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.
KH826
member
Re: What's up this weekend?
QOTW (just cuz!): If you suddenly had an unplanned long weekend, and you wanted to do something fun, what would you do (let's pretend money is no object, because that's more fun)? We would definitely grab the pups, rent a cabin and head up to Idyllwild!
I hope everyone has a great weekend!!
Edit: forgot the QOTW
Married: 10/4/2013
TTC Since September 2014
BFP 11/30/2014 ~ EDD 8/13/2015 ~ CP 12/5/2014
BFP #2 12/30/2014 ~ EDD 9/13/2015 Stick bean stick!
Tomorrow - The kids have a 'learn to ride your bike' class in the AM. They refuse to learn from us, so we are trying this route. If L is still miserable, I'll take them alone. We are supposed to go to a Family Dinner at church tomorrow night, but it will depend on how L feels.
Sunday - Church and then the kids' sports all afternoon. Dinner with friends and then home to get ready for the week.
ETA ; If it was a just a long weekend, I'd head to Maine to see the fall foliage,enjoy the fall weather, have a lobster roll of 2, hike Cadillac Mtn, and do a lighthouse tour (which L would flip for!) L's never been and always wanted to go. I wouldn't want to spend most of my long weekend traveling.
There are some seriously heavy conversations going on here today, and while I'm excited about those and appreciate them (and I have a lot to say on both topics) for some reason this is the thread I'm responding to. So thanks, @KH826, for starting this one!
I believe, for a real change, that we have absolutely nothing scheduled for this weekend. I'm sure that S will have to work some. And staying home all weekend just is NOT an option anymore because G just needs to move. The weather is supposed to be cold and rainy (and maybe snowy for the love of god), so we may go to the Children's Museum tomorrow morning. Other than that, I have no idea what we'll do. If it wasn't going to be so wet, I'd bundle up the kid and try to get some yardwork done. But I don't see that happening. I'm open to suggestions!
QOTW: @crazyaunt84, I totally agree that plan sounds perfect. For me. I LOOOOVE Paris. S said it "Smells like pee," and would prefer London. I suppose I could live with that. Actually, maybe Edinburgh. S has never been there, and I would love to go back. Even for just a long weekend.
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
@JGY - after responding to both of the heavy conversations, I started this thread. I felt like I needed it. Glad someone else did too. Balance!
So tomorrow my wife and I will have been together for 10 years. A decade. Woah. How are we old enough for this? Oh, we are! Anywhoo.... we have decided in lieu of gifts to go shopping and each buy a few new Fall outfits. My wife wants more "Mom clothes" -- her new SAHM uniform of yoga pants and tshirts/sweatshirts is starting to get her down a little and she wants to find some new things that are comfy, but also fun and her style. I am excited about that for her! I also need a few things because the clothes I bought when I went back to work at the end of July are too big (yay!) but I am not yet back into my pre-pregnancy stuff (booo!), so I need some in-betweeny stuff to hold me over. Maybe 2 pairs of work pants a and a couple of sweaters. I can make do with some other things I have until I am back to where I want to be. Hopefully.
Then we also have groceries and a 4-month DYI photo shoot for Mr. William tomorrow!
Sunday we are going to a local farm/pumpkin patch with my mother-in-law. It should be fun, and hopefully a good photo op!
QOTW: I added this since I recently one a bonus vaca day at work, and I would really like to do something fun for a long weekend, but I am not sure what. Obviously, Paris is out of the question, but it is fun to day dream about your ideal long weekend. In reality, we will probably plan a day trip or two and do some fun fall activity. BUT, I think my dream long weekend would be more aligned with what @CrazyAunt84 had in mind!
Me - 30, My wife - 31 , Together for 10 yrs - Married August 2012
5 medicated IUIs w/ RE (March - July 2013) = BFN
Fresh IVF Cycle in September 2013 resulted in 18 mature eggs, 16 fertilized, 12 made it to day 5. Transfer of 2 Grade A blastocysts on 9/15/13, and 10 embryos in the freezer! *****BFP on 9/25/13 - betas: @10dp5dt = 232; @12dp5dt = 465; @15dp5dt = 1,581 *********William George born June 4, 2014*********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
@mwagner25 - I actually said "Yay!" when I saw you had posted a bunch today.
YES! Get your buns up here to MN already.
ETA - I have tagging issues
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
C has her CDL class tomorrow and Sunday for a few hours. Tomorrow I'm going to town with her and I will get groceries while she's in class. After we might head up to see our friend who recently has twin boys. Other than that, we need to get cracking on wood again. At least I can help now and not feel useless...though I would have been useless for a good reason.
QOTW: I would want to go to Maine or out west and go moose watching.
Me: 30 DW (aka C): 29
Together since 2/15/11 ~ Legally married in NY on 9/29/12
***CP mentioned***
We've been working on baby #1 since July 2013 using Open ID donor sperm. 8 IUI attempts with 5 actual IUIs and one chemical pregnancy. We have one fresh IVF cycle under our belts as well as a FET. I have endometriosis and a uterine septum that was corrected via surgery in November 2013.
11/14/14 - Second HSG shows that tubes are still clear and ute is looking good.
12/6/14 - Started BCPs in prep for IVF #2
12/22/14 - Saline u/s and endometrial scratch (All was clear and OUCH!)
1/2/15 - Began stimming for IVF #2
****All Welcome!****
We are Mommas to four fur babies - 3 dogs and 1 cat.
QOTW: hm, just a long weekend, I'd probably get a super fancy hotel in Chicago and we could do the Chicago thing without having to worry about spending too much!!
ETA: forgot my sister's foster daughter was nominated for homecoming court and this week is homecoming.... So looks like I get to hit up some exciting high school football tonight!
No big things on the schedule this weekend. Yay! I think we'll lay low tonight because we have date night for my birthday dinner tomorrow night. Ash's teacher at school is coming to babysit. It's not as exciting as it sounds. We usually (as in the 2 or 3 times we've gone on dates in the last 10.5 months) wait until 7:30 to leave so that I can nurse Ash and not have to worry about expressing milk while I'm out. Then, by the time it's time for dessert, I would swear to you it's around midnight, but when I look at the click, it's about 9:30. I'm old.
I hope to go on a run or two with Z and the munchkin. I think it's cooking off a bit over the weekend, so hopefully it will be decent running weather.
QOTW: A long weekend away where I can eat all the food, drink all the wine, and sleep all night on fancy sheets sounds perfect to me right now.
Have a good weekend, all!
ME-34 DW-28
Together since 1-2012
Married 9-24-2013
Started TTC with RE January 2014.
Open donor sperm
IUI #1 (1-31-14) Clomid + HCG Trigger=BFN
IUI #2 (2-27-14) Gonal F + HCG trigger=BFN Benched for 2 weeks due to cysts. Placed on BCP
IUI #3 (4-7-14) Gonal F + HCG trigger=BFN Benched for 3 weeks due to 6 cysts. Placed on BCP
IVF#1 Lupron 10iu, Menopur 150iu, Gonal F 400iu, HCG trigger
ER#1 (6-3-14) 9 Eggs, 8 Fertilized,
ET#1 (6-8-14) 2 Day 5 Blastocysts transferred
6-20-14 BFP 12dp5dt Beta 114.9
15dp5dt Beta 365
Low progesterone start PIO/Crinone
6-23-14 Ultrasound shows no sac. Beta dropped. Chemical.
IVF#2 Menopur 150iu, Gonal F450iu, Ganirelix, Lupron trigger
ER#2 8-13-14 7 Eggs, 3 Fertilized and frozen
FET scheduled for 10-11-14
FET Canceled due to thin lining
IVF #2 Fresh Cycle Scheduled for December 2014
Happy Anniversary, @KH826! 10 years! What a lovely milestone!
Married: 10/4/2013
TTC Since September 2014
BFP 11/30/2014 ~ EDD 8/13/2015 ~ CP 12/5/2014
BFP #2 12/30/2014 ~ EDD 9/13/2015 Stick bean stick!
Good to hear there are happy times ahead for so many people
Our lodgers left on the 1st and we've spent the last three days bleaching mould from ceiling, walls and curtains, moving furniture and deep cleaning the carpet. It's starting to look half decent but there's still window frames and skirting boards need bleaching...A and I both have work all weekend but guess what else we'll be doing?
QOTW: We would probably just do what we usually do for fun. Spend the day happily trawling the charity shops, lunch at a multi-cultural all you can eat, maybe ice-cream on the waterfront and then either the cinema (if money was no object) or home with a nice stir fry and a selection of our favourite programmes. We both believe it's the little rituals you create as a couple that have the most meaning. Who needs Paris, when you have the other half?
If I could do whatever this weekend and money is not an issue, I would take my wife to beach and the only reason why we would leave the beach is to shower and sleep.:)