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.
natkay02
member
Re: Your first thought on the name Case/Casey
Honestly, I don't find it very masculine ... but strangely enough, not particularly feminine either.
Really, my one stand out thought on it is Casey and Finnegan from Mr. Dress Up (yup, that probably dates me).
I like it!!
We have friends who named their little boy Casey and I went to school with a (male) Casey so I always think of it as a boy's name. Andplusalso, there's that whole Casey At The Bat story which I think is what makes me think it's a boy's name too.
When I heard Casey I also think of Casey Anthony but I do LOVE Case. Is there another name that Case could be short for? (Without being overly dramatic and making up a random one?)
I like Case but I like Chase better...
If we have a girl, we are going to name her Kennedy Claire, but DH insists he's going to call her KC (Casey)
I can't think of one... After the whole Casey Anthony thing, I'm thinking of going with Case as the formal name and maybe a nn of Casey if we feel like it. Hmmmm...
I love it. I know of a family in our town that named their little boy Casey (after the dad) and called him Case. I think it's original and modern without sounding pretentious and trendy.
Casey Anthony didn't come to mind at all...
I like Casey. I actually think of it as a boy name more than a girl name. One of the few girl Caseys I know it actually named after a man, so there you go!
Casey would be on my list except one of DH's cousins has a son named Casey, so it's taken. We call him Case all the time.
I took my nephew to eat the other night and he was playing in the play yard area with a little boy named Cannon. I thought it was so cool!
Other unique "C" names=
PP said Carson, which I like; Cade, Callan, Calder (My BFF has a guy friend with this name and I always thought it was cool!); Coby, Colin/Collin (was on my short list!); Not sure if you said Colton; Cullen, Cason (Case for short).
Not sure if you were meaning to stick to the "C's" but maybe this will help inspire you!
Nat, I'm loving Case. Wicked cool name. And my nephew is Colton but the nn's for that name are limited.
I love the name Casey for a boy. I had a very good friend in HS who was Casey, so I have great associations with the name.
TTC since 10/07
11 medicated cycles
including...
4 IUIs*5 IVFs*1 FET
2 chemical pregnancies*missed m/c @8w 9/09*missed (twin) m/c @8w 5/10
Laparoscopic myomectomy 8/10
Chromosomal translocation of #2 now requires ICSI and PGD
IVF #4= success!!! G-man born 8/18/11
IVF #5 2/2013 = N born 10/10/13 at 35w3d
So my first thought was Casey Jones from the ballad of Casey Jones- so not a bad association and that is a male association.
I think of it as a boy's name, but I think of it as a nickname so not very masculine in that sense. If you could come up with a more formal name, and then call him Casey, I think that would age better for when he goes out to work as an adult.
Also, one option would be to come up with a K first name and a C middle name and call him KC.
Me too, sorry
but Case is very cute!!