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: Weekend?
8 hours and 20 minutes until the weekend so 8 hours and 20 minutes until vacation!!!!
Fri: Got Ky, go home and make dinner. Maybe watch a movie?
Sat: Ann has her last day of work before vacation. She is trying to leave early but we shall see. So Ky and I will go to the grocery and clean per usual. THen maybe dinner out? It is supposed to be spotty showers on and off all day.
Sun: We decided Sunday is pajama day until we HAVE to get dressed. Relaxing start to the vacation. My niece's 5th birthday party is at 4 at a bowling alley. Not really sure what Ky is going to do but I think it will be more fun then going to my brother's tiny house and cramming in with a million people like normal.
Tonight we have International Night at the kids' school. People make/bring/buy international food and it is a huge potluck. I took the kids last year and the lines were crazy long and we barely ate. I told L that we are viewing this as a donation/social event and not dinner.
It'll be late when we get home so the kids will go directly to bed.
Saturday - Kids have swimming lessons in the morning. No idea what we are doing during the day and then then we are going to a friend's birthday dinner in the evening.
Sunday - I don't think we have any plans. I am sure there needs to be Costco and Target runs. Perhaps a family walk. All depends on the weather.
I feel like we have a crazy weekend coming up, but I'm sure once I write it down it wont seem as bad.
Tonight - the usual. Sprout has earned back tv watching privleges so maybe i'll let him watch a 20min show.
Tomorrow - DW has a tball coaches clinic in the am and I'm solo w/ the kids. We may head to an indoor carnival with our moms group mid afternoon and in the evening the kids are with a sitter while DW and I go to our SIL's 30th bday. At some point during the day I have to purchase/wrap a bunch of gifts and clean the house.
Sunday - Brunch with the in-laws to celebrate all the March birthays. DW and Sprout leave early for t-ball practice. In the evening Sprout is going with my parents to a basketball game. I also just picked up a groupon for a new gym in my neighborhood so maybe I'll check it out while DW just has the girls.
Monday - RB is getting her tonsils out and tubes in so the rest of the week is TBD based on how she's feeling.
yeah, no, still feels like a crazy weekend
Blogs: Our Growing Family - CT Working Moms
Nothing tonight except for getting Gwen to bed early since she didn't get to sleep until almost 9 last night.
Tomorrow have to pick up a clock that came in at a local store (a birthday present for a friend), and we have dinner out that night with some friends. Hopefully in between we can run around a playground, if its nice enough.
Sunday my friend is coming over with her girls to drop off some homemade chocolate dipped peanut butter balls that her and her husband are making for a fundraiser. Mmmmm. Otherwise we'll just be relaxing and trying not to eat all of said peanut butter balls. ::sigh::
Maybe I don't have a heightened sense of smell, but I've never smelled any vagina on my pants. -- TSD
Bloggity Blog - You know you want to...
I got up early and went to a big baby/kid consignment sale this morning. I was hoping to find a double stroller, but they only had tandem and I want side-by-side. I did get several cute newborn and 0-3m items for Meg (we have plenty for Henry thanks to a friend), four sleep sacks, lots of socks, and some cute shoes, including two pairs of Robeez for $4 each. We're meeting my mom to see The Hunger Games at noon, and will spend the evening in since Jen had a rough night. I will continue to sort and wash baby stuff.
We have birthing class all day tomorrow, and we're treating ourselves to dinner at a seafood place afterward. We also have birthing class most of the day Sunday, and my parents are having us over for dinner afterward.
Tonight - came home early hoping to be done for the day. Was not done for the day. Still working. Hopefully I'll be done in a bit and K and I will watch a movie after J goes to bed.
Tomorrow and Sunday: drawing and paiting. Drawing and paiting. Drawing some more, painting some more. Can I have the room done by Sunday night? Doubtful. K and J will hang in the park, go for jogs, and go for bike rides while I work. Not quite fair, but oh, well... I had the room idea.
Friday night was one of those blissfully quiet nights where we just listened to NPR and read.
Today Meg's getting the oil changed and the snow tires taken off the car. (Kind of a joke considering the mild winter we had!)
Tomorrow will be sunny and cool (65), so we're planning a yard clean up.