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 10/23
Yall dont buy non alcoholic wine. It’s horrible grape juice. So so bad. And I got ID’d while buying it. So that was...fun.
I have mild PCOS and have always had irregular cycles and some of the other symptoms that go with too much testosterone. But it's mild, I still ovulate and conceived without assistance. Anyway, so far I have two girls and both of
those pregnacies were pretty easy, like just a couple weeks of mild nausea and that's it! This current pregnancy however has been so, SO much worse. I know there is some randomness (or at least we don't know enough to know why) some pregnacies are harder than others, but I've heard carrying a boy does involve some additional testosterone production. So maybe since I'm already a little off balance, the extra from this baby is enough to throw me? Sneak peek says it's a boy but I'm not relying on that, just though this was an interesting possibility....
Wear what you are comfortable in. No need feeling like a stuffed sausage all day.
Married June 2012
BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013
BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014
BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
The bump is giving me issues. Anyone else?
3/12 150mg Clomid + B2B IUI =BFP!! TWINS!
Vanishing twin at week 6
Tater-tot born January 3rd 2013
2 IUI's in 2016- BFN
3 IUI's in 2017- BFN
8/17 IUI BFP!!!!!!!!
My ms has made a return today. I wish it would go away for good.
All this talk about purging- I need to do that so bad. All over my house.
Has anyone watched the show Lore? It's on Amazon and I am loving it.
And by 'we' I mean my parents. They are such DIY people. They moved to my town a year ago, completely re-did their whole house. Flooring, bathrooms, even took down a door and installed a farm door, new counters, tore down a wall. It's completely different house. Me? I call putting together IKEA bookshelves the height of my DIY. They said it was an 'easy job'. FOUR different types of saws later..... When I think easy, I think of hammers and screwdrivers... lol!
3/12 150mg Clomid + B2B IUI =BFP!! TWINS!
Vanishing twin at week 6
Tater-tot born January 3rd 2013
2 IUI's in 2016- BFN
3 IUI's in 2017- BFN
8/17 IUI BFP!!!!!!!!
Nope, but thanks for thinking they look like grandma pants... I am still going to wear them.
Married June 2012
BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013
BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014
BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
TW birth trauma, preemie
I had a very scary ultrasound diagnosis when I was 32 weeks pregnant with my 3rd kid. It was a growth scan because I have diabetes. Anyway, they completely freaked out because they said the amniotic fluid was dangerously low, and that my DD would most likely need to norm via emergency c section. I was told to immediately go on bed rest until my next scan at MFM. They said it was likely that she had a serious kidney disease. Well, I go back to the hospital for a check low and behold my fluid levels were on the low side, but not too low. I think the normal leve
My biggest thing is I want to be in control of everything. I hate when I feel powerless and can't be in control. But the more I try to be in control and control the situation, the more I learn that truly, I have control over nothing! I HATE that. So going a bit religious, but I have had three different people tell me that they felt compelled to tell me something and it all had to do with having faith and reconnecting with God. Like I said, I am not super religious, but I do believe in God. I have been very angry with him because of my infertility issues, failed treatments, chemical pregnancy, miscarriage, and now the worry with this baby. So it's just weird that I have had three people tell me the same thing in a different way. It's just hard for me to have complete faith that it will all be okay because I want it to be okay the way I want (which is the doctor being wrong and her being completely healthy). Sorry, that got a bit long.
Married June 2012
BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013
BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014
BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
@mmb4532 Never too early for maternity clothes! I know people who have made it their whole pregnancy without maternity clothes (HOW?!?!) and people who bust them out at 6 weeks. With my first I tried to hold out for a long time just to avoid buying them but that was kind of dumb because then I needed them around the holidays which is a bad time to add more expenses, so I encourage you to avoid that!
I've heard target's new line is good for jeans. I need new ones because my favorites have seen better days and those I just found at Ross.
I have so few clothes that are cooperating and not making me look huge but haven't had a chance to get my stuff out.
Also my new Dr office just called, I get transferred to this great network of drs when I reach second trimester (you're guaranteed one of the five assigned to you will deliver for you) and they reached out to ask some questions and book my first appointment. Turns out they are shifting my due date based on my last period plus 2 ultrasounds. Now I'm April 27. But I'm sticking here and pretending I'm still May 1. What's a few days difference, right ladies?!
@justsuzie that was in the Symptoms thread! All the nice people responding with tips when I said I couldn't have an epidural. I sent DH to the library to get the book tonight while I'm at conferences
Married: 12/19/15
BFP: 9/4/17
EDD: 5/16/18
DD born 5/10/18
Postpartum Complications
BFP: 10/1/19
EDD: 6/12/20
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/645784/
As I walked to the scale DH said, "I weighed myself today and lost a pound!"
Gee, thanks! That's exactly what I wanted to think about while I undressed and stared at my protruding blump.
Luckily for him, I didn't gain as much as I thought with how much I've been eating.
@sparklingdiamond thinking of you and there are a lot of stories of misreads of scans, especially so early.
@sparklingdiamond @nanifrog Check out the meditation technique RAIN.