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.
starrysmile18
member
Re: **HDBD**
29 weeks!
~~~ EDD for Baby #2 6/28/15~~~~
29 weeks as well!
Also 29 weeks with my usual tiny pic!
Apparently it is 29 week day! :)This was taken on Sunday.
ETA: Dress from Old Navy. It is a nursing dress. My hand is holding the bottom of my belly, but my belly is too big to see it.
27 weeks!
Carter Robert 7.18.08 | Brynn Sophia 5.24.10 | Reid Joseph 9.10.12 | Emerson Mae 1.27.14
28 Weeks
29 weeks too!
26 weeks 5 days. Don't mind the bathing suit and Zumba pants combo...DD has swim lessons and I have to teach a class right after that! Here's my Self portrait followed by the picture DD insisted on taking.
I finally posted a picture of my bump on FB (the one I just posted here) since a few friends had been asking and a woman commented that I was definitely having a girl. I haven't gotten any wider only less wide and more out front. People are crazy.
Rounding out Third!!! Home Stretch!!!
DH & I are both 28 Together: 12 years Married: 09/24/2011
BFP#1: January '12 - DD1 09/16/2012
Preterm labor 31 weeks. Monitored for Hellp and diagnosed with oligohydramnios July '12
BFP #2: 06/25 - EDD 03/05/15 MMC confirmed 8/1 - D&E 8/4 retained tissue discovered 8/20
BFP #3 11/24 - 12/15 Heartbeat detected - DD2 07/29/15
Week 26, taken last Thursday. (Excuse my filthy mirror!)
2.0 is on the way! EDD: 2/24/15
Almost 29 weeks!
This is our 28 week picture from last Thursday. I forgot to take one during the day so I told DH he needed to get a headless one since I had already scrubbed my face and took down my hair.
27 weeks this past Friday
Sorry it's so little
Cooper Edward
9.25.12
25 Weeks
Everyone looks beautiful!
free image hosting
26 weeks and the 90*plus days have begun.
This is from last week at 27w
A picture from this morning at 28 weeks. As a bonus, please enjoy my classy sunburn.
Make a pregnancy ticker
Taken this morning...excuse the jammies and dirty mirror!
Our Baby Boy is due September 8, 2012
Ouch. How did you get lines like that?
LOL @ turbo belly!!!
And thanks
Here I am at 27 weeks!
BFP #1 Chemical Pregnancy
BFP #2 DS Bennett
BFP #3 Missed Miscarriage 8wks
BFP #4 Miscarriage 6 wks
BFP #5 Due August 10, 2015
Edit: Replying to hmp and LILBIT, not sure why the quote didn't work.
Well, we had gone swimming and had only really planned to lie out on the chairs long enough to dry off and then go inside, so I wasn't flipping over on different sides trying to get color or anything like that. Didn't think I'd have to reapply sunscreen for such a short time, but apparently so! Believe it or not though, it's actually very mild--there's no pain at all, just pink.
That being said, I'm still hiding indoors for the rest of the week.
26 weeks!
28 1/2 weeks on Father's Day...i can't even get over how huge i am, and how i'm only going to get bigger!
26 weeks and super classy in my 1970s work bathroom. Also, note to self: horizontal stripes are not doing your ass any favors. kthxbye.
BFP #2 1/22/2012 ~ DS2 & DD ~ BIRTHday 9/13/2012 ~ unplanned C-section @ 38w1d