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: June Randoms Thread
first name will be Claire, last name is Meryl, but spelled differently
@Themaritimemama YES!!! Me too!!
Edited for clarity.
Charlotte born at 28w3d due to severe IUGR on 12.24.2012 Merry Christmas!
Missed M/C discovered 12.22.2014 at 8w1d measuring 6w3d
2015 was a year to test strength of both body and character, but it led us to this... BFP 01.26.2016 EDD 9.30.2016
DD #1 3/26/13
Mo/Mo twins MMC 3/31/14
DD #2 3/31/15
DD #3 8/25/16
My husband is also big into golf this year. Dick's Sporting Goods had a great deal of free personalization on golf balls, so I ordered a dozen saying "Best Dad Ever, Happy Fathers Day, Love Emmett" Gotta come up with one other small thing to do, and will definitely be making him a nice big breakfast/brunch on the day!
I love our families, but all last weekend was dedicated to DH's family put of town. This weekend, MIL and FIL came over Saturday and Sunday my grandparents had a celebration for their 62nd anniversary. I'm glad to have them all and see them, but I just want a whole weekend to get things done with the nursery! (We had lots of fun this weekend, so I feel bad complaining...)
We did manage to get more done this weekend, but I didn't think it was going to happen. New closet system bought, old closet shelves are out and nail holes patched, DH installed the lights on the ceiling fan, and paint color is decided. McKenna and I are making a trip to Lowe's today to get the paint and painting accessories we need. DH is going to paint the closet tonight and then, hopefully, install the new closet system tomorrow! Next step is painting the whole room (hopefully will be done by the end of next weekend) then getting carpet installed. I feel like we are making progress on this nursery for the first time!
We have an annual summer BBQ where we invite everyone we know. It's August 6 so I've got time but I've literally done nothing. And literally is also being used correctly here.
Second, I agreed to do a voiceover for a training my company is sending out to all employees...just got the script...it's a freaking book. And I can't breathe and my mouth is creating excessive saliva, so this will be fun!
@Megan324 so sweet!!
@LakeR2014 that sucks, and I have no remedy for you. My toes always get itchy in the summer for no reason, so I can relate!
I have my son's 5th birthday party this weekend, and it's a Lego theme. I was all excited about it, but now I realize how much I have to do this week! Gah.
It's especially frustrating for me because I have a giant project/event that I'm involved with that ends on September 17 - exactly one day before my due date! I'm trying to get everything work-related wrapped up early (and most stuff needs to be wrapped up early regardless of the baby) just in case little one comes early, but since I have both the baby planning outside of work and this big work event in Sept, it just feels like my life is crazy crazy mode from dawn until dusk. Work is crazy. Life is Crazy. Summer is Crazy. And it's all going by way to quickly. Please make it stop!
The worst thing is that I tend to shut down and get NOTHING done when i get overwhelmed (and I'm way overwhelmed). I'm really just trying to take it all one day, one hour, one minute at a time over here!
ETA: stupid autocorrect
Nursery progress - DH finished construction last weekend (yay), so this weekend I started organizing DD's baby clothes! I've been dying to do so because all of our "storage" baby stuff has been taking up space in my bedroom ever since DH started working on the nursery and I was getting sick of looking at it. So I organized four bins of clothes, separated out everything that is NB through 6 months and already started washing and putting it all away. I'm feeling a little crazy for doing all of that so soon (is it all just going to sit and get dusty over the next few months?) but it's also awesome to start checking that off the list (and seeing my bedroom floor again!)
It's a glider. I can forgive myself for a few outfits I want to keep as Emmett's, and stuffed animals, etc. But a glider.. oy.
@LakeR2014 Y.I. cream... lol its the same stuff just different area. isnt the other stuff, lamosil or something. i think those are ok. obviously im no doctor, but i dont think it should hurt.