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.
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Re: ~o ~o ~o 2WW Saturday ~o ~o ~o
@kmfred yay for a squinter! Fx it's something for you! Let's see the pics!
Cycle/Month: 1/1
CD/DPO: 19/7
Timing: great
Testing plans: Tuesday at 10dpo
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: still some cramping. And a zit
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances?
No, sadly
BFP 6/15/14 EDD: 2/24/15
CD/DPO: 19/4
Timing: Pretty good
Testing plans: None - waiting until AF is due or late
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: Nothing.
I have a question: Does anyone stop temping after O is confirmed? I temped all the way through last cycle, but I found that I over analyzed every temp dip or spike, almost to the point of driving myself crazy. I'm thinking about stopping during my LP this time around. Any thoughts, advice? Or is that just a bad idea?
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? Nope. Although I was an extra in a really tiny Canadian made-for-TV movie that nobody's ever heard of and I made it into two different scenes. That was fun.
Cycle/Month: 3al, a year overall
CD/DPO: 26/ 9 or 10ish?
Timing: good being we did eod all month
Testing plans: tested this morning, bfn
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: I am usually such a pessimist but I had such a strong feeling that this was our month, I felt the same type weird dull cramps that I had with my first bfp and have been super dooper tired.. But I guess that goes to show me to stop letting symptoms make me think anything is happening .. So bummed!
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? A few years back I went to get gas during a blizzard and news 12 was there and interviewed me, it played allllllll day and I got like a million texts and Facebook posts about it... Lol it was embarrassing I sounded so dumb!
Me (30) DH (31) Married 5/13, TTC since 2/13
BFP # 3, EDD 2/21/15 * please be our rainbow*BFP #1 Blighted Ovum resulting in D&C on 11/1/13
BFP #2 Ectopic Pg, lap surgery on 3/12/14, R tube removed
Cycle/Month: 4/4
CD/DPO: 19/8
Timing: Pretty darn near perfect (only missed -4)
Testing plans: Started today cause ehhhh why not. BFN on a wondfo.
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: Lots of cramping this morning, temp dip but I took it earlier than usual.
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? Yup! I was a cheerleader for the Bills for two years so I got camera time at games, and did a couple interviews on small local tv channels. Oh, and a commercial for laser eye surgery.
CD/DPO: CD 26/ 12DPO
Timing: good
Testing plans: BFN today. Going to wait to a few days to see if AF comes before I test again.
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: I have some back aches and slight cramps feels like period cramps. Took a test yesterday and there was a SLIGHT line. I tried again this morning and BFN but I used a different test. Temp still elevated.
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? I won a pumpkin decorating contest when I was in 4th grade and got my picture in the local newspaper!
Sometimes I stop temping after O is confirmed and start again a few days before AF is due. My temp drops the day of my period and it is obvious AF is coming that day. Hope that is helpful!
CD/DPO: 35-FF took away my crosshairs 2 days ago so no idea (they must have been wrong anyways otherwise i would be 20 DPO and thats not real)
Timing: I don't know
Testing plans: Fridays til AF
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: Chart stalk please! This is my first full month charting and I thought is was going so good and now its not....thoughts
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? I have been on tv in groups but never on my own or with my name mentioned so I guess no.
TTC 10/2013
RE Help from 10/2014-10/2016 (11 failed IUIs, a corrective surgery, and a donor embryo cycle)
9/2016-transferred two donor embies
BFP 9/29/26 EDD June 11
Cycle/Month: 4/8 I think
CD/DPO: 27/4
Timing: -4, -1
Testing plans: 11dpo
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: I've had a lot of cramps, and my face is breaking out like crazy! Now that I finally Oed I'm getting so excited/impatient to test!
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? The news came and filmed at our house once when I was growing up and I was in the background... Not very exciting lol
Formerly Aaren91011
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!
TTC 10/2013
RE Help from 10/2014-10/2016 (11 failed IUIs, a corrective surgery, and a donor embryo cycle)
9/2016-transferred two donor embies
BFP 9/29/26 EDD June 11
Cycle/Month: 1/1
CD/DPO: 19/5
Timing: O-3, O-2, O, O+1
Testing plans: I want to test 10DPO and probably will because I am the most impatient person alive... but FF is telling me March 8 would be best so probably both days. (And maybe in between)
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: I seriously keep waking myself up two hours earlier than normal now that I'm doing bbt. Do you know how annoying that is? Other than sketchy temp times, I started having right pelvic pain and cramping in general yesterday. Plus had a killer backache but that was probably from drilling bolts into our walls to hang our flat screens. Since this is my first month of FF and I never really payed attention before this I'm not sure whats up. Hopefully next month I'll be able to have a clearer understanding of whats going on with me.
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? When I was younger my mom always took me to casting calls because I was sure I wanted to be a famous actress. Haha. I wasn't too bad either. I know I was filmed for a few commercials but who knows if they aired. Other than that no television spotlight on this lady.
Formerly Aaren91011
Formerly Aaren91011
BFP 6/15/14 EDD: 2/24/15
CD/DPO: 17/3
Timing: Not great...IUI and sex on O day
Testing plans: Gonna test out my trigger and then try to wait until 14 dpo
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks:
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? Yes. I've been in a couple of commercials, and I had very brief appearances on the news pretty regularly during high school during the high school football highlights. I was a cheerleader.
My Age - 41, DH's Age - 42
Dx: Endometriosis, Stenosis of the Cervix, Uterine Polyp, Hostile CM and Borderline PCOS
Stage 1 Endo and Uterine Polyp removed and Cervix widened on July 9, 2012.
IUI #1 Clomid 50 mg - 3/6/13 BFN
IUI #2 Clomid 50 mg - 4/3/13 BFN
IUI #3 Clomid 50 mg - 10/4/13 BFN
IUI #4 Clomid 100 mg + HCG trigger - 11/2/13 BFN
Cycle #28 - Clomid 100 mg + HCG trigger + TI (IUI #5 cancelled) - 2/5/14 BFN
IUI #5 Clomid 100 mg + HCG trigger - 3/5/14 BFN
CD/DPO: 17/3
Timing: Not great...IUI and sex on O day
Testing plans: Gonna test out my trigger and then try to wait until 14 dpo
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks:
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? Yes. I've been in a couple of commercials, and I had very brief appearances on the news pretty regularly during high school during the high school football highlights. I was a cheerleader.
My Age - 41, DH's Age - 42
Dx: Endometriosis, Stenosis of the Cervix, Uterine Polyp, Hostile CM and Borderline PCOS
Stage 1 Endo and Uterine Polyp removed and Cervix widened on July 9, 2012.
IUI #1 Clomid 50 mg - 3/6/13 BFN
IUI #2 Clomid 50 mg - 4/3/13 BFN
IUI #3 Clomid 50 mg - 10/4/13 BFN
IUI #4 Clomid 100 mg + HCG trigger - 11/2/13 BFN
Cycle #28 - Clomid 100 mg + HCG trigger + TI (IUI #5 cancelled) - 2/5/14 BFN
IUI #5 Clomid 100 mg + HCG trigger - 3/5/14 BFN
TTC 10/2013
RE Help from 10/2014-10/2016 (11 failed IUIs, a corrective surgery, and a donor embryo cycle)
9/2016-transferred two donor embies
BFP 9/29/26 EDD June 11
CD/DPO: 44/12
Timing: -5, -4, -2, O, +1
Testing plans: BFN this morning
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks:
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances?
ETA: hit send too soon, @kmfred I can't say for sure that I see a line, but I do see some pink where the test line would be, if that makes sense? FX for you!
CD/DPO: 23/9
Timing: -5, -3, O
Testing plans: None unless I hit 15 or 16 DPO
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: A bit crampy this morning. My back is also killing me but I'm pretty sure that has to do with not sleeping in my bed for a few nights earlier this week.
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? Locally - yes. I used to be a cheering coach in the district I work in, and I'd do a lot of special stuff with the local community tv station. Every fall, one of the other coaches and I would do a preview of what was coming up for our seasons, and then we'd go into the studio and add commentary to the cheering competitions that our squads participated in. I used to have little girls come up to me all the time asking if I was the cheering coach they saw on tv. It was really cute.
CD/DPO: 22/9
Timing: -1, O, +2
Testing plans: Trying to wait until 11dpo, will see then.
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: I'm tired and moody, sad feeling. Not sure what that's about- other than crap happening yesterday with a friend. Not sure if it's from that, or what.. I feel almost PMS'y, but it's kinda early.
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances?
Formerly Aaren91011
CD/DPO: 31/?
Timing: good hopefully!
Testing plans: Planning for next Saturday if AF doesn't show
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: None
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? Nope!
We love our fur babies Luna (2013) and Dozer(2014)!
TTC 10/2013
RE Help from 10/2014-10/2016 (11 failed IUIs, a corrective surgery, and a donor embryo cycle)
9/2016-transferred two donor embies
BFP 9/29/26 EDD June 11
CD/DPO: 22/6
Timing: -3,-2,O
Testing Plans: I have a work happy hour/drunk fest on the 28th. My goal is to hold out until then. I'll either drink away my sorrows or order mocktails and impress everyone with my high tolerance.
Rants/thoughts/chart stalks/phantom symptoms: I have terrible hip pain from an old injury, sore boobs, and a stuffy nose. I slept in a weird position, boob pain has been normal PMS and my husband gave me his cold.
GTKY: I've been in a news segment once. I also have been in a music video.
CD/DPO: 30/13
Timing: -4, -2, -1, O
Testing Plans: I am TRYING to wait until Monday when AF is due. I only have one FRER and I get bummed seeing a BFN. I know it's super early in the TTC journey, but SO is so optimistic and excited that it makes me kind of neurotic. I'm preparing myself mentally for AF or BFN because I feel like I'm letting him down in a way. DUMB because he's supportive and cool, he's just so positive that it makes me have negative thoughts lol
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: my boobs are enormous and I have a metallic taste in my mouth. I have been really emotional and tired, but these all happened last month too so I'm not looking into it much.
GTKY: not that I know of! I used to live on Hollywood Blvd and would walk into filming all the time, but never been on tv that I'm aware of
Same. I was about to say CD 15 and then counted the 20 day LP-- which I remember you talking about now that I think of it.
CD/DPO: 20, 4DPO
Timing: N/A
Testing plans: None
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: I used to have solid CH on my chart, but when I added EWCM for today it made them dotted.
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances? Nope, not really. H was interviewed on NPR once though, so he's had his 15 minutes.
CD/DPO: 22/9
Timing: -1,O
Testing plans: maybe Tuesday if no spotting or AF.
Rants/Phantom Symptoms/Chart Stalks: aside from my monster boobs, my temps have stayed low this cycle- 97.18-97.33- with the exception of one spike after drinking, and one random, giant spike got no reason two days ago. It just doesn't give me much hope
GTKY: Have you had your 15 minutes of fame? Any TV appearances?: No TV appearances, but a blog I wrote did get featured on the front page of Wordpress.com, and I got thousands of hits and comments off of it. That was pretty cool.
Trying to have baby #1 since April 2013
DH SA March,May 2014 - Low motility and shape issues. On vitamins per RE to help
Me testing April 3, 2014 - FSH and LH good, HSG showed blocked right tube
April 29, 2014 - First RE appt., right tube needs to be removed and possibly left also if
it's bad too. RE suggests going straight to IVF
June 4, 2014 - LAP/HSC and unexpected endo. removed but tubes got to stay!
June 13, 2014 - Post-Op appointment. We decide where to go next since main issue
is MFI influenced. Trying naturally until decision... Repeat SA in September. Aiming for IUI #1 November 2014.