putting it together
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? n/a
6) Have you done any baby laundry? I think we did almost all of it already. We saved all of our clothes from DS and since we normally use all free detergent I've been washing the baby clothes with DS's to make full loads.
Our Family Blog Weightloss Blog
1. No
2. No
3. No
4. No
5. Not having a baby shower, this is number 3.
6. No.
Oh my, I am soo negative O_O I would've had all my stuff set up but DH and I had last minute thoughts about or theme and returned everything. This weekend we should have everything put together again after we go shopping!
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? My shower is Oct 30, we registered for a travel system (car seat and base included) and hope someone wonderfully generous purchases it for us. If they don't we plan on buying it a few days after the shower with our registry completion coupon.
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? See above.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? DH is literally setting up the crib as I type.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? It has a few things in it but I plan on adding to it a bit every few days.
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? Nope. Not til Oct 30 (I'll be 35 weeks which has been super panicked)
6) Have you done any baby laundry? I plan on washing LOs coming home outfit (we got it in newborn and 3 month size) and everything still has tags. I guess I should just suck it up and commit to keeping them and get them washed lol
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? yes it's the same infant seat DS used so it just needs to be installed
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? no
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? crib yes, but the bassinet isn't and that's where he will sleep the first 3 months or so
4) Is your hospital bag packed? no
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? nope October 16th is my shower
6) Have you done any baby laundry? yes, my mom did it for me...I do have 1 load left to do though
1) Is your car seat assembled yet? Yes, but it came that way!
2) Is your car seat (or base) installed yet? No..hoping we get one as a gift.
3) Is your crib/bassinet/wherever baby will sleep first set up yet? No.. bassinet is on our registry & our crib hasn't come in yet.
4) Is your hospital bag packed? Nope.
5) If you're having a baby shower, have you had it already? One is this Saturday, the other 10/24.
6) Have you done any baby laundry? Nope.. am I supposed to do that???