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.
litzo27
member
Re: Tuesday GTKY (all from your suggestions!)
2. At a comedy club on our first date
3. Two siamese cats, 12 years old already.
1) Clinique yellow moisturizer
2) At a club on Halloween. I think I was dressed as a drunk magic 8 ball.
3) uhmm...we have a caterpillar in a mason jar. His name is Fred.
2. In the doorway to his apartment, almost 12 years ago.
3. One of our fuzzballs helping us watch tennis.
2. My apartment
3. We have a 6 year old Chesapeake Bay Retriever (Kona). We got her as an 8 week old puppy right after we got married.
2. My college apartment
3. 1 dog, 8-year-old "miniature" schnauzer (he's 30 lbs)
2. In the front yard at my dad's house when DH came over to "re-meet" the family.
3. 4 year old pit - Keeda, 10 month old pit - Ruckus.
2. my parents' driveway
3. we have three cats that like to sleep in a big pile:
1. Base. No matter what I can't go outside without applying base.
2. After a movie, sitting in the theater. No we weren't making out in a movie theater.
3. We have 5 cats.
s/o pets, does anyone WANT a cat. Jk...sort of.
We never planned on having this many. DH and I each had 2 when we got married, so that was 4. Then a cat showed up at our house and had kittens. We rehomed the kittens, fixed the cat and just fed her outside until we moved. At that point she graduated to our cat. You can tell by the 5th's cat name ("Kitty") that we were kind of quitting by that point. But she's the sweetest one we have.
=((
1. Coconut oil- I am new on this band wagon but I clean my face with it and use it as a moisturizer at night - amazing stuff for my face.
2. Dorm room
3. We had a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog - Maggie but she passed away last year. We miss her dearly.
1. BB cream
2. I was buckled into my car and he was above me on a high curb and opened the door and kissed me outside his office.
3. A dingo x kelpie who immigrated back to the US with me from Australia. She's 12 and I hope her life span runs true to dingo - they can apparently live to 22.
2. At a bus stop outside the movie theater. We'd just seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. (Totally dating myself) and were waiting for the busses to take us back to our respective colleges.
3. A 7 tear old Olde English Bulldogge (basically a bulldog mix) and a tank with a Beta and Catfish. I love those fish.
2. Location of first kiss with your SO - outside his apartment forever ago
3. Pets - bonus for photos - 11 year old pom Bailey - In my signature!
Married: 5/09 ~ TTC Since: 10/10 ~ PCOS ~ Progesterone from 10/10 - 2/11 ~ HSG on 3/18 - Clear ~ Started Metformin 1000mg & Clomid 50mg 2/11 ~ Metformin upped to 1500mg 4/6 ~ 6/7 Now going to SG and put on Clomid, Ovidrel, Gonal F, Prometrium, Estrace ~ IUI #1 7/2 = BFP!!!!!! March 6th our little man was born.
6/17/13 - Ovidrel, Follistim, Prometrium ~ IUI #1 7/2 = BFP! March 17th our St. Pattys day baby arrived
10/29/17 - Started process for IVF, got pregnant & miscarried a 2nd time since summer. 2/22 started stims - Menopur, Gonal F, Cetrotide - retrieval 3/6 - , PIO, estrace 3xday - FET 4/18 = Beta 1: 616; Beta 2: 1342 = BFP
2. Location of first kiss with your SO On a street corner after our second date.
3. Pets - bonus for photos No pets. I have terrible allergies. Cat allergies are worse than dog allergies for me. Cat allergies involve hives (particularly fun when they appear on my eyeballs - I look like Woogie from There's Something About Mary), asthma attacks, sneezing, etc. It can take days to recover from one exposure. Dog allergies still exist, though not nearly as severe. But at this point in my life, I have no desire to train a puppy. None.
It is easier to scoop the backyard because you can see it?
No annoying yip.
Doubles as a pony. In our house this would be a selling point because I respond to most unreasonable requests with "And I want a pink pony." You could have an apricot standard poodle and a pink pony all in one.
It will not get stepped on/crushed by the children/you/DH.
(I don't like little dogs. DD dogsits two Great Pyrenees and does great with them, so if he needs an anecdote about little kids and big dogs....there you go.)
God Bless You my Little One
Farida, our first child, born on the 19th of July 2014
Farida, at 8 weeks
2. We were out as friends with a huge group of people. A drunken night in grad school (Houston, Texas). I was in his car and he got out to look for someone. He came over and gave me a peck through the window before walking away. Good times.
3. Grew up with dogs and cats. Have had only cats after living on my own because I don't like leaving dogs alone for long days. Had 3 cats forever and then my spunky calico passed about two years ago after a long fight with cancer. I now have 2 old, crazy, and obese cats.
Butting in...my son had his most severe dog allergic reaction to a labradoodle. Not sure about the dander, he seems sensitive to protein in saliva. It was my boss's dog and she kept saying "no, can't be...he is a hypoallergenic dog." As my kid was covered in hives and heavy wheezing.
hope it's okay if i butt in to add my 2 cents.
i think a standard poodle would be better with kids because they are larger and more durable. also, you don't have the concern with shedding that you would with most other larger dogs.
a couple of things about poodles- don't forget about the cost/hassle of constant grooming. also, they are incredibly intelligent, but they are also very emotionally sensitive to what is going on in the household. they can tend towards being high strung and nervous (i think this is more true of the toy/miniatures than the standards).
my mom has a miniature poodle. she is a wonderful dog, always playful and energetic, and loved kids when she encountered them on walks. but, she had a really hard time adjusting to DS. he is very active and once he was mobile and all over her, she got very scared and nervous around him. we tried very hard to protect her from DS and soothe her, but it was tough on her. she is just now getting over it, now that DS can control his impulses a little. she is only one dog, and she was introduced to DS as an adult, but my experience with her and DS makes me inclined to say that miniatures might not be the best choice for younger kids.
these links have good personality breakdowns if you haven't already seen them:
https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/miniaturepoodles.html
https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/standardpoodles.html
Married: 5/09 ~ TTC Since: 10/10 ~ PCOS ~ Progesterone from 10/10 - 2/11 ~ HSG on 3/18 - Clear ~ Started Metformin 1000mg & Clomid 50mg 2/11 ~ Metformin upped to 1500mg 4/6 ~ 6/7 Now going to SG and put on Clomid, Ovidrel, Gonal F, Prometrium, Estrace ~ IUI #1 7/2 = BFP!!!!!! March 6th our little man was born.
6/17/13 - Ovidrel, Follistim, Prometrium ~ IUI #1 7/2 = BFP! March 17th our St. Pattys day baby arrived
10/29/17 - Started process for IVF, got pregnant & miscarried a 2nd time since summer. 2/22 started stims - Menopur, Gonal F, Cetrotide - retrieval 3/6 - , PIO, estrace 3xday - FET 4/18 = Beta 1: 616; Beta 2: 1342 = BFP
A lot of my issue is DH. He has always wanted a more masculine dog (lab, golden retriever, etc.) but I can't have those dogs because of my allergies. Getting our schnauzer was a huge compromise and I think the only reason DH was okay with it was because the breeder we got him from told us he would probably be way bigger than the average miniature schnauzer.
Thanks for those websites. I'll definitely look into some other breeds.
1. BB cream - Garnier or CVS brand because I'm cheap
2. at the stop sign down the road from my parents house
3. we have a lab/shepherd mix... so a mutt. His name is Diesel and he is a 4 year old puppy.
2. At a bar
3. A Vizsla
Married: 5/09 ~ TTC Since: 10/10 ~ PCOS ~ Progesterone from 10/10 - 2/11 ~ HSG on 3/18 - Clear ~ Started Metformin 1000mg & Clomid 50mg 2/11 ~ Metformin upped to 1500mg 4/6 ~ 6/7 Now going to SG and put on Clomid, Ovidrel, Gonal F, Prometrium, Estrace ~ IUI #1 7/2 = BFP!!!!!! March 6th our little man was born.
6/17/13 - Ovidrel, Follistim, Prometrium ~ IUI #1 7/2 = BFP! March 17th our St. Pattys day baby arrived
10/29/17 - Started process for IVF, got pregnant & miscarried a 2nd time since summer. 2/22 started stims - Menopur, Gonal F, Cetrotide - retrieval 3/6 - , PIO, estrace 3xday - FET 4/18 = Beta 1: 616; Beta 2: 1342 = BFP
2. In the kitchen of my third floor apartment. We, too, were *ahem* joined at the hip from our first date on.
3. Down to one ten year old cat currently.
2. On my living room couch. I took out my contacts and put on my glasses and he asked to get a closer look at my glasses and then moved in for the kiss. It was pretty cute.
3. We have two chihuahuas, Brownie:
and Mocha:
Married Bio * BFP Charts
Late to the party...
1) Aveeno diaper rash cream as a moisterizer...my rosacea is finally under control thanks to that!
2) on the coush in his parent's basement
3) two cats
1. Tarte Amazonian clay BB cream.
2. At my first apartment, after our first date.
3. We have a German Shepherd; she's 8 years old. Best dog we could've asked for. She is so loving and loyal.
1.) Facial mask
2.) My apartment from senior year of college...up against a wall if you must know.
3.) Cats: Jameson (7 y.o), Newton (6 y.o), Horse: Red (18 y.o.)