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.
Geeps2
member
Re: Going back to work
I know at some point they will start to take her places instead of hanging out at home all day. Its much easier for me since it's just E. While I'm not crazy about the idea, I just remind myself that they have all managed with taking their other grandkids places, so i'm sure everything will be fine. Plus, I get bored staying home all day, I can only imagine being at someone else's house all day. Although my mom does text me occasionally and ask where the vacuum and cleaning supplies are!
Good luck with your return!
We need an update Guennie!
MWhipple- Wow I can't believe you've been back that long. I was lucky with my 1st I had her in Feb and I took the rest of the year off. I was teaching and had been there for years so I had a ton of time banked.
I went back to work when my DD was 6 months old. I told my Mom and In-laws that if she did anything for the 1st time I didn't want to know about it. My mom understood, my MIL looked at me like I was nuts. She said "like if if her tooth pops through I shouldn't tell you." and I told her, no, it'll still be there when I get home from work to discover it for myself. My MIL was big into her getting her 1st teeth. I have no idea why but she was. Luckily for me they abided by my wishes. Luckily for us she really did do most things with us 1st.
When it was just my daughter I had no problem with them taking her places. But now that she is 2 and quite a handful its more of a safety issue. Both my in-laws are older and they don't move quickly at all so I can forsee a slew of problems having to juggle the baby and my crazy 2 year old (just turned 2 on Sunday) who has a mind of her own.
I too get bored staying at home, I was always out and about when I just had my daughter. Now that the baby is here getting out of the house is a challenge with both of them. There have been numerous concerns before the baby got here. My MIL would always say "she just doesn't understand the word no, and stop." Umm yeah she is only 2 (at that point she wasn't even 2 yet). My in-laws spilled the beans once that my DD ran into the street while across the street at their neighbors house. Luckily they don't live on a busy street but it isn't the point. My kids are their only grandchildren so it's trial by fire. They only have to watch her 2 days a week and I come home for lunch. I luckily work 5 minutes from my house so I come home daily for lunch. It is going to be interesting to say the least.
I LOVE when it is my Mom's days to watch them because she can't sit still and is a neat freak so she cleans for me
I'll start laundry and she will dry and fold it for me, she will load or unload the dishwasher wash the floors etc. LOVE it!!!
Good Times!
Hope you have a great weekend
That's what grandparents do. They live their lives to show off the precious grandbabies. Also the babies need to be used to traveling with their care givers as well as their parents. What if something happened and your MIL NEEDED to go somewhere but did not have a car seat?
My wifes aunt and uncle watch our 2 month old son and their two grandchildren. They both have seat bases in their cars for our car seat as well as a stroller. Both sets of grandparents have seat bases in their vehicles for our car seat and we have a spare seat that bounces around from family member to family member.
There is no reason for these people to stop their lives and be confined to their home simply because they are watching your child for you. It will also be very good for the baby to get out and see the world a little and get introduced to some things that you might not have the opportunity to take them to.
Our parents did a pretty good job of raising us and I think they will be fine taking care of our children.
I feel so lucky that I get to stay home with my baby. It's still hard right now since I'm still pumping...I can't get out of the house with her as much as I'd like, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. She is growing so fast and super close to rolling over. I moved her to her crib in her room a few nights ago because she outgrew the moses basket. I cried so hard!
I like our new home a lot. It's really pretty here and people are so nice! And I'm enjoying the cool temps- I missed my sweaters and my boots.
I turned 41 last week and DH took me out to dinner at Bonefish Grill. It was our first outing with Maddy. She did great and charmed the pants off everyone. She's such a great baby. We are so very lucky.
Anyway, I am perpetually tired and sore from pumping and I'm on my own trying to get unpacked and organized while DH is at work, so it's slow going but I'm getting there. It's going to look great when I'm done.
Geeps, I understand your concerns with your in-laws, a 2 year old is hard to keep up with. I wonder if you could come up with a couple places they could go on occasion that would be a safe environment so they could get out of the house once in awhile and you wouldn't have to worry about them? I'm sure they would appreciate it and it would be good for your kiddos. Would they respect your wishes and only take them to the places you approve?
Guennie- glad to hear you are settling in
and Happy Birthday!!!!
My in-laws will respect our wishes luckily but not without some pouting from my MIL. It's a complicated scenario. It will work itself out. I was just venting basically. Thanks for listening.
Hi Geeps ~ just wanted to say hi and that I understand how you feel about the car issue. When my parents took my son in the car for the first time, I was so nervous. I know they are good drivers, but it felt so strange to see them drive off with him for the first time. I just said lots of prayers to get me through that day. Also -sorry you have to go back to work soon. I'm blessed to be able to work from home so my heart goes out to you. My parents help take care of my son when I work, so that makes it easier for me too. Take care!
My friend has two young kids and when she would go out in busy public places, she would use one of those animal backpack kid friendly leashes, where the stuffed animal's tail acts as a leash. Her daughter loved it and that way she couldn't run off from her. She got the idea from seeing parents at the zoo use them with their kids. It may sound funny to use a leash but because they are geared for kids and only connected to the backpack they wear, it's really cute and works. Just an idea for your MIL when she takes them both out.
That's what grandparents do. They live their lives to show off the precious grandbabies. Also the babies need to be used to traveling with their care givers as well as their parents. What if something happened and your MIL NEEDED to go somewhere but did not have a car seat?
My wifes aunt and uncle watch our 2 month old son and their two grandchildren. They both have seat bases in their cars for our car seat as well as a stroller. Both sets of grandparents have seat bases in their vehicles for our car seat and we have a spare seat that bounces around from family member to family member.
There is no reason for these people to stop their lives and be confined to their home simply because they are watching your child for you. It will also be very good for the baby to get out and see the world a little and get introduced to some things that you might not have the opportunity to take them to.
Our parents did a pretty good job of raising us and I think they will be fine taking care of our children.
---quote fail---
I wouldn't mind GPs taking our babies anywhere to have fun and show them off iiiiiffffffffff (and that's a big if) I could trust them to get there safely in addition to keeping up once they got there. For me, it's not a fear of them doing something without me, or doing something potentially inappropriate, it's about them being unable to see well and not having quick reflexes while driving and running into things all too often without thinking it's a big deal (oh, that's what bumpers are there for). While I would love for the GPs to get out & about, I cringe to think of an infant & toddler wailing in the back seat while poorly attempting to dodge traffic. I've seen my parents barely avoid WAY too many accidents (and even not avoid a couple) to be comfortable with them driving my babies outside of an absolute emergency. I'm tempted to break their hearts and opt for day care for no other reason than safety & sanity. Sorry (but not really) if that makes me unappreciative of their support. Our parents indeed did a fine job of raising us... decades ago. Getting old is a bitch, and so am I.
NuNY- I hear ya! Luckily it has proven too much for them to leave the house so I haven't had to worry about it. I also got my sister's best friend to watch the kids 2 days a week so when it is my Mom's day to watch the kids my mom can take my 2 year old to the library for story time with my sister and my niece and nephew and my sisters Bff stays behind with my 4 month old. I am looking into daycare for next year or seeing if my sisters bff would be interested in watching the kids 5 days a week for me and then the inlaws and my mom could take the 2 yr old places during the day and the BFF would just have the baby.
I don't care about hurting anyone's feelings. I appreciate my family for stepping up and helping out but my kids safety is first and foremost. I won't apologize to anyone for that. Like you said if that makes me a beesh than so be it. I'm glad you get it, as do most of the people that commented.