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.
Two*True
member
Re: NYE Plans
I have no idea what we are doing tonight. I was planning on working a bit late since I've gotten in late and left early the last 2 days to get the kids to/from camp. But it is very quiet around here, so I might just leave on time. We'd talked about going out to dinner, but I don't know if we'll do that.
Tomorrow - no clue what we are doing during the morning. The kids will take a nap since we are surprising them with a trip to Medieval Times (the dinner/jousting show) for NYE. The kids will be in bed by 9ish and then we'll hang out and I will try to stay awake to see the ball drop (no promises there!)
Sunday - a friend and her son are coming over at some point so the kids can play and the adults can hang out.
Monday - No idea. Get ready for the week. Go grocery shopping for the kids lunches.
Somewhere in there, L has to tie up some loose ends on her first 3 chapters so she can submit them on Wednesday and I promised her I would cross check her references. Oh, and I want to go through the kids' toys to make room for the new toys.
Tonight - finish some Christmas shopping. Unpack from vacation.
Saturday - we are taking BT*T to a local kids science museum that is having a Noon's Years Eve celebration during the day. Then we'll drop her off with a friend for the night so K and I can catch a comedy show and go out to a nice dinner. We have 10:30pm dinner reservations - it's been forever(!!) since we've had a late night, adult meal.
Sunday - we'll stumble over to our friend's house to pick up BT*T, where we'll all have breakfast and hang out for a bit. Then it will be a lazy day of nothing.
Monday - putting away Christmas decorations, cleaning, and most likely K will go somewhere to work on her dissertation.
We're having our neighbors (the couple who lives in the other half of our row house) over tomorrow night, just to hang out and watch the coverage on TV. Having some Champagne and appetizers, nothing fancy, but it should be fun.
Sunday I am planning to sleep in, lay in bed reading books, and maybe pack up the Christmas decorations. I'll probably leave the tree and lights in our living room until the needles start to drop off though. I love having a yummy-smelling indoor tree, so I just take the Christmas stuff off and start calling it the January tree. Our tree skirt is plain silver, so it works
Sunday evening we're going on a dinner-and-movie date, yay!
On Monday I'll work on the many things one needs to work on when one is expecting twins and planning a 3,000-mile move and a job search at the same time.
Today-Shopping with holiday gift cards....YAY!!!
NYE- We were invited to a game night/dinner at a friends house with two other lesbian couples. Two of the three couples are TTC so it will be a sober evening but we always have fun with these ladies. They are by far our "chosen" family.
NYD- Football sunday, grocery shopping, and enjoying one of the last days of break. I also need to plan the dat with my baby bro so he can show off his "My big sister kicked my butt in fantasy football this season" old lady dress. I cannot wait for this outing his wife agreed to do his makeup. LOL
I am bumping from home this morning from the tablet my parents got me for my combo birthday/Christmas gift. Wheeee.
I took today off to work on projects at home. Good thing since I have to have a window replaced in my car because it was broken into Wednesday night when I was at happy hour with a friend. Grrrrr. At least the glass place does mobile replacement, so they are coming to my house this afternoon and I can continue doing my projects. E goes to her dad's for the weekend.
A friend asked me to come to a nye event at a place near her house with her and her gf and her gf's teen/pre-teen kids. Tix are $60 and I just dunno if being around a bunch of couples/families when E is not with me and there's no special lady in my life is really my idea of a good time. I had already set my mind on having a quiet night home alone. At this point I'm leaning toward staying home, but we'll see.
Hopefully Sunday will be sleeping in. The rest of the weekend will likely be chores and errands and prepping for the upcoming week. Monday is a holiday for us, so it will be nice to have another long stretch at home.
Tomorrow morning we are meeting my SIL and neice for a playdate. Home for naps, then off to First Night celebrations in the capital. Fireworks at 6pm then we'll head home, get the kids in bed, and probably be fast asleep ourselves by 10
Sunday TBD. hang out in our pjs?
Monday I'm home with the kids while DW works. My dad and brother are going to take Sprout to his first hockey game!
Blogs: Our Growing Family - CT Working Moms
We are driving to AZ tonight to go the Fiesta Bowl. My alma mater, Oklahoma State is playing (#3 in the nation)!!!
We are driving tonight and tomorrow. Then doing the Fiesta Bowl NYE block party. Sunday we are hanging out with the OSU alumni association at their party place. Monday is the HUGE tailgating party and game. Drive back tuesday.
Can.not.wait.
TTC#1 since 2004
LGBT
4 cycles @ home with known donor - BFN
RE un-medicated IUI cycles # 1-7= BFN
NEW RE Clomid 50mg/ Ovidrel/ IUI #8 BFN
Took long break
Nov 2009 - Clomid 50mg/ Ovidrel/IUI #9 = BFP
Beta 12/4 - 10...Beta #2 12/7- 28 Beta #3 12/9 - 80!
1st sonogram 12/28 - slow hb and growth
m/c 1/1/2010 Courtland 8w0d
Nov 2010 cycle cancelled - polyp removal/hysteroscopy
April 4 2011 - IUI #10 BFFN
July 5, 2011 - #11 BFFN AMH .62 Boo
Tonight it is just me and the little lady. DW is out with a friend. I am going to try to do our year in review blog post and since I blogged I think 12 times in 2011 I guess it will be the first time to hear any of this for my readers! I also would like to start working on a project for my dad's bday and also a photo book for the year. I think I am being a bit optimistic though! My bet is I play on my iphone most of the time!
Saturday I need to pick up my car in the am. Then we are going to head in the city to meet up with a women I met through the private preemie board I am on. She is from FL and I am looking forward to meeting her. In the afternoon after nap my friend is coming over with her son to hang out and do toddler new years which equates to dinner and it being over at about 7! DW and I will chill and might make it up to midnight but I doubt it.
Sunday we have two open houses to attend. One is at a terrible time for E's nap but I have not seen this couple since E was born and I want to make an effort. The other is a couple we met at family week in p-town this summer and I am looking forward to seeing them again.
Monday we are both home on our last day of vacation. I want to check out a play space in the area. Other than that just trying to get myself ready to go back to work after a week off. How many days until Feb break??????
Today- N slept 8 hours last night woo-hoo!! And then was up from 4am on... So k took over at 7 am and I slept in. Normally I don't sleep because 7am is his best time of day and I don't like missing it so normally we all lay in bed, talking and laughing until his morning nap but being up from 4 am was too much so k got up with him and I slept. Ahhh bliss. Today we are picking up my sisters dog to watch her for the night while my brother in law goes up north to visit my sister who was accepted to a month long, intensive Shakespeare workshop.
Tonight- we had plans for dinner with mrs. F and family but H has a cold and N is still congested so we postponed
so we are going to make fancy apps and hang out with our baby boy and will probably be in bed by 10.
Sunday- football!
Monday- no plans. Ks last day of vacation so lounging... Exactly what we have done for the last 12 days