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: Randoms and Questions 3.6 - 3.10
Baby is very active lately! I've had people notice him at work lol
Ahhh, also yesterday I had an US and we got a peek at baby boys sweet face. BIGGEST tease of my life. I can not wait to see him and kiss those chubby cheeks :,)
23 y/o;
[05/06/17]
First time mommy
90% of the way there
We just took DD to an open play gym thing this morning where they have a big foam pit for the kids to jump and play in. DD spent almost the whole hour there. She conked out within 10 minutes of going into the crib for her nap. She usually take almost a whole hour to pass out, if at all these days, so it's SO nice for a change.
But now my mind is running like crazy with a growing to do list especially as I'm trying to keep up with the threads. I think it just sunk in that I'm 30 weeks along now and there's still plenty of things to take care of, and nesting is just getting stronger. AH!
@pshaortao The need to nest has really set in for me as well! I feel like I'm starting to annoy my sisters, mom, MIL & fiancé with very small things. Yes, I know they are small, but that doesn't mean I don't want them to get done. lol
23 y/o;
[05/06/17]
First time mommy
90% of the way there
Part of me is like "we have clothes, diapers, and a place to sleep, so we're all set," but the other part is like "you still need to buy that little basket for the bathroom!" which is so unlike me to even think! let alone be upset about!!
I'm at 30 weeks, which is like 3/4th done, it's so nuts!
Well I'll now I'm pissed bc I pull up to my house and some truck belonging to someone helping them move is blocking my driveway. There are a million places to park on the street that aren't blocking anyone's driveway. Who does that??? If the moving truck was blocking the driveway bc that's where they needed to let furniture out I feel like I could let that slide but it's just your random friend blocking my driveway and I'm so annoyed. What if I were in the garage and you were blocking me in? I don't want to say anything bc who wants to start on the wrong foot with next door neighbors just bc I'm a grouchy pregnant lady.
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
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
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
There are a lot of little DQ rules in car seat ultra orthodoxy and if you try to abide by them all to the letter you're just going to drive yourself nuts. At some point you have to decide what you're comfortable with.
May '17 labor memes
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
I truly appreciate the concerns, experiences, and thoughts. I don't see anything visibly wrong, not even stress marks. Maybe if we take it somewhere to make sure it is installed correctly in the car they can check it more thoroughly? I'm 99.9% sure nothing is wrong with it either, but still overly cautious.
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
When my seat fell twice off the high garage shelf, there wasn't a mark on it. Graco said that the impact from a fall is considered the same as the impact from an accident and that there's no way to tell if it's no longer safe for use. Car Seats for the Littles are super conservative in their advice (so take this with a grain of salt), but I know they often cite that no one can visually inspect and confirm.
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
I fainted this morning so I had to go in for an U/S before my regularly scheduled appointment. Every thing looked good with the baby so the OB ordered some blood work to check my iron again (just had a CBC 2 weeks ago). I drink 6 bottles of water a day but when I mentioned how much ice I eat (4-5 32oz cups of Sonic Ice) she said that could be a sign of anemia. I have also lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks so I may be seeing the nutritionist again this pregnancy since I have been eating and not been sick.
1/7/2015 Twins born @ 34 weeks
1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
Not that the photo will help that much, but here ya go.
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
1/7/2015 Twins born @ 34 weeks
I totally understand the issue with people saying it could be dropped etc. But honestly... how do you know that Jimmy stock boy didn't drop any of the boxes as he was going to put them out on the floor. Or the UPS guy could have just thrown boxes out of the truck in a hurry. Yes you may be able to see damage to the box... but maybe not. You really can never truly know if your car seat was dropped or not. I would consider it a great deal personally!
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
Also, the boxes are supposed to provide the most protection. So if a stock boy did throw it, it's in the safest packaging for it. ETA: and if a box was visibly damaged, I wouldn't be comfortable buying it either.
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
https://csftl.org/help-my-car-seat-was-just-delivered-and-the-box-is-beat-up/
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
The sun finally came out today! It's warm (68!! and it was snowing two days ago lol), bright blue skies. I'm so ready for spring and summer.
i did use my Doppler and she's got a good HR. I listened for 4-5 min and it was very steady in the high 130/low 140s which is basically where she's been at all my appointments. I'm thinking I'm overreacting? im ready for her to be on the outside so I can watch her breathe! (But not until more cooking!)
Just keep track and call your doctor if you don't feel movement go back to normal. I'd rather call the doctor than be wondering or in doubt.
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
Definitely call to be better safe than sorry. Or do what you did, have some juice or a snack and do another hour of counts. Also, I've learned which times of day are most active; do you know what these times are for you? Maybe keep an eye on when those times are, and you can be better reassured when you feel movements then, know what I mean? Hope you feel better soon!
I guess I just wanted to post to say I'm there with you! It's scary no matter what the stage of pregnancy and I hear it's scary when they're outside too
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