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.
rach10782
member
Re: I'm back, only pregnant for a week
**Siggy/Ticker Warning**
TTC #1 since May 2012
May 2013: First R.E. appointment
DH: SA is good
May 2013: CD3 Blood work-normal
June 2013: Hsg-Right tube blocked
July 26, 2013: Starting Follistim for IVF #1
August 2013: IVF #1 Cancelled- Abnormal embryos
October/November 2013: IVF #2 w/ICSI
November 8, 2013: Transferred two early blasts (no frosties)
November 18, 2013: First EVER BFP!
Beta#1: 91 Beta#2: 288
1st U/S- 5w2d Saw yolk sac!
3rd U/S- 7w4d HB of 157bpm!
TEAM BLUE!
http://movingtolight.blogspot.com/
TTC #1 since February 2011
C/P 5W3D
Betas 8/30 (108) and 9/3 (565)
Me: 29 (3/5/13- high NK cells) DH: 28 (5/8/12- MFI low morph and motility)
Cycle #21 (IUI#1), Cycle #22 (HSG 9/21/12) and Cycle #23 (IUI#2)=
Cycle #24- December Snow Bunny IVF #1
ER 12/6/12 (14R, 11M, 9F), ET 12/9/12 transferred 2 day 3 embies
Bleeding and low betas=very cautious
Cycle #26 March Lucky Duck- FET #1
scheduled 3/20/13- CANCELLED- lining issues
Cycle #27 May Emerald- FET #1.2
delayed- Starting Trental for 3 months + natural cycles Cycle #28-30=
Cycle #31 August Shooting Star- FET #1.3
transferred 1 hatching blast 8/21/13=
U/S 9/19/13- HR is 128! U/S #2 10/4/13- HR is 174!
It's a BOY!
lots of
to my TBBFF Sothernpeach80 - BABY
ETHAN IS HERE! 02.04.13 
TTC #1 since Jan 2012
BFP #1 07/27/12 - EDD 04/07/13; C/P on 07/31/12
BFP #2 10/11/12 - EDD 06/24/13; Blighted Ovum; D&C 11/30/12
BFP #3 03/10/13 - EDD 11/17/13 - PLEASE BE OUR TAKE HOME BABY!
Beta #1 - 95.8 (12DPO); Beta #2 - 502 (15DPO); Beta #3 - 2003 (18DPO)
First U/S showed one beautiful baby measuring 7w1d with a HR of 148!!! Second U/S showed baby measuring 9w0d with a HR of 173!!!
My Ugly BFP Chart
“I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much." -Mother Teresa
So very sorry for your loss.
You aren't being whiny...you are allowed to feel what you are feeling.
MAY '15 DEC. SIGGY CHALLENGE- FAV. CHRISTMAS MOVIE
Dating- 3/1/1999 ~ Married- 10/10/2004
DD#1- Sweet Pea ~ Born on her Due Date 3/1/2007
DD#2- Pumpkin ~ Due 9/29/2010 Arrived 10/1/2010
~ BFP: 6/12/2013 EDD: 2/21/2014 NT Scan: 8/5/2013 (11w3d) MMC D&C: 8/8/2013 ~
~BFP: 3/15/2014 EDD: 11/24/2014 CP 4 weeks 4 days ~
~BFP: 7/2/2014 EDD: 3/15/2015 CP 4 weeks ~
~BFP: 8/31/2014 EDD: 5/10/2015
*All are Welcome*
DS #1 born 05/25/2012
BFP#2: 06/12/2013 ---- loss
DS #2 born 4/08/2014
BPF#4: 2/1/2016 --- 2/23/2016 suspected molar pregnancy--- 3/15/2016 D&E - diagnosis MM
BFP#5 - 9/22/2016
* formally bornmommy
Emma Kate - born 10.16.03 @ 29 weeks, weighed 1lb 13oz and 13.5" long.
TTC #3
Me: 36 - slight DOR (AMH: 1.1), decent OAR; DH: 41 - Morphology 4%
NTNP July-Aug 2014, ATTC Sept 2014-Present
October 2014 - CP
July 2015 - Clomid + #1 IUI = BFN
September 2015 - Clomid + #2 IUI = CP
October 2015 - Letrozole (5 follies - yay!) + #3 IUI = BFN
November 2015 - CP
December 2015 - CP
February 2016 - Letrozole + #4 IUI = CP
April 2016 - CP
May/June 2016 - IVF #1 and IUI #5 (Estrace + Follistim + micro-hCG + HGH) = BFN
Struggled to conceive #1 2012-2013
Clomid #1: March 2013 - BFN; Clomid + IUI: May 2013 CXL; BFP on 4/22/13 = Baby Boy #1 1/1/14
Finished BC and not preventing since June 2010.
Actively trying for baby #1 since July 2011.
SA completed 5/29/2012. No sperm found.
11/12: Dx: Congenital Bilateral Absense of the Vas Deferens.
Genetic Testing needed as this is a mutation of Cystic Fibrosis.
IVF #1 with ICSI planned for 2013.
PAIF/SAIF welcome!
hitched 5/2009 -- Me 34, DH 39
TTC #1:
dx with POCS 7/2009
TTC on & off since 1/2012
September 2012; Surprise BFP - MC
June - December 2013; Clomid/Femara + Trigger + TI = BFN x 4
April - May 2016; Femara + TI = BFN x 2
July 2016 - December 2016; Gonal-F + Ovidren + IUI = BFN x 3
May 2018 - IVF #1; 8 snowbabies. transferred 1 embryo - CP
August 2018 - FET #1 -- Healthy Baby Boy
TTC #2:
July 2020 FET; beta 1 310, beta 2 1278
Team Purple!!!!
Married in May 2012
TTC since August 2012
BFP 3.2.13 EDD 11.11.13
My Blog
Sorry for your loss. As a lot of the ladies have said, don't downplay your feelings. You are justified to be sad.
Welcome back and I hope your stay is short.
My Ovulation Chart
~Trying for our rainbow baby~
Me: 33 Him: 34
Not preventing since 1/1/2012
BFP #1 1/21/12 mmc @ 9wks d&c 3/5/12
TTA until 9/1/12
2 AO/irregular cycles Oct/Nov with abnormal TSH b/w
Started TTC again 12/1/12
BFP #2 12/31/2012 c/p 1/5/13
BFP #1 : 3/20/13 | EDD: 12/1/13 | MC: 4/15/13
BFP #2: 1/9/14 | EDD: 9/21/14
Welcomed our rainbow bear on 8/31/14
My Chart | All are Welcome
Dx: Endometriosis (2010), PCOS (2013)
TTC since 8/2012
BFP 3/9/2014 Femara 7mg + trigger. EDD 11/20/2014
http://amycookiemonster.blogspot.com
I'm on mobile and can't see your siggy but if the ticker is still there, I know that can be painful to see, so try this trick: edit your siggy using Firefox rather than IE or Safari. It usually works instantly.
GL to you whenever you wish to try again.
bfp 1 - m/c 1.31.11 @ 10 weeks
bfp 2 - baby born via c-section on 5.4.12 @ 37 weeks
bfp 3 - blighted ovum/d&c on 4.13.13 @ 8 weeks
bfp 4 - 3rd IUI, very late BFN with super low P, c/p
bfp 5 - natural bfp while on lupron, baby born via RCS on 4.27.15 @ 39 weeks
bfp 6 - surprise! baby born via RCS on 11.13.16 @ 38 weeks
О Привязать! Z!
TTC #1 8/2012~Chronic Pelvic Pain Condition began 10/2012~Told I was crazy by many doctors until a good specialist DXed a labral tear and bone impingement in left hip 4/2013~Surgery on left hip: 5/31/13 SUCCESS!!! Pain flares to continue indefinitely (but mostly gone).
Resumed TTC 6/2013~Chronic stomach pain and distension: 8/2013~TTA 1/2014 Until Resolved ~7/2014: Trip to the Mayo Clinic--SUCCESS!! Finally on the road to getting better.
Resumed TTC 7/2014! Third time's the charm....8/2014 Visited the RE~DX: MFI/low morph~Straight to IVF with ICSI! 9/2014~Transferred 1 perfect beautiful 6AA blast with 10 to freeze!!!~10/8/2014: BFP!!!! EDD: 6/17/15 STICK LITTLE BEAN!!! IT'S A BOY!!!!!