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: Product Spotlight Series: Baby Apparel (week of Dec 11)
I feel a lot of store people are so pushy with registries.
Married March 2016
DD: born 7.22.16
DS EDD: 6.23.18
this is bubble suit I mean:
https://oldnavy.gapcanada.ca/browse/product.do?cid=1096631&pcid=51646&vid=1&pid=142575013
I got a couple in varying sizes {0-3 & 3-6} and they're cute, but are they better than onsies for summer babies? Anyone?
edit
Forgot to add .... colour. Is dark best for early months or light? Or it doesn't matter because they'll mess it up anyways likely? :')
Also didn't use the mittens. They made him mad cause he'd put his hands in his mouth. He did scratch his face a few times but tried to keep up on the nails.
Agreed that gerber runs small and also shrunk more. Going through DS' clothes a couple weeks ago, I pulled out gerber and was like 'these could fit a tiny doll!'
DS: born oct 2012
TFAS: BFP #1 aug16. miscarriage sept16
BFP #2 nov16 MMC dec16. d&c jan17
BFP #3 sept17 EDD 5/31/18
fingers crossed for our rainbow baby
Mittens and socks always fell off our babies' hands. We had the best luck with those long sleeved fold-over hand tops/ sleepers.
I think we used hats more with my winter baby mainly because we actually did get out a lot. With #2 big brother got a kick out of pulling the little hats of his baby sister's head and it was summer and hot so baby wasn't usually at risk of a chill.
Ive found a lot of cheap clothing lots on EBay and BsT groups on Facebook. The grandmas can buy the cute new stuff.
DD was a late fall/early winter baby, so she lived in the one piece zipper jammies. I hated the buttons/snaps.
This one will live in onesies because it never gets below 80 degrees in my house during the summer. (Usually 100+ outside by July.) If there is a chill, I have baby leg warmers from DD that I never really used.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MletQ-dUMWI
Also, a nurse told us in a newborn class that mittens were choking hazards. I’ve done some mental gymnastics on how baby can get a whole mitten in its mouth to choke on it, but evidently they can? Idk, I used them anyway, but that stayed in the back of my mind.
Also PSA: little hands will sweat just like yours. So do let them air out and wipe them off. We used to call DS “ole cheese piggies” for a reason. Their necks and little rolls can make cheese too so it’s good to regularly clear those hard to reach places.
@doxiemoxie212 I’d just load up on onesies and pjs because that is what she will live in. Just have enough to keep a good rotation so you’re not washing constantly. If you end up needing to use formula it will stain clothes so that’s a consideration, and of course the blowouts will need treated and washed immediately if you want to keep the clothing. Full disclosure: I’ve thrown stuff away due to poopsplosians.
As for sizes, DD was tiny and was in newborn for a month, 0-3 for about 2 months, 3-6 for about 4 months, 6-9 for about 6 months (though gap/old navy does 6-12 months, and we have a lot of ON clothes for DD).
On the other hand my cousins son was born 5 months after DD is already wearing bigger clothes than DD. My co-worker had a son born right before DD and was in 6-9 months clothes when we were still in 0-3. My other cousin's little girl is so tiny that she was in 12-18 month clothes at her 2nd birthday (they had a lot of issues with footied pajamas and shoes when she was learning to walk- since nothing was anti-slip). Babies grow at the rate they are going to- and there isn't much you can do to predict it so having the exact amount of clothes is hard. We had a lot of clothes (DH works for Old Navy, so he comes home with new clothes when he sees something cute). To be conservative you could go with 21-42 outfits in each size, and buy more if you start to notice a lag in growth time. Luckily the clothes are pretty small, so 42 outfits still fits in 1 drawer.
BFP#4- 9/26 edd 6/5/18
NB sleepers- 5
NB onesies- 15
NB pants- 4 long, 3 shorts
0-3m sleepers- 3 (will probably pick up 2 more to make an even 5)
0-3m onesies/rompers- 10
0-3m 2-piece outfits- 5 (I do remember hating them because the shirts would always ride up)
*i will probably pick up another 5pack of onesies in 0-3m
12 pair of 0-6m socks