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.
oheliza44
member
Re: LO's Coming Home from the Hospital Outfit
These are my favorites so far:
For a boy (we'd do the hat option):
https://www.etsy.com/listing/470752343/gender-neutral-going-home-outfit-coming?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=coming home outfit&ref=sr_gallery_14
For a girl:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/513934537/15-off-flash-sale-newborn-girl-coming?ref=related-4
I am conflicted about size. The boy NB size goes up to 8lbs so if this baby is on the bigger side it may not fit. Any advice on NB sizing?
DS1 - 7/2011, DD 12/2012, DS2 - 4/2014, MMC - 12/2015
I also love yours @xath! I love the socks.
But I also have a ton of newborn outfits that my friend gave me. I will be bringing 2-3 of those as options and hospital newborn photos.
I've had numerous people tell me that Gerber runs really small, and when my friend gave me the newborn clothes, that proved to be true. So if you think your LO will be on the smaller side, maybe get a few Gerber NB outfits.
LO will wear DD coming home outfit that I saved
Just pack an extra outfit just in case - it's not like their clothes take up much room!
MC @ 5w 03/16
ALEXANDER JAMES DUE JULY 15th!
MC @ 5w 03/16
ALEXANDER JAMES DUE JULY 15th!
@Xath i'm thinking of getting a t shirt for my daughter too! love your outfits.
Confession: I don't have the first clue what we brought DS home in. We walked home, and he was asleep in the Moby wrap in all the photos - oops. This time I have a special "Big Brother" shirt for DS but nothing picked out for baby yet. Need to get my act together!
@Xath So cute! You've inspired me to think about getting DD a new "big sister"outfit as well.
Team green. I bought this outfit (DH is a hunter) but instead of this hat, I just have a plain black one, if it is a boy.
Married: Oct 2015
Baby G born June 2017
TTC#2: July 2018
BFP #2: 2/6/19 MC 3/14/19
BFP#3 from IUI #2: 6/30/20 EDD 3/9/21
Yeah, it's really important to me to make my boys feel like this is an exciting time for all of us, and not just all about the baby. We're going to go through a bunch of massive changes this summer and so I'll probably go a bit overboard with spoiling them where I can.
DS1 - 7/2011, DD 12/2012, DS2 - 4/2014, MMC - 12/2015
MC @ 5w 03/16
ALEXANDER JAMES DUE JULY 15th!
I also got this set, which matches the first thing we bought for the baby - a little blanket that we got in New Orleans, not realizing it was a common brand!
Highly monitored internet and no cell service in the office, so I'm postin' and ghostin' while I'm workin'
Brought my daughter home in that mushroom outfit in the middle (didn't really plan it's just what I grabbed---never got a chance to pack a bag). I'm thinking of reusing it for this baby and any more if we have any. It's kind of off the wall and pretty bright in person but feels special now that we've used it once.
BFP September 2013 - MMC at 12 weeks
BFP February 2014 - early loss/CP at 4.5 weeks
BFP May 2014 - MMC/ complete molar pregnancy at 11 weeks
BFP December 2015 - DD born 8/18/2015
BFP November 2016 - pending...
Im not 100% but this is a serious contender for the going home outfit
Friends since 2008
Started dating: July 1st, 2013
Engaged: July 1st, 2014
Married: July 1st, 2016
R born: July 8th, 2017
N born: June 30th, 2019
Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022
(maybe I only ovulate in October XD)
I also jumped on some bottles that can attach right to my pump, I figured if he can't latch or needs a tube I can at least start pumping (even if it won't be much) and get my milk supply started.
This is what I got for my girls! Now I just have to hope she's big enough to fit in newborn!
But after seeing this I need to get big brother an outfit. I'm not big on words on clothing, so I probably won't buy something that says 'Big Bro' directly on it. I'm undecided. It would be cute for the pics tho! LOL
my happy boy
Edit it to add tag.
Cant decide, so taking all three:)