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.
jomama1618
member
Re: July RANDOMS
So I got a new phone and added The Bump app and it won't let me comment on anything on this board on the new app.
Anyone interested in a vent/support thread for crazy in laws/family/people we have to deal with?
DH's grandfather passed and his memorial was Saturday, L's party was Sunday (against what I really wanted but there was lots of family here, and he just lost his grandpa, so I let him have that) and the 4th yesterday (all celebrated at his grandma's, with all the out of state family and more). My MIL (and her new husband) is in town for the week (other family went home today, also from out of state). This woman, her toddler antics and tantrums are driving me up the wall! My almost 1 year old is better behaved! I can usually ignore her crap, but her straight up ignoring me when I spoke to her and ignoring my 11 month old son when he was trying to interact with her because "he doesn't't pay attention to me any way, so I stopped paying attention to him or trying" was my "No you didn't" point. L turns 1 Sunday (the 9th) she never met him until Saturday (the 1st), at 11.75 months old. But apparently being grandma makes that a moot point and he should just love her and want to be held by her/love on her/play with her all day (without me holding him to be comfortable). Honestly, he doesn't like anyone that much. He cries if he can't see me, and won't be consoled. She is off her damn rocker... and mad she cant play grandma of the year to a grandchild she doesnt know. That is only the tiniest fraction of her visit (and her crazy but this is getting long), and we are supposed to see them tomorrow, before they leave, to be "nice". *I really need n eye roll emoji* I'm NOT looking forward to tomorrow! Oh the stories I could tell about her crazy. Thanks for listening smh
he also has fallen off the bed before. Hugs!
breakfast:
eggs and sliced fruit
Toast with peanut butter and fruit
waffle with peanut butter and fruit
oatmeal with fruit
I've made her the various pancakes and tot muffins
we've recently added cottage cheese with cinnamon to the mix and smoothies. She loves them!! Perfect item to share with baby.
I always start with the fruit because it occupies her while I put together the "main dish" lol.
@jennyleigh16 You are by no means a bad mom!! Sadly the more mobile they get the more these accidents are going to happen. Especially until they learn some depth perception. It's always heartbreaking but you never would have intentionally let it happen!! Part of them growing up.
I also struggle with breakfast ideas. I usually just have a coffee for myself so the idea of feeding him whatever I'm eating isn't feasible. We generally do baby cereal and then some fruit like blueberries or grapes, or some cheese. He really loves babybel. He's really hit or miss with eggs and he was loving yogurt until he got a gastro bug a couple weeks ago and now it makes him gag and throw up. I'll have to take some of these suggestions!
For breakfast we just do Eggo waffles, pancakes, cinnamon toast, etc. Sometimes she'll get a ham and cheese bagel too.