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: Weekly Randoms (2/6)
If we end up in a position to chose our baby's birthday, any thoughts on Valentine's Day? I think it could be a bummer birthday since he would have to spend it doing things for someone else, but H thinks it's a great birthday since he'd have a get-out-of-jail-free card. I always hated Valentine's Day and I think that's coloring my opinion on things. It'll be interesting to see what they say at my appointment. There may not be any choice in the matter.
I think I wouldn't intentionally do it Valentine's Day but wouldn't be upset if it ended up that way. I'm not sure how much of a choice they will give us for induction date but at my last practice they would have let me decide based on the doctor I wanted to deliver. Thankfully my water broke and I didn't have to decide. @Xstatic3333
We don't celebrate Vday either but that doesn't mean we can stop the rest of the world's expectations regarding a made up holiday.
FTM, 2 Furbabies
married 03/17/07
lived in Houston, Austin, Los Angeles and NYC
due: 2/15/17
4 days new today and we survived our first night at home last night! I just can't get enough of this girl!
On the subject of Valentine's Day birthdays...Both my parents and in-laws wedding anniversaries are on V-Day so we tend to focus on that instead of the holiday. I wouldn't mind having a baby with that birthday, however for us it might be too much with two anniversaries as well lol.
Me for at least the last 3 months
Ben and Maggie - 4/10/09
Mia - 6/16/11
Surprise! due 2/23/17
Married: October, 19, 2015
EDD 2/22/17
EDD 3/8/20
EDD 11/24/23
(Formerly Marriedhamstermom Feb ‘17)
My H and I were discussing if she came on Valentine's Day (due the 21st) and the only thing I have against it would be for the potential person she is dating. Combining Valentine's and a birthday on the same day, talk about pressure!
I have always been "eh" about it. I will do something small for my H, like get a Starbuck's giftcard. I dont even buy a card. We also end of going out to dinner around the day and say it's for VD, but usually skip that actual day because of the crowds.
I figure if it happens, it happens. It would be cute when they are little though or for newborn shots potentially?
I personally would not want a birthday on vday because as a girl in high school or her early 20s, it may cause some major disappointments. Then again, it's not like anyone can control having a baby on a certain date. Lol
On a random note: 16 and pregnant is having some sort of marathon? And for some reason I'm watching. The current episode has a newborn baby crying.. like literally 4 days old and the dad is telling the mom to let the baby cry. Mom is crying and saying she can't let her cry and, she thinks she's hungry. Dad says "it's good for her to cry. Why is she always hungry?". I'm cringing over here. Give the baby some food. Poor kids are clueless and without any guidance. It Makes my heart hurt for them.
We don't care much about Valentines Day, and we don't ever pay attention to sweetest day either. Our anniversary is in late March, and that I'm a bit more picky about. We have the same routine every year. I hint to H our anniversary is coming, he doesn't do anything besides vocally tell me happy anniversary, and I have a freak out meltdown lol... then about a week later we go out while the kids are in school and we usually do lunch and some shopping for me. Haha since that's how our anniversary is, I'm glad I don't give a hoot about Valentines Day.
But my brother in law's bday is on Valentines day, and he likes it. I personally wouldn't care though if that was my bday. I don't think it's a big enough holiday to be bothered by having it fall on that day.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetest_Day
@kirstynikole I saw that episode of 16 and Pregnant too and was like WTF?! I was also annoyed that the boyfriend would not get a job but didn't seem to help much with the baby either. Teens can really be clueless sometimes and it was sad to watch.
#teamfebruaryforlyfe
FTM, 2 Furbabies
married 03/17/07
lived in Houston, Austin, Los Angeles and NYC
due: 2/15/17
+1 Febulady with a January baby.
Me: 37 - H: 39
TTC#1: 01/2016
BFP: 06/18/2016 - EDD: 02/20/2017 - Born: 01/27/2017
One thing I have silently told myself a few times when I get overwhelmed- if Amber Portwood can keep a baby alive, then so can I!
Have you guys measured yourselves while huge??? My husband has been non stop about how big my belly is, and it's way bigger than it was with our other kids. Today I thought it would be fun to measure around my largest part. We both took a guess on how many inches around I am.... so I guessed 43 inches not having any clue really. My husband guessed 47 inches, so we were semi close to each other guessing. He wrapped my soft measuring tape around me..
H: "45 inches"
Me: "oh we tied, we were both 2 inches off"
H: "wow!! That's almost 4 feet around"
Me: "what?!?! Don't say that!"
H: "that's like a foot on each side!!"
Me: "Oh my GOSH!!! 4 feet around???"