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.
jayandaplus
member
Re: Weekend chat 3/4 - 3/5
Tomorrow we we are moving some of my parents stuff to their new place and we may go do something fun to celebrate H's birthday (it was the 28th). Oh, and look for apartments or houses to rent lol exciting times here!
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
DH is going out of town this morning just until tomorrow and I am already dreading it. Two kids at 7 months pregnant is hard, yo!
On a positive note, we went on a hospital tour of the hospital where I delivered DD and it was a completely different experience than last week's tour so we are going back to them. It's a little bit farther away (35-45 min depending on traffic vs 15-20 min) but I walked away feeling so much better about the place. Plus we were told that we can pre-register at both so I will probably do that just to be safe since this is baby #3 and we don't know how fast things might happen.
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
Glad the tour was better @vrj0522!
CPK is always good @bacorrea. Enjoy those cookies @starphish18.
I'm getting my last haircut probably for a while. DH's treat. :-)
Now I'm hungry...
Other than that it's going to be a lazy weekend. I think I hurt myself moving something on Thursday, my back and hips are really hurting a lot more then before. Hoping some rest will help.
DH is fiiiinally finishing up painting the nursery today and our neighbors are taking DS to a birthday party, so I have a few hours by myself to be productive. Or be extremely lazy. I haven't decided yet.
Although DD1 is now 5 and quite sassy, I still give 3 as the hardest stage hands-down.
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
Married: October 2014
Began TTC: April 2015
BFP #1: 9/18/15. EDD 5/18/16. MC 10/26/15. (9w)
BFP #2: 2/27/16. EDD 11/7/16. MC/D&E 4/20/16 (11w)
BFP #3: 9/22/16. EDD 5/29/17. DS born 4/24/17
BFP #4: 5/20/18. EDD 1/23/19.
she turns 3 two weeks before my due date. I may not survive threenager and newborn stage.
Our crib also arrived via mail, it was a gift from family on my side, but they didn't want to/couldn't lug it to the shower so they had it sent here!
Today I'm also 28 weeks- so officially the final stretch. It is insane how quickly it is all wrapping up!
As I was telling DD1 something the other day, she literally responded with "blabbity blah blah blah"
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
If you don't have a fever I would probably just call to check. My DD tested positive for influenza A... I came down with everything but the fever and they wouldn't even test me, because the OB didn't want to give tamiflu anyways. Other OBs may be different. I happened to have my normal appt that week and he told me to treat it like a cold and just to call him if I had a fever over 101 that wouldn't break with Tylenol
Celebrating my birthday with family today.
My Kinder class has been incubating eggs in hopes of hatching chicks. It's been super fun, but a lot of extra work so I'm hoping I did everything right. They should be hatching tomorrow so I'll pop by school to check them out after the massage. Very excited!
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
we had a good morning at gymnastics now it's naptime. I can't sleep though because my sinuses are giving me referred toothpain. Day 15 of the mega cold continues. Might cave and see about abx at my Monday OB appointment since it's only getting worse so it's probably past the viral point.
Now the big debate, grocery shopping or park this afternoon? Kidding. Obviously grocery shopping because kid 1 will be trapped in a cart instead of running around demanding things on a playground.
May '17 labor memes
But hey, I had DD2 when DD1 was 26 months and somehow I survived and decided to do it again! Or maybe I just lost my mind during that time...
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
to give Tamiflu?? And your kiddo had confirmed flu? Did he give a reason? I don't want to ruffle your feathers about your OB but I'd side-eye that *hard* -- you'd get prophylactic oseltamivir from any OB provider in my area and would certainly have been swabbed with symptoms. I'm glad you're both doing better (I presume everyone has been on the up-swing?).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@museic have fun at your birthing class! Ours starts Tuesday and I'm so excited!
1/7/2015 Twins born @ 34 weeks
Then again, I foresee DD will be the opposite because she's just getting more smart-mouthed as her speech develops more and more.
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
So much violent toddler love that you have to explain kisses are supposed to be quick and gentle. Who knew?
May '17 labor memes
Tomorrow DH is off so we'll be doing some early Easter shopping for DD before everything is picked through (I'm overly excited because she has a current obsession with baskets and picking up all of her little toys) and hopefully ending the day with dinner at our favorite place.
You ladies have me worried about DD turning 3. She just turned 2 & 1/2 and she's already very testing and doesn't want to listen. Any advice on getting my 2 & 1/2 year old to listen would be much appreciated
#1 DD Aug 2014 @39weeks via CS
#2 Due May 2,2017 hopeful VBAC
Asking here, although not weekend related...DH and I don't really agree so what are your opinions on male family members (i.e. dads, brothers, etc) touching your belly while pregnant? Weird, not weird, depends on the relationship?