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: Who had a 1st bday smash cake?
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
We gave her a little piece of brownie on her actual bday and she wasn't too impressed (it was milk/soy free)
For her party we did cupcakes, but since Maddie still couldn't have milk, we just mixed cut up bananas, strawberries and avacados and put it in a cupcake cup and stuck a candle in that. She had fun playing in it and smearing it everywhere. Those are some of her favorite foods and she really liked it. I don't know that she would have known what to think of cake at that time.
I got mine for free from Shop Rite with the purchase of Aaron's cake (for the adults). If you remember, he was FREAKED by the icing and wouldn't touch it. Hated it. Poor kid.
I wouldn't pay for one... but if he likes it, it's a great photo op.
Bronx Zoo: Summer 2013
To read my blog, click on the giraffe pic below!
I baked Ada's cakes - one little one for her and one for the guests. I don't know why, but it was incredibly important to me to do it.
LINKY TO PICS
^ Brought tears to my eyes. I am all sorts of emotional. Thinking I want to bake her cake now instead of buying one. I don't know whether to thank you for posting that or not
DD#1 - January 2008
DD#2 - September 2010
I had Sabrina's One Year photos taken by a pro who came to our house on the 18th- 11 days before Sabrina turned one. She took photos for an hour- I was able to change her several times if I wanted to. At the last clothes change, we did the shots in front of a bright backdrop with a $4 cake from the local grocery store. The pics turned out AMAZING. So cute, so bright, so perfect. I wasn't sure I was going to do it but I'm so glad I did because I'm not what kind of pics I'll get at her big party on Saturday.
Also, DH and I celebrated Sabrina's party last night with her- as yesterday she was One. We got her another $4 cake, I asked that they put her name on it and they did. I brought the cake out with a lit candle and everything. I got some cute pics- some are in my blog (click on siggy pic). So I guess that's a smash cake, too??
At her party on Saturday, there will be a huge sheet cake and we'll just give her the first piece. I'm sure she'll go nuts with it like she did the "smash cake".
sorry for the novella. Yes, I did a smash cake- twice! TOTALLY GLAD.
click the pic (blog)
My Blog
click the pic (blog)
DH and i both took the day off on the twin's 1st bday and got them smash cakes from the grocery store - they give free little cakes on 1st birthdays.... we took them to Picture people and did a photo session of them eating their first cake. It was fun (even though Gray screamed through most of it- but continued to keep eating his cake!) They also had small smash cakes at their birthday party - that i got free from another grocery store, and asked to be only done with white icing- and i decorated them myself to fit the theme (Thing 1 Thing 2 Seuss)
Griffin's first cake was one i made and he had it at his party - a small smash cake in the farm theme of his party. Best pictures.
It was really important to me to bake Jack's cake too, but I was so busy setting up everything else that I ran out of time at the last minute. My neighbor offered to bake the large cupcake in her pan and I decorated it to match the cupcakes I had already made. He loved it, I am so glad we did it that way.