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: Maternity Clothes
If any Metro-Detroit ladies are going, let me know. Maybe we can meet up!
I found two dresses that are suitable for work and a memorial service I have to attend next weekend and some jeans and dress pants.
Also, I had to pick this up for myself... I’ll probably wait until after Blast is here to actually wear it out, but hey...
I may have to breakdown and try motherhood. I have a couple pants from lat time, but I hate them. I had to wear a Bella band on top of them to hold them up all the time. It was also fall/winter so I'll need shorts/capris or something.
more. I usually get those at Target. But since summer is coming and I won’t be working during that time, I won’t need much until August. I’ll probably get capris and maybe another pair of shorts. I think I mostly wore empire waist dresses that I already had with E during the beginning of that school year. Luckily, I don’t have to dress up everyday so jeans and shirts will be fine until I’m done with work this school year and for the beginning of the next school year.
I’m at the point right now where I stand in my closet for like 10 minutes trying to find something comfortable to wear in the morning, because although I have all my maternity stuff from the first time around, I really hate all but one pair of my work appropriate pants (the ones from motherhood all feel really cheap and poorly made, and don’t fit me well). I have tons of maternity jeans that I like, but I can’t get away with wearing those at work other than on fridays, which is unfortunate.
gap instead of strapless. not sure how they hold up at larger sizes, but the level of stick seems pretty impressive!
Nordstrom definitely allows in store returns, not sure if that's in your price range though. But they also have free online returns, so I never both going into the store. Since I've had such poor luck finding pants under $60, I said "f*ck it, I just want to be comfortable" and started looking at pricier options. I just ordered some clothes from Ingrid & Isabel and Seraphine, and both have free (online) returns as well. Since Seraphine is a UK company, you have to pay like $6 in shipping, but the returns are free if you live in the lower 48.
If anyone has suggestions on where to find maternity pants for curvy women that aren't really plus size (I wear a 10-my waist pre-preg was a 6/8), I'm all ears. Also, open to plus size options (except Motherhood, wasn't impressed with the quality or feel of their pants...so scratchy!), and may get my tailor involved if the stomach/waist ends up too baggy (is that even a thing with maternity pants?). On that note/rant, is it even possible to just get my tailor to alter a pair of non-maternity jeans and make them maternity? Kut from the Kloth has the most awesome fitting high waisted jeans for pear-shapes and would love to just buy a pair and then Frankenstein a solution with a Bella Band or something (sorry, I'm sure I reek of desperation in this post lol)
I dont know where in Brooklyn you are, but my all time favorite mama/Baby shop is there - Wild Was Mama! It’s in Greenpoint on Driggs. Def not cheap, but they run amazing sales. I travel there from the East Village bc it’s such a great shop! They also have an AWESOME drop in breastfeeding support group once a month if you’re planning to try BFing out. I went once or twice in the beginning with my daughter and it was SUPER helpful.
I’m going to have to make a trip there again soon once I go through all of or newborn stuff and figure out what’s I’m missing etc. they have a big baby carrier selection too. Great spot!
I ended up finding quite a few great tops and dresses that fit comfortably and will grow well with my body / belly this way. The brands I found that fit the best and had good items for maternity were Time and Tru at Walmart and Ava and Viv at Target.
Dandelion - October 2018
Angel "Aurora" - July 2020
Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021
Angel "Maxine" - January 2022
Angel "Violet" - March 2022
Baby Dove due March 2023
I love how their knee length dresses are actually to the knee! I always have issues with dresses going too short in the back and not being work appropriate.
Dandelion - October 2018
Angel "Aurora" - July 2020
Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021
Angel "Maxine" - January 2022
Angel "Violet" - March 2022
Baby Dove due March 2023