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: New to this board, so an intro and hello :)
Hi Stephanie!
Sounds like things are a bit rough right now but I hope that 2011 brings better things?along with your LO! I'm very happy to be able to send my Baby K'tan carrier to someone who will appreciate it (and I sent you a PM too).
Please feel free to post here as well as Pregnant after 35... we don't discriminate here.
Bronx Zoo: Summer 2013
To read my blog, click on the giraffe pic below!
Hi Stephanie! Welcome to the board! I totally understand having to get creative. By the time I had my youngest I had already gotten rid of all of my DD's baby stuff and had to buy everything myself on just my income (and figure out how to take 6 weeks off work w/o pay). Luckily I had 9 mos to prepare.
You will find that you really don't need as much stuff as some might think. A PnP is perfect for the first few months. All you really need in the beginning are the basics, a few sleepers, diapers, something for the LO to sleep in, and a car seat. I would recommend you check out craigslist and if you have a freecycle group near you, you might be able to get a few baby items totally free. Here is a link to the one in Philly. I think you have to offer something before you can request anything, but you can offer pretty much anything, even clean baby food jars. Good luck!
Welcome to the board!
And sharing a room is pretty awesome, IMO. DS has his own room, but he still sleeps in our room at 1.5. Oh well, we slept in our bed until he was 6 months or so, so I guess that's baby steps.
My Blog
Welcome & congrats!
Congratulations, and welcome!
Sounds like it'll all be okay, which is an awesome thing when you're looking at a pile of "challenges."
I've a weakness for BPAL and Sock Dreams (Don't look either up if you don't know what it is and you're short on cash!) and my cat count is three. We're accidental cosleepers, but we did a lot of babywearing when M was less mobile and fed her breastmilk until she was a year old. Her heart condition made it too hard for her to BF, she got too tired, so I just pumped forever.
I know there are patterns online to make your own moby wrap, if you haven't already taken care of that. Good luck, and welcome again!
I just thought, check and see if there is a Gabriel Project in Philadelphia. I did a search and came up with these two links
https://www.rc.net/philadelphia/st_patrick/gabriel_project.htm
https://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Gabriel.Project.215-379-5683
I know nothing about your town so I can not even tell if these links are right or not. I do highly recommend this service.
Thanks to all of you for such warm greetings!
To the PP who lived in Center City - awwh! Thanks! I'll be the Love sign brings back good memories. My family lives up in Bethlehem (I finished my last year of HS there) which is hopefully where we'll wind up, too. I don't want to raise my child in West Philly. There's a reason Will Smith sang about leaving it
Freecycle, yes! I looked that up, then backed away. I got nervous at what my neighborhood would bring in (hah!), but I'll give it another chance. I used it a long time ago when I lived in Cambridge, MA.
Great, great budget ideas. (and Robyn thank you so much!!)
Nice to find other sock addicts - SOCK DREAMS! eek! I lived in Portland, Ore., for a couple years and that's where they're from! They had a giant billboard and were always at local events with their evil tent. Love.
BTW, I love all the sig-photos of your LO's!
...and my brothers are twins. Fraternal, though.