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.
jlgriff11
member
Re: Registry!
I'm planning on cloth diapering so that alone has given me A LOT to research ad far as what supplies do I actually need.
I had no problems with the target one
Married: May 16th 2015
aden + anais muslin swaddle blanket
--swaddle and so many other uses...
Baby Trend Snap N Go stroller
-- you can find these on Craigslist usually. I love the plentiful storage on this! And it's so light.
Fisher-Price Rock N Play
-- DD slept in this next to our bed for the first 4 months. We were living in a small apt and it was also really convenient to bring it from room to room, especially if she was sleeping but I need to shower or make dinner, etc.
Avent Natural bottles
-- I EBF in the beginning, but when we switched to bottles, I really liked these. I think it helped with nipple confusion. Some of the other bottle nipples on the market seem really strange to me (including the Medela ones!). We actually used Similac bottles for a while but I don't think they even sell those anymore.
Infantino Activity Gym
--we were Team Green with #1 so I got a lot of stuff neutral so we could re-use for future children
JJ Cole Car Seat Cover
-- if you live somewhere cold, this is awesome to keep the baby warm without compromising seat belt safety- it's not safe to put them in the car seat with a bulky jacket.
Skip Hop Diaper Bag
--I feel like mine doesn't have handles like this... but essentially the same bag. What ever you do, make sure you get a diaper bag that you can drape over the stroller handles! You are not going to want that thing on your shoulder all the time. And your under-carriage storage might be full with something else, especially if you're out shopping. You/SO can also just use a backpack. Works just as well.
Enfamil Tri Vi Sol (vitamins for baby)
--we gave these to DD per our pediatrician. They can get pricey. Let someone else buy them, haha!
The First Years infant tub
--the only tub we ever used for DD (and we had others). This was really easy to use.
, 💙💙💙💙💙💙
Rock-n-play, bottles, diapers, clothes, tub, a sling, bouncer, and maybe a swing. If any first time moms want some advice I can help. It also depends on the baby and what she/he likes and doesn't like.
Edit:spelling
* sure I will have a list of things that I need and probably prepurchase a lot myself and have the stores hold. Not clothes though, we are team green.
@BostonBaby1 Are you Jewish? My family doesn't follow that concept, but some of our other Jewish friends do. Apparently it's bad luck?
As for some of my favorite items from DD: Aden & Anais swaddle blankets, mamaroo, play mat/infant gym, Sophie la giraffe, wubbanubs. Also, I was having a girl and I did not register for clothing...which was fine because we got so many clothes.
4 rounds of clomid, 2 with IUI = BFN
I didn't read all of the posts so someone may have already told you that BRU price matches.
Don't be afraid to put some expensive items. A few aunts of mine were very generous and got us some things I didn't think anyone would. Just make sure there is a big range for all budgets.
Target's goody bag is nice
We kept most of the big items from DS (except the clothes). I already started one (Babys R Us), since we're on a budget and I think it'll help me keep track of everything (including sales
They already screwed up my account (my email isn't right) and I just hate to go to the store... so I might just make my own again (like the last pregnancy).