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.
Re: Dear Santa, This Christmas, I would like....
TTC#1 Chart
TTC#2 Chart
IUI #1 - #4 (repronex trigger) = BFN
IUI#5 on 10/28/2008 ** BFP 11/10/08 ** EDD 07/21/09 *** It's a GIRL (07/14/09)
med/treatment free BFP 06/28/10. EDD 03/05/11 *** GIRL #2 (02/23/11)
beta#1 @ 17dpo = 1296 .... beta#2 @ 19dpo = 3034
it's the Bug and Baby Belle!
1. A 35mm f/2 lens
2. Amazon Gift cards
3. Stethoscope
4. Debt Eliminated
5. Ummmmmm
Keep posting - we need the action. It's been way too dead
All I want for Christmas is a laptop. But I want it the month before.
Chart/Blog
Nothing breeds faster than Crazy
A fuucking back door.
Aaaaand that sounds a lot dirtier than it really is. We need a door that leads directly to the backyard. No more of this hang on to three dogs as we go out the side door and hope than none wriggle loose and take off running down the really busy street bullshiit.
"It's a child, not a cheeto" Thanks mmariluh!
"Ew. I've read all of two posts from you, and you stink like rotting garbage."
After 22 cycles and tube removal our IVF miracle has arrived! Detailed IF and IVF info in bio.
A new camera lens
money/gift cards so I can keep getting my hair dyed
omg this is great!
I want what I have been asking for for seriously about 5 years now. A 12 inch red wooden Dahla Horse.
1/11: IUI #2 = 5mg Femara + trigger + IUI = BFN
2/11: IUI #3 = injectibles + trigger + IUI = BFN
IVF #1 April 2011 ER 4/23 w/16 eggs retrieved, 14 mature, 11 fert., 4 blasts to freeze, 5dt of 2 blasts on 4/28, beta #1 5/7 = 243... beta #2 5/9 = 491....beta #3 5/11 = 1113!!
my blog
TTC #2, Operative hysteroscopy March 2011; IVF #1 long lupron protocol April 2011-cancelled due to poor response; IVF #2 flare protocol May 2011=hospitalization due to abdominal hemorrhage during ER and no fert due to MFI issues. Moving onto international adoption from Moldova January 2013!
To lose 20 pounds and lots of cash so I can get all the stuff I want including
clipless pedals for my bike
someone to come deep clean our house - especially the bathroom
an indoor trainer for my bike
I'll add to this when I think of everything else
I change my answer to this.
Excellent idea!
IVF with ICSI #1: BFP
TESE for DH 08/09/09
ER 08/09/09; ET 08/14/09; Beta #1 08/23/09: 150; Beta #2 08/25/09: 267
TTC #2: FET #1: BFP
ET 06/16/11; Beta #1 06/25/11: 282; Beta #2 06/27/11: 777
First u/s: Twins! Baby A stopped growing @ 9 weeks, forever in our hearts
TTC #3: FET #2: c/p lost at 4 weeks
TTC #1 - May 2010 - IUI #3: BFP
TTC #2 - May 2012 -IUI #2: BFP
Oh Santa I have a huge list: maybe just the highlights....
1. a cook
2. a personal trainer for my fat ass
3. and a job that appreciates my talents!!!!! well maybe just a job that will pay the bills.
Please Santa I've been GOOD, honest.
5 cycles of Clomid with satisfactory response=BFN's
Fibroid removal Nov2010
IUI Clomid #1 Feb 2011...BFN..damn it!
IUI Inject's #2 Apr 2011...CANCELLED...low estradiol
IUI Inject's #3 June 2011...BFN
IUI Inject's #4 Sept2011...BFFN
Lap Dec 2011...severe endo..cyst removed..some remains...
IVF#1 Apr 2012 ....cancelled due to over suppression
IVF#2 July 2012....6 follies...only 1 retrieved....BFFN
surgery suggested to move ovary to an better placement but....we moved two time zones away and are financially and emotionally empty