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: Miracle Whip
GAH, you people are killing me with all that you hate. I love Miracle Whip, and American Cheese, and Hooty and the Blowfish.
Maybe my mom was right when she said, "You like so many things that you don't have any taste..."
The only Easter Bunny I can get behind.
Maxwell Joseph 4/09 Lucy Violet 10/12
Miracle Whip has its place.
On a bologna sandwich, made with cheap white bread (preferably Wonder) and dipped in ketchup.
YUMMMMMM
Bahahhaa I love Hootie and the blowfish too! I will eat American cheese if it's all that is there...but won't touch Miracle Whip with a 10 foot pole.
I got cheese in a jar for this weekend, that I am looking forward to eating!
If you mix it with low quality salsa (i.e anything not in the refrigerated section) then it is HEAVEN... mmmm, jar cheeseishproduct....
And BTW- I had fries for lunch and they required 12 packets of ketchup.
I haz problems
It's Tositdos Cheese Queso so no need to add the Salsa! Teeeheee. Doritos go great with it too. LOL
The only Easter Bunny I can get behind.
Maxwell Joseph 4/09 Lucy Violet 10/12
That sounds Dirrrty.
Whole heartedly agree.
My Blog
Whole heartedly agree.
My Blog
My rankings from Yum to Barforama:
HP sauceCraft Blog: MommyBrained...
Although it's only since I had my babies that I can't stand it.
Bwahahahaha!
I haven't had it in years, but I remember not liking it at.all when I was a kid. A good friend of mine had MW, and every time I was over there her Mom would make sandwiches for a snack. Blech!
Baby website / My blog
Ugh, Miracle whip makes me want to barf.
Mustard on Grilled Cheese is da bomb!!
Oooo, i forgot about grilled cheese DIPPED in MW AND ketchup.
I am going to have a heart attack just thinking about it. Ugh- yummy arterycloggingness
This whole thread makes me want to vomit. I guess I am pickier than I thought.
And Kacie-- your ketchup comments are giving me a flashback to when Cam was about a year old and all she wanted to eat was ketchup. Now that makes total sense.
French Fries + MAYO is deliciousness!
This x100. Except Hootie. I don't mind them.
Miracle - Good
Whip - Great
Miracle Whip - Nasty Crap
(Hootie is cool too)
I also totally dont get Miracle Whip as a Salad dressing... are people actually spooning that crap onto lettuce and calling it a salad???
Jen - Mom to Jillian (10/2008) and Hayden (4/2010)
My Blog
We are a divided household as well... If I could change 2 things about the man I married #1 would be not making him a mouth breather, but a very close #2 would be making him a Mayo lover and MW hater!
Or, even worse, on FRUIT SALAD
I may go and barf up my hard-earned Haagen-Daaz bar now. Thanks a lot.
and WTH is HP sauce? Printer ink? Harry Potter sauce (now that sounds reallllly gross)?
Harry Potter was all I thought of, too!
MW is gross, but worst condiment ever is mustard! I don't ever eat it on anything! :-P Like Katherine said, I also grew up thinking MW was a brand of mayo, until I tried it at a boyfriend's house when I was about 17.
I don't like mayo that much, either. It's so lard-y. I was never much into condiments on sandwiches. I still eat them mostly dry, but with a very thin spreading of mayo and/or maybe ranch. I've also been known to use Dean's French onion dip as a sandwich condiment. Love that stuff!
Photo by J Shelton Photography
Married 10/5/08 | 2 yrs of TTC, tests, procedures & a m/c | IVF #2 =James!