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: ****October TWW*******
BFP: 12/16/16 => DD born 08/27/2017
Married 10/12
DS 11/14
Ectopic 2/16
PCOS/Ovulation Dysfunction 11/16
IUI x 3- BFN
Laparoscopy 3/17 Endo and tubal damage
IVF- 4/17- 40 eggs retrieved, 10 blasts, 7 pgs tested embryos
FET- 6/17- BFP!
Due Feb 15, 2017
@ladipale Congrats- FX that the line darkens for you!!
Me: 40 DH: 47
Married: 10/2015
DSD: 17
BFP #1: 6/2/15, ectopic, metho 7/15
BFP #2: 12/4/15, cp 12/7/15
BFP #3: 8/5/16, MMC discovered 9/1, Misoprostol 9/19
BFP #4: 5/10/17, EDD 1/20/2018
Baby boy born January 12, 2018, 6 lbs 3.3 oz, 20.5 in.
CP 1/25/16 4.5 weeks, developed Graves' disease
~~ married 8.11.07
~~ DD1 1.16.11 ~~ DD2 1.3.14 ~~
~~ BFP3 12.22.15 MMC 2.29.16 @ 13 weeks ~~
~~ 2 D&Cs (3.1.16 and 3.10.16) for MMC
~~ BFP4 10.27.16 MMC 1.23.17 @ 16 weeks ~~ D&E 1.26.17 ~~
Married 7/13
TTC #1 since 10/13
BFP 2/4/15, MC twin boys at 18w3d 5/15
IUI #1 2/25/16
Me (39) DH (40)
From my first marriage DD: 03/04 CP:01/06 DS:12/06
DH- no kids
******************
TTC: since 2/15, RE Consult 9/15
IUI #1 10/15: Letrozole = BFN
IUI #2 11/15: Letrozole + trigger = BFN
1/08/16: Surprise- BFP!! 2/16/16: MMC @10w 2days, D&C: 2/17/16
TTCAL: May 2016
IUI #3 5/27/16: Letrozole+trigger=BFN
IUI #4 06/24/16: 7.5mg Letrozole+trigger= BFN
IUI#5 08/24/16 Menopur+trigger = BFN
IUI #6 09/19/16 5 mg Letrozole +Menopur + Trigger= BFN
**10/2016: No more medicated cycles, TTCAL on our own**
12/03/16: BFP!! EDD: 08/12/17 It's a girl!!
Eleni was born on 8/14/17!!
congratulations @ladipale!! When you feel comfortable, come join us in the TTCAL grad group. So many of the ladies are moving onto the 2nd trimester check-in that the 1st trimester check in will soon be much smaller. Hopefully there will be more BFPs to fill it up soon!!!
Me 31, DH 30
BFP #2: 5/25/16, MC 6/23/16 (8 weeks), D&C 6/24/16, 2nd D&C for retained tissue and fibroid removal 9/1/16
BFP #3: 12/24/16 EDD 09/04/2017
Sorry i didn't mean to interrupt the flow.
Me: 40 DH: 47
Married: 10/2015
DSD: 17
BFP #1: 6/2/15, ectopic, metho 7/15
BFP #2: 12/4/15, cp 12/7/15
BFP #3: 8/5/16, MMC discovered 9/1, Misoprostol 9/19
BFP #4: 5/10/17, EDD 1/20/2018
Baby boy born January 12, 2018, 6 lbs 3.3 oz, 20.5 in.
I'm currently 13dpo and somehow managed to make it through nearly the entire TWW without a single symptom, just today are my boobs starting to get a little sore. The past 2-3 cycles they've started hurting and getting big from 5dpoish until AF starts. Hormones are so weird.
Married 7/13
TTC #1 since 10/13
BFP 2/4/15, MC twin boys at 18w3d 5/15
IUI #1 2/25/16
Me: 40 DH: 47
Married: 10/2015
DSD: 17
BFP #1: 6/2/15, ectopic, metho 7/15
BFP #2: 12/4/15, cp 12/7/15
BFP #3: 8/5/16, MMC discovered 9/1, Misoprostol 9/19
BFP #4: 5/10/17, EDD 1/20/2018
Baby boy born January 12, 2018, 6 lbs 3.3 oz, 20.5 in.
Married 7/13
TTC #1 since 10/13
BFP 2/4/15, MC twin boys at 18w3d 5/15
IUI #1 2/25/16
Edited - spelling
Edited again - because I obviously need to check the calendar (the 5th or 6th, HA wishful thinking)!
Me: 40 DH: 47
Married: 10/2015
DSD: 17
BFP #1: 6/2/15, ectopic, metho 7/15
BFP #2: 12/4/15, cp 12/7/15
BFP #3: 8/5/16, MMC discovered 9/1, Misoprostol 9/19
BFP #4: 5/10/17, EDD 1/20/2018
Baby boy born January 12, 2018, 6 lbs 3.3 oz, 20.5 in.
I have between a 28 and 31 day cycle so trying to be realistic about testing. goal is no earlier than the 11/9 which is good to 28 and early for 31. sooo far away!!
Me 31, DH 30
BFP #2: 5/25/16, MC 6/23/16 (8 weeks), D&C 6/24/16, 2nd D&C for retained tissue and fibroid removal 9/1/16
BFP #3: 12/24/16 EDD 09/04/2017
Me (39) DH (40)
From my first marriage DD: 03/04 CP:01/06 DS:12/06
DH- no kids
******************
TTC: since 2/15, RE Consult 9/15
IUI #1 10/15: Letrozole = BFN
IUI #2 11/15: Letrozole + trigger = BFN
1/08/16: Surprise- BFP!! 2/16/16: MMC @10w 2days, D&C: 2/17/16
TTCAL: May 2016
IUI #3 5/27/16: Letrozole+trigger=BFN
IUI #4 06/24/16: 7.5mg Letrozole+trigger= BFN
IUI#5 08/24/16 Menopur+trigger = BFN
IUI #6 09/19/16 5 mg Letrozole +Menopur + Trigger= BFN
**10/2016: No more medicated cycles, TTCAL on our own**
12/03/16: BFP!! EDD: 08/12/17 It's a girl!!
Eleni was born on 8/14/17!!
GL to the TWWers
Married 7/13
TTC #1 since 10/13
BFP 2/4/15, MC twin boys at 18w3d 5/15
IUI #1 2/25/16
Me 31, DH 30
BFP #2: 5/25/16, MC 6/23/16 (8 weeks), D&C 6/24/16, 2nd D&C for retained tissue and fibroid removal 9/1/16
BFP #3: 12/24/16 EDD 09/04/2017
Me 31, DH 30
BFP #2: 5/25/16, MC 6/23/16 (8 weeks), D&C 6/24/16, 2nd D&C for retained tissue and fibroid removal 9/1/16
BFP #3: 12/24/16 EDD 09/04/2017
I don't actually have crosshairs yet, but pretty sure I go here now given OPKs and temp spike this morning. I'm already a little BSC about hoping this will finally be our month.
Married 5/08
BFP #1: 1/27/13 DS #1 born 10/16/13
BFP #2: 1/20/16, ectopic discovered 1/23/16
Surgery 1/23/16 to remove ruptured tube
TTCAL 3/16
BFP #3: 3/24/17 EDD 12/5/17
DS #2 born 12/11/17
Married 7/13
TTC #1 since 10/13
BFP 2/4/15, MC twin boys at 18w3d 5/15
IUI #1 2/25/16
CP 1/25/16 4.5 weeks, developed Graves' disease
AFM, I finally got some crosshairs so have switched over to the TWW. I apologize, in advance, for the BSC musings that are sure to be forthcoming! It took me a few years too many to think children were an option for my life. Now that I've made the decision, I've turned into a maniac about it. Glad to have such a wonderful, amazingly knowledgeable, supportive people to share in the mania and musings.
The BSC is setting in hardcore and it is becoming increasingly hard to not to test (and I have never had a BFP prior to 14 dpo). It is going to be a long week.
Me 31, DH 30
BFP #2: 5/25/16, MC 6/23/16 (8 weeks), D&C 6/24/16, 2nd D&C for retained tissue and fibroid removal 9/1/16
BFP #3: 12/24/16 EDD 09/04/2017