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.
mollykelley
member
Re: Pregnancy Check-in
Haha, that was meant to be Happy Monday! But maybe it is yet to be seen...
I had my second u/s on Friday, and we saw the little arms and legs moving which was incredible. We could also see the pulsing of the heartbeat at 172, which is right on target according to ob.
I'm starting to get that this is K's baby. She has been vegetarian for 15 years and all I want to eat is raw vegetables. Just buy me a whole foods crudite platter for dinner and I'm happy!
QOTD: I'm a fall baby and I love the fall. I'm looking forward to baby arriving around the holidays and having family come meet him or her at Christmas time!
TTC with RE since March 2012
3 missed O's, 6 IUIs = 1 BFP then 8 w M/C, 5 BFNs
(2 unmedicated IUIs, 2 clomid IUI, 2 femara IUI)
Shared maternity/partner IVF, transfer #1 BFP!
EDD 11/28/13
On Saturday we had a 3d ultrasound. It was early, but we couldn't wait, and now we're so glad we did. Below is the picture of our little girl smiling for the camera!!!!!!!!
Cupcake arrives in October. I love Fall so this will be truly magnificent....talk about working on patience, October seems so far away!
Baby is due in the winter,right before Christmas... DW's birthday is Dec 23 so I will have two Christmas babies in our home!
Our baby will be coming in the fall, my favorite time of the year, so I'm glad to share it with her and celebrate her birthday during one of the most beautiful times of the year. I love it.
What's new with your pregnancy this week? How are you feeling?
25 weeks tomorrow and feeling great! We set up our crib yesterday and this week I'll order the mattress. I'm also booking the last of our classes. We're taking a 4 week private Mindful Birthing series, a full 7 week out-of-hospital series, two-day Bringing Baby Home relationship class, a baby sleep class, and a class on baby safety/cpr. I'm on the fence about a one-day labor coping class. Writing that out it seems like a lot, but I think they'll all be great and I'm an education junky (even though I teach many of those classes).
QOTD: In what season will your baby arrive? What is something you love about that season or are looking forward to with baby?
Our baby will arrive in summer, which is an amazing time of year here in the PNW. I'm hoping it won't be too hot (it usually stays in the 70-80s, but it can get to be in the 100s sometimes) although I have plans to deal with it even if it is. It should be great for walking, spending time outside, relaxing/napping on my hammock in the back yard. In future years, it will be a great time to have outdoor birthday parties.
Hello everyone!
We are still trucking along, I am still puking and feeling very first trimester, but I seem to have more "good days" then before. We bought some cloth diapers from an earth day sale and just got them in the mail today. They are super cute. Other than that life is pretty normal around here.
QOTD: We will be having a fallish baby, end of Nov. I am super excited to have the LO here for the holidays like MK. It will be so much fun to have our little family for this holiday season. ....ooh, I guess I will get to buy another christmas stocking.
Baby Oliver born 11/27/13
TTC stats with donor sperm...
IUI #1 with trigger, 1/4/13 - BFN
IUI #2 with trigger, 2/1/13 BFN
IUI #3 with tigger, 2/28/12 BFP EDD 11/21/13
Hi everyone. I've been lurking this board for sometime and it has been very helpful during our TTC journey.
Everything is new with our pregnancy. I had a positive HPT followed by blood HCG last week and it is official. I've been more tired than normal and have a little nausea in the morning. The craziest thing is that I have no interest in coffee or sweets two things I could typically live for.
Our baby is due early January. The greatest part of a winter baby is that I won't have to suffer through my 3rd trimester in the scorching Arizona heat!
I'm on fire. Really. I am feeling really hot all the time. We went to a play on Saturday and I had to leave the auditorium because I could feel the heat emanating off of everyone around me. We ended up sitting outside with V wiping me down with a wet paper towel and fanning me. I've been like that for the last few days. My hips hurt a lot during the night, apart from that I'm doing well, and this little guy is getting stronger by the day. We did a 3/4d scan on Friday, it was so amazing! I didn't think that we would ever do that, but I'm so glad we did. I teared up when I saw his sweet little face for the first time. Our baby is due on the summer solstice. I'm really excited that we'll be able to enjoy summer sunshine together, and he'll have have a summery birthday, which I think will be great.
Edited to fix some mobile typos
sparkles, they're all optional, but I'm an education nut. I teach childbirth ed, breastfeeding and newborn care classes and we're lucky to live in a great place for perinatal support.
The 4 week private Mindful Birthing series is the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) Program, which is a series and book (Mindful Birthing) by Nancy Bardacke. If you can't find a class, I recommend the book.
The 7 week out-of-hospital series is taught by a local, long-time (and famous in this field) childbirth educator and doula.
The two-day Bringing Baby Home relationship class is this program.
If you can't find an instructor, there's also a book called "And Baby Makes Three"
The baby sleep class is taught by a colleague through her business.
And the class on baby safety/cpr class is through the non-profit I work with and the local children's hospital and will be taught by one of my friends.
Luckily my wife is on board with this plan!
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!! Whooohoooo!!!!!