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.
Stacyc625
member
Re: PS Bathroom question ~
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
In my DS' previous room the bathroom was in their classroom and the door was always open so the kids could go anytime and the teachers would be there to help. Now he uses the one in the hall and I'm not sure if a teacher goes with him or not...never thought to ask.
This is almost exactly what DD's is like. Since she goes to an actual school and not a daycare type center the teachers are not allowed to help the kiddos wipe. They do help if they have an accident or need help with clothing. DD rarely goes #2 at school, so it hasn't been an issue for us.
Ok- I Ask because I visited a PS today- and my DD would be in the 4yr class.
She is perfectly capable of going to the bathroom herself
However I noticed- the kids' school classroom door was closed- the bathroom didn't havce a door- couldn't see from the room to the BR. They let the 4yr old go by himself.
And the front door to the school was open/propped up.
When the kid returned to the classroom the teacher kinda helped the kid shift his jeans around/pulled them up better and asked if he washed his hands.
I questioned the door (front school) being opened- (Safe neighborhood and all) however I just had a small redflag kinda go off-
What if someone came in to the school? what if a kid wandered out?
So I just wanted to see what the 'norm' was for kids and bathroom breaks.
The door being propped up was a concern- and I questioned the director immediately about the door. And she said, 'well usually, its locked after drop off... but I knew you were coming.' ... and she left it at that.
Thoughts?
This wouldn't fly with me. I think you're right to be concerned and you have to ask yourself how would your child handle it. If you think your child is fine going off to the bathroom and you really love the school I would do at least 2 spot checks, random dropping by to see if the door is open. If it's close you could simply drive by and check to see if this is typical or not. Frankly, if they knew you were coming they should have either made arrangments with you to either call and have someone let you in or had someone waiting. I'm sorry but I used to work for a National Missing Children's organization and open access to my child is not going to happen, I don't care how lovely the neighborhood or school. Maybe Megan's List the school and see how many offenders are within a distance that makes you uncomfortable also.
I will definitely be doing a few more drop ins to check out the door situation- my gut is telling me it wasn't a super huge deal- more of an isolated incident-
However I came THIS close to saying to the director... umm ok. well we are here. you can now close the door. It remained propped open the entire visit.
Our preschool is in a community center so the main outside doors are always unlocked, as are the classroom doors, which has always been a bit of a concern for me. That said, the school has a very high ratio of adults to children (16 children to 2-3 teachers +1-2 parents every day) so an adult coming in and/or a child leaving would be obvious, and the doors chime every time they are opened. If it were a stand alone school and the door was propped open, I'd be concerned though, especially if they let the children out of the room without supervision.
Re: bathrooms, our school has a bathroom in every classroom, and children can use it at any time. Most children close the door part way (it doesn't lock). After snack, all of the children must wash their hands, and they are asked to try to use the bathroom at that point too.
Hi there -- lurker from school aged kids board!
When my DD was in preschool, the bathroom was down the hall from the classrooms. The teaching assistant would escort a child down the hall and stand outside the door, but the kid had to deal with their own clothes and wiping. In my state, whether the teachers can help with toileting has to do with the school's particular license.
By the time DS was in preschool, the school had relocated to a building where the bathroom door was right in the classroom area. The kids went by themselves.
The entire class was always offered a chance to go the the bathroom and made to wash hands after outdoor play and before snack. They could opt out of pottying, but had to wash hands.