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: Welcome to Week 9! Intros...
Screen name: Nene49
Due date: 02/22/2014
What you do: Human Resources Consultant
How you met your SO: At a friends' house party
Fur babies: None
Loves: working out and shopping
Hates: restlessness
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: cheeseburgers
Favorite book: Friends & Lovers - Eric Jerome Dickey
I've been on TB since...: Week 6
Something interesting about yourself: I am 36 and pregnant...unbelievable!
How I like my potatoes: any way and every way
Screen name: PerezMad
Due date: 3/13/14
What you do: I'm a professor
How you met your SO: at a college we were both affiliated with through a mutual friend
Fur babies: none (but we have a bird)
Loves: thrift store shopping, writing, morning walks
Hates: mushrooms
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: spinach, tomatoes (although I did give in to a piece of fried chicken the other day)
Favorite book: Barrio Dreams
I've been on TB since...: on & off for a few months
Something interesting about yourself: I completed a great research project, I have a pretty great wardrobe (which I'll miss temporarily)
How I like my potatoes: I usually substitute them for tomatoes
Due date: 4/16/13
What you do: teacher
How you met your SO: a bar
Fur babies: Kane, our pit bull
Loves: my son, running, working out
Hates: fatigue and dealing with stupid
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: Wendy's hamburgers
Favorite book: The Help
I've been on TB since...: my son was cooking
Something interesting about yourself: I am missing a tooth, but you would never know
How I like my potatoes: French fried
Screen name: chirico3
Due date: 04/18=2014
What you do: I am a chemist
How you met your SO: at work!
Fur babies: none - yet!
Loves: cooking
Hates: hypocrisy
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: nothing really - more pregnancy adversions
Favorite book: Tocaia Grande - Jorge Amado
I've been on TB since...: I found our, 10 days ago!
Something interesting about yourself: I play music since 8. So I am very careful of only listening to good music now that I am pregnant, to "educate" my little one!
How I like my potatoes: in gnocchi or in a salad with muustard and chives
Screen name: fssh16
Due date: 5/4/14
What you do: nurse
How you met your SO: high school
Fur babies: 2 small doggies
Loves: the fall weather! pumpkin spice anything and a fireplace fire with some hot tea and a good show
Hates: nausea
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: mexican and chinese food
Favorite book: any sort of cheesy mystery novel
I've been on TB since...: a month ago
Something interesting about yourself: I am a tv junkie! Latest obsession is 19 kids and counting
How I like my potatoes: french fried or mashed with cheese and garlic
Screen name: JennyOR30
Due date: May 17th, 2014
What you do: OR RN
How you met your SO: Through a mutual friend
Fur babies: Beagle-Mutt named Sadie we adopted almost 4 years ago
Loves: SEC Football (Primarily Auburn); scrapbooking, watching DS in swim meets, hubby's pampering
Hates: Tuna, MUD (work with a lot of overdramatic females), itchy boobs from pregnancy
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: grape tomatoes, mac&cheese, homemade chicken fingers
Favorite book: Anything Phillippa Gregory, Safe Haven
I've been on TB since...: about 2 weeks ago
Something interesting about yourself: Have 2 published novels
How I like my potatoes: anyway but sweet, usually loaded with cheese, bacon, and sour cream
Screen name: Silvermystique13
Due date: June 18, 2014
What you do: Online College Student and Housewife, currently
How you met your SO: My childhood best friend, who was working with him at the time
Fur babies: yup, a cat named Zoe
Loves: cats, humor, geeky things, not being nauseous lol
Hates: cruel people, hateful people (ok, not the people but the actions), spiders, and being nauseous
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: usually greasy things, like french fries or tacos
Favorite book: ....only one? I like the Repairman Jack series, the Hollows series, Dresden Files series, Harry Potter series, and books by Stephen King and Neil Gaiman
I've been on TB since...: about October 2013
Something interesting about yourself: ummm, I'm commonly mistaken as younger than my husband, even though I'm actually the older one?
How I like my potatoes: pretty much any way but raw. Cheese, ketchup and ranch a plus!
Screen name: jonahsma
Due date: 9/21/14
What you do: Colege Student, Babysit, and care for my children and hubby.
How you met your SO: I met him through a mutual friend of ours.
Fur babies: None
Loves: God, my family and Junk food
dislikes: mean people
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: Junk food - chocolate, chips I need to slow my roll
Favorite book: Don't have one at the moment
I've been on TB since...: officially since Nov 2013
Something interesting about yourself: I am very crafty
How I like my potatoes: fried! with tobasco and ketchup
Screen name: CarrieOct15
Due date: Oct 15th
What you do: Human Resources, Accounting, & Payroll for a manufacturing company
How you met your SO: MySpace! Haha. We just celebrated our 6 year anniversary last month
Fur babies: A cat named Caribou
Loves: Warm weather, watching Netflix
Hates: Snow (I live in Ohio), people who don't use turn signals
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: Basically all junk food
Favorite book: I can always count on the Harry Potter series to brighten my mood
I've been on TB since...: About 3 weeks ago, maybe? Although I've been checking it out since I first suspected I was pregnant
Something interesting about yourself: I write a beauty blog (but I've been slacking off ever since I found out the big news!)
How I like my potatoes: Mashed, with lots of butter
Screen name: Lex9708
Due date: July 8th, 2016
What you do: Human Resources Specialist
How you met your SO: Working in a hotel during college
Fur babies: Shi tzu named Louie
Loves: Cooking, Baking, Shopping, the beach
Hates: overly emotional people
Biggest pregnancy cravings so far: Bagles, salt, and sweets!
Favorite book: Something Borrowed/ Something Blue
I've been on TB since...: About 4 months, started joining when i was interested in getting pregnant.
Something interesting about yourself: I speak English and Italian, I am a jersey girl from the jersey shore
How I like my potatoes: French Fries!!!