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.
SkilledSailor
member
Re: Freezer Meals
I just premake a large batch of chilli or soups and separate into a bunch of freezer bags. They freeze flat which saves on storage space. Then I just make a bunch of mini lasagnas.
ETA: I have also found it super helpful to keep a Freezer Inventory in my planner so I know what I have, then mark off when we use it.
BFP #1: 1/23/2012 DD: Born 9/20/2012
BFP #2: 12/30/2017 DS: Due 9/10/2018
BFP #1: 1/23/2012 DD: Born 9/20/2012
BFP #2: 12/30/2017 DS: Due 9/10/2018
I’m for sure gonna freeze up some lactation cookies, I have a great recipe if anyone is interested and honestly just grab a bunch lasagna from Costco and call it a day lol
https://onceamonthmeals.com/
She has a ton of recipes, plans for prep days, and tips on how to make/freeze/reheat. You can also search by prep type, meal type (breakfast, lunch, dinner, soup), diet type (vegetarian, whole food), and cooking type (crock pot, instapot, etc). I’ll come back and post some of my go-to’s tomorrow or Monday but that is an awesome resource to get you started.
Am I just doing it wrong? Idk how it's supposed to work, but it always feels like extra work or time whether I thaw ahead of time or not. I want to stock up on easy throw stuff in crock pot recipes, plus pizzas, Mac and cheese, and other mostly junk type but 5 min food, lol.
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
ETA: They also explain how to freeze best and instructions for heating back up.
Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer: Great-Tasting Meals You Can Make Ahead https://www.amazon.com/dp/0800730550/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ez6uBbHG590X3
Don't Panic: More Dinner's in the Freezer - A Second Helping of Tasty Meals You Can Make Ahead https://www.amazon.com/dp/0800733177/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dB6uBbVRW7MJK
The hardest part for me - for the early newborn time - is figuring out which things I don't need to cook in the oven because of the heat. I'll make stuff that can be prepped ahead, frozen, then dumped in the crockpot, or stuff than can be reheated on the stove. Even if it's just getting meat chopped up and dumped in a bag with a sauce mix and/or veggies for a stir-fry, if I can prep it and freeze it ahead of time, that helps. I try not to rely on oven stuff until November.
Also, I remember DD1 always being in my lap during dinner, something about that time of day made it really hard to put her down. So things like soup and other hot and drippy food aren't on my list for dinner foods right now, but they're great for lunches and are typically high on my list of dinners to freeze. Totally personal preference.
I also typically (non-summertime) like anything that's kind of casserole-style; they tend to freeze and bake well. Big batches of chicken in the slow-cooker that we can shred and freeze in smaller portions - I do some with green salsa, cumin, and beer; MH makes some with mango and papaya and jalapenos. It works well with other meats, too, and could also be done with just salt and pepper to add flavor to later on, but that requires more brain power later on!
Right now, I've made:
-Whiskey mustard meatballs (right now meatballs are raw, just shaped and frozen; sauce is prepped and frozen)
https://archive.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2012/06/06/recipe_for_whiskey_mustard_meatballs/ (also, I used just 1/2 cup whiskey last time, and I always feel like the sauce is too runny or makes too much, but it's also good to pour over egg noodles which is what we usually eat these with)
-Regular meatballs to have with spaghetti and red sauce
-Honey mustard chicken (cooked, sauced, just heat and serve with egg noodles)
https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2015/01/slow-cooker-honey-mustard-chicken.html
I tried an empanada recipe the other day (https://culinaryginger.com/beef-mushroom-empanadas/), and it was pretty good and would freeze well either raw or cooked, but I think they would be best in the oven so it's maybe more of a fall food for us. Also, our replacement food processor lid doesn't fit the freaking machine so it took me way more time than it's worth to make the dough right now.
I'm also trying to keep a list of quick and easy stuff to make. I'm trying to test and prep one or two things a week right now, although I'd also like to spend a weekend day just doing a bunch of stuff. There's a lot of ideas out there on the Internet, it's just hard to know what's actually good!
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
For soup I sometimes freeze it in individual size glass containers so I either thaw in the fridge first or I reheat from frozen in the microwave. If it is soup in a ziplock bag (food for 2 or more) I thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in a pot.
BFP#1: 11/15/2010 * Missed M/C 12/28 * D&C 12/29/2010
BFP#5 12/26/2017 *SURPRISE* Due 09/02/2018
We’ve lived with one pan (that can go into the oven), chef’s knife and grill for the past 2.5 weeks and I think that’s been good practice
easy meals we’ve relied on and that H can prep on his own:
breakfast:
toaster waffle with fruit or yogurt
bagel sandwich - bagel, sliced tomato, melted cheddar and spicy mustard. Fried egg optional.
cereal with fairlife milk - extra protein, lactose removed
oatmeal cups
avocado toast
I want to try trader joe’s Quiche next.
lunch:
tuna salad sandwiches with fruit and pretzels
tomato sandwiches with cottage cheese or high protein yogurt
Assortment of snacky foods - crackers with goat cheese and jam, fruit, yogurt, baby carrots and hummus, focaccia bread with olive oil, olives etc
PBJ with baby carrots and string cheese
dinners:
grilled burgers with fruit and deli salads (grill extra for leftovers)
grilled chicken with taylor farms bagged salads (grill extra for leftovers)
quesadillas made with leftover grilled chicken
frozen or ordered pizza
TJ’s frozen orange chicken and veg fried rice
trader joe’s rojo enchiladas with their chopped southwestern salad
Hope to continue to build this list!
muffins
buy a big pack of waffles and French toast sticks
taco meat
meatballs
lasagna
stuffed shella
chilli
Then crockpot meals to freeze; chicken, a sauce, veggies
Allrecipes.com has a whole slow cooker section and we use that site a lot.
on my list to make:
buffalo chilli
Chicken chilli
mexican beef
pulled pork
chicken and dumplings
another batch of baked meatballs
The proteins like pulled pork are great on tacos, sandwiches, nachos, etc..
Some of my most trusted sites:
https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/50-easy-freezer-meals/
https://newleafwellness.biz/2015/08/06/31-crockpot-freezer-meals-for-back-to-school/
(Newleafwellness.biz was my go to for my son, but it looks like the site has changed a bit)
https://damndelicious.net/category/freezer-friendly/
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cooking-method
https://www.skinnytaste.com/recipes/freezer-friendly/
https://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/31-crockpot-freezer-meals-for-busy-weeknights/
I picked through these sites based on mine and H's food preferences and prepped a whole bunch before DS was born. I highly doubt we'll have too much this time, but my H is quite capable of throwing many of these together himself.
I didnt think it was too much of a pain to simply pull out a meal to thaw the day before and then cook it the following evening. A lot of meals do well going straight to the oven from freezer as well.
I’m going to take a day off work in August and make a ton of freezer meals that day. Some things that generally freeze well include:
shepherds pie
stuffed shells
lasagna (all kinds)
enchiladas
shredded preseasoned meats for tacos
french bread pizzas
a lot of soups and chili
pulled pork
goulash
Some pasta sauces
We will definitely be partaking in lots of takeout, as well, I’m sure!
With my first (and I think subsequent) I found the time right before birth the time I least felt like cooking, even more so than after the birth.
Daughter #2 - Oct 2014
Daughter #3 - Nov 2016
Baby #4 - Sept 2018
These are some I'm looking at:
https://iowagirleats.com/2015/02/23/cheesy-mushroom-broccoli-quinoa-casserole/ - we've had this but never frozen it
https://www.africanbites.com/curry-chana-aloo/ - I know this freezes and reheats fine, because it wasn't a dinnertime hit but I really liked it so I froze extra for lunches
https://www.girlsgonechild.net/2013/04/eat-well-gigandes-plaki-insert-pun-here.html - I would prep this up until right before the final bake and freeze at that point. I've frozen it after it's totally cooked and it worked out OK, it's just a little hard to handle.
https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/recipe/smoky-black-bean-and-sweet-potato-chili-1/5626a64542366570049980d4 - Another one I've actually frozen, works out fine
https://drizzleanddip.com/2015/09/21/easy-pork-pies-with-sage-and-apple - These aren't vegetarian, but I want to try them with seasoned lentils instead of the pork
And cauliflower fried "rice" - I don't have a good recipe for that one, but I think if I rice the cauliflower, then throw it in a container with the veggies and just season and add eggs when we cook it on the stove it would work pretty well
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
If you don't want to spend 40 minutes heating things up, you can portion in advance. I'm planning to make a big lasagna but cut it into individual size portions and freeze so all you have to do is microwave. I also want to do a breakfast sandwich assembly line one day to make like 15 breakfast sandwiches, frozen individually, that you can just pop in the microwave (many people also do breakfast burritos this way).
Bump
I'm OK heating up the oven which is why we do the following:
As for vegetarian meals -
Sloppy Lenny's - https://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-sloppy-lentils/ the filling freezes really well.
Walnut Lentil Beet Burgers - https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/250341/lentil-burgers/?socsrc=ewpin_lentilburgers&crlt.pid=camp.tKL5TkprSr59
We also freeze chili and soups. I make this amazing Indian garlicky dal stew that takes some time to prep but freezes really well. Same with the aloo gobi that we make, it freezes well and we heat it in the oven.
We freeze stuff that goes into the oven in these: https://smile.amazon.com/Luxcathy-Disposable-Aluminum-Containers-60-Counts/dp/B077XDND4N/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1535303508&sr=8-7&keywords=disposable+oven+containers
I like to buy that pack because it has 3 different sizes. I do lasagna, enchiladas and baked macaroni & cheese pretty frequently.
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
Daughter #2 - Oct 2014
Daughter #3 - Nov 2016
Baby #4 - Sept 2018