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.
mtnrider
member
Re: Very wierd 15-month appt regarding speech
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I agree!
Charlie's 15 month appt. is in a couple of weeks and he really doesn't say much other than gibberish. But I know he has good comprehension, so I don't think the pedi will be too worried about that. We ask him to "Go find your Ball/Tiger/Zebra/Blankie" and he looks around until he find it.
That whole bottle thing, tho.....
Maybe my pedi just senses I am totally hyper-sensitive and he can train me like a dog. Give me a command and I will follow it in order to prove I am a good parent.
Likely he'll be all right. I had a non-talker. E hardly said a word, although she followed instructions well. Right around her 2nd birthday a light went off and it was like somebody yanked hard on a Chatty Cathy doll and broke the string. She hasn't stopped talking since.
You're doing fine, and you're aware of his progress, so if it really does get to be an issue you'll be on top of it. Sounds like he'll keep you busy (so cute!)!
I agree! This re: milestones and feeding and all sorts of things. My pedi is super conservative about foods but more mellow about a child progressing at his/her own pace. They only want certain things by certain ages to rule out issues.
And I'm really impressed that Simon can run/walk backwards!
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Having 3 boys, I definitely would not be worried! Keegan is our most advanced talker in the house at this age (but I don't think he has a choice ; ) - my older boys did not start until over 2 (which is also very typical for boys).
But from what I learned the best way to introduce words is to keep it very very simple. Instead of saying "do you see the big red truck?" start with truck, truck, truck.. over and over again or "are you hungry?" start with food, food, food.. repeat. Teach 1 word at a time, keep it simple. Once they master one word, you move to two word sentences.. red truck, etc...
Meh, the bottle thing doesn't seem like a big deal to me, but S never took a bottle.
Then you should bite him in the ass!
Yeah but were they saying mama and dada before then?
Well I'd much rather he say mama than run (forward) or walk backwards!
I cannot remember when they started. Well, with Owen it was hard for him with the Cleft palate - so we did not hear his first cooing until he was over 11 months older after his palate repair & he had speech services so we worked on m's & d's a lot & by the time the 2nd was born he did learn Mama. So it was an easier word for Liam to learn since that is all he heard.
But I have heard through my son's SLP & OT that kids really can focus on 1 development skill over another. I saw this with my older boys since they started walking/running at 9/10 months. I don't think you realize what a neat skill Simon has with walking backward. That is hard to do for kids our age. So to me it seems he is focused on his motor skills.
I would step it up with encouraging his sounds.. by repetitive single words (mama, mama, mama, mama). Seriously, it does wonders.. we did this with my 2nd son because he did not talk at 2. Plus then YOU will be able to tell the pediatrician your concerns in a month or two if you think necessary.
LOL
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