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: Somebody has to start it...names?
Girl names were tough for us. I can't think of any that please me right now.
Kimberliley
we had Anthony for a boy, but my sister decided to use it as her sons middle name.. Nope.. I'm not bitter..
ET 9/10 - transferred 1 perfect 5AA blast
7dp5dt BFP ~~ Beta on 9/19 - 77.4 Beta #2 on 9/21 - 357
Low heartbeat on 10/7 86, lower heartbeat on 10/11 76, no heartbeat 10/14/13. D&C 10/15/13
Tests revealed MTHFR c677t mutation, put on Folgard.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FET #1 1/6/14 - 4BB blast - BFN
Girls: Jacqueline, Lillian
Dx: Endometriosis (2010), PCOS (2013)
TTC since 8/2012
BFP 3/9/2014 Femara 7mg + trigger. EDD 11/20/2014
http://amycookiemonster.blogspot.com
Boy: Charles Xavier
Girl: ? Patricia (named after my aunt who passed away last year who was like a mom to me)
We picked out names almost as soon as we found out we were expecting - we had been talking about them for almost a year though, so it wasn't really difficult to do.
Casimir Rex - Yes it is a bit weird but we like it and would call him Cas.
Charlotte Rae - We would probably call her Charlie, because DH has a hard time pronouncing Charlotte (it comes out as Charla) but we both think the name is so pretty and feminine.
We like the name Luna for a girl too but Charlotte made us happier.
Logan born October 31, 2011
My two year old son is Elkanah Brave, he goes by Elk.
My boy name is Berahkiah Scout, nn Bear.
My girl name is Swanilde, not 100% on a middle name yet.
I have an extremely obscure Nordic name and I love it. Obviously there are drawbacks to being the only person with my name, but mostly I love it. My husband wants a "bear" to go with our "elk" if it's a boy. Both Berahkiah and Elkanah are Hewbrew names.
If we have a girl I love the name Swanilde, a variation on a name I came across when reading the Icelandic sagas and old German mythology. It's similar to Elkanah, I think, in that it has an animal name buried in the first few letters but you don't pronounce it that way.
In German mythology Svanhild is the most beautiful woman alive. It means "Battle Swan".
I live in an urban area on the west coast and unusual names are the norm here.
Amelia Lynne or Cara Evelynne if it's a girl. Thomas Gannon if it's a boy.
I LOVE the name Piper for a girl, but our last name ends in "or". What do you girls think -- too matchy/matchy?
For a boy, I like Eric, Dylan, Dominick (Nick), Phillip
Girl- Charlotte Lucielle or Lucy (or Lucielle) Claire - we would call her Lucy either way
Boy- Maxwell Lincoln (but our first son's name is Holden Kennedy and then it would sound like we name our kids after assassinated presidents....
Dh likes Oliver
Harrison, but my pregnant sister already called dibs.
Girl will be Frankie. We decided that by accident waaaaay before we even dreamed we'd be here! Still sticking.
If it's a girl:
Coralynn Marie
Hiley Pearl
If it's a boy:
William Randall
Levi Todd
Raylen Mac
BFP 2/25/14 EDD 11/5/14 BD 11/4/14
BFP 8/26/17 EDD 5/5/18
Boy names we like Navy and Maksim. Not sure on middle names
Kirsten Johanna
Cooper Jeffrey