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: The Great Big Questions Thread
DD1
DD2
DD3
**TW Living Child**
BFP 2/2014 - DS - 10/2014
Married: 8/10/13
BFP- 12/18/15, D&E- 4/8/16 @ 21w5d- confirmed Thanatophoric Dysplasia
BFP- 11/7/17, M/C- 11/18/17 @ 4w6d
BFP- 8/25/18 ~ EDD- 5/9/19 ~ DD born 5/2/20 *Lillian Hazel*
BFP- 10/9/20 ~ EDD- 6/21/21
Married: 10.2018
DS #1: 06.2014
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), Emergency C-Section
MC: 03.2017- 5 Weeks
Rainbow DS #2: 07.2018
HG, 19w Fetal Surgery, 24w PPROM, 33w Placental Abruption, Partial Uterine Rupture, Emergency C-Section
NICU, Chronic Kidney Disease
TTC #3: Medically Cleared 12.5.2019, had a bunch of problems and wonky cycles
BFP 10.13.2020 EDD: 6.26.2021
October 2020 TTGP Signature Challenge: Pets in Costumes
DD1
DD2
DD3
Married: 10.2018
DS #1: 06.2014
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), Emergency C-Section
MC: 03.2017- 5 Weeks
Rainbow DS #2: 07.2018
HG, 19w Fetal Surgery, 24w PPROM, 33w Placental Abruption, Partial Uterine Rupture, Emergency C-Section
NICU, Chronic Kidney Disease
TTC #3: Medically Cleared 12.5.2019, had a bunch of problems and wonky cycles
BFP 10.13.2020 EDD: 6.26.2021
October 2020 TTGP Signature Challenge: Pets in Costumes
Married: 10.2018
DS #1: 06.2014
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), Emergency C-Section
MC: 03.2017- 5 Weeks
Rainbow DS #2: 07.2018
HG, 19w Fetal Surgery, 24w PPROM, 33w Placental Abruption, Partial Uterine Rupture, Emergency C-Section
NICU, Chronic Kidney Disease
TTC #3: Medically Cleared 12.5.2019, had a bunch of problems and wonky cycles
BFP 10.13.2020 EDD: 6.26.2021
October 2020 TTGP Signature Challenge: Pets in Costumes
Married: 10.2018
DS #1: 06.2014
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), Emergency C-Section
MC: 03.2017- 5 Weeks
Rainbow DS #2: 07.2018
HG, 19w Fetal Surgery, 24w PPROM, 33w Placental Abruption, Partial Uterine Rupture, Emergency C-Section
NICU, Chronic Kidney Disease
TTC #3: Medically Cleared 12.5.2019, had a bunch of problems and wonky cycles
BFP 10.13.2020 EDD: 6.26.2021
October 2020 TTGP Signature Challenge: Pets in Costumes
@ashaislurking good luck with the procedure! hopefully it is quick and painless and makes it easier to get relief than the constant IVs
DD1
DD2
DD3
@disgruntled_pelican if you have any questions about the process please feel free to send me a message and we can chat about it!
Married: 10.2018
DS #1: 06.2014
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), Emergency C-Section
MC: 03.2017- 5 Weeks
Rainbow DS #2: 07.2018
HG, 19w Fetal Surgery, 24w PPROM, 33w Placental Abruption, Partial Uterine Rupture, Emergency C-Section
NICU, Chronic Kidney Disease
TTC #3: Medically Cleared 12.5.2019, had a bunch of problems and wonky cycles
BFP 10.13.2020 EDD: 6.26.2021
October 2020 TTGP Signature Challenge: Pets in Costumes
https://www.babydoppler.com/sonoline-b-fetal-doppler.html
I really like it and have had no complaints.
Married: 8/10/13
BFP- 12/18/15, D&E- 4/8/16 @ 21w5d- confirmed Thanatophoric Dysplasia
BFP- 11/7/17, M/C- 11/18/17 @ 4w6d
BFP- 8/25/18 ~ EDD- 5/9/19 ~ DD born 5/2/20 *Lillian Hazel*
BFP- 10/9/20 ~ EDD- 6/21/21
They have really fast shipping in my experience.
Married: 8/10/13
BFP- 12/18/15, D&E- 4/8/16 @ 21w5d- confirmed Thanatophoric Dysplasia
BFP- 11/7/17, M/C- 11/18/17 @ 4w6d
BFP- 8/25/18 ~ EDD- 5/9/19 ~ DD born 5/2/20 *Lillian Hazel*
BFP- 10/9/20 ~ EDD- 6/21/21
DD1
DD2
DD3
DD1
DD2
DD3
Me: 37, MH: 38; Married August 2017
TTC #1 October 2017: BFP on 12/1/2017, DD born 7/24/2018 @ 37+1 after induction due to preeclampsia
TTC #2 January 2020: AMA, dx with DOR in May 2020
IVF July 2020: 16 eggs retrieved, 14 mature, 12 fertilized, 3 blasts, 2 PGT-A normal
FET 10/7/20: BFP on 10/12/20!!! (EDD 6/25/21); First beta 10/16/20 (9dpt): 148; Second beta 10/19/20 (12dpt): 621; Third beta 10/26/20 (19dpt): 4732; Fourth (and final!) beta 11/2/20 (26 dpt): 22,000+
@sgrn18 same! Haha it's 20 degrees out, my boys are in shorts and t-shirts only and I'm wearing 100 layers
Me: 37, MH: 38; Married August 2017
TTC #1 October 2017: BFP on 12/1/2017, DD born 7/24/2018 @ 37+1 after induction due to preeclampsia
TTC #2 January 2020: AMA, dx with DOR in May 2020
IVF July 2020: 16 eggs retrieved, 14 mature, 12 fertilized, 3 blasts, 2 PGT-A normal
FET 10/7/20: BFP on 10/12/20!!! (EDD 6/25/21); First beta 10/16/20 (9dpt): 148; Second beta 10/19/20 (12dpt): 621; Third beta 10/26/20 (19dpt): 4732; Fourth (and final!) beta 11/2/20 (26 dpt): 22,000+
ETA: if you have a pack and play you can put a crib sheet over the top so LO has some sun protection AND protection from bugs when outside!
Married: 10.2018
DS #1: 06.2014
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), Emergency C-Section
MC: 03.2017- 5 Weeks
Rainbow DS #2: 07.2018
HG, 19w Fetal Surgery, 24w PPROM, 33w Placental Abruption, Partial Uterine Rupture, Emergency C-Section
NICU, Chronic Kidney Disease
TTC #3: Medically Cleared 12.5.2019, had a bunch of problems and wonky cycles
BFP 10.13.2020 EDD: 6.26.2021
October 2020 TTGP Signature Challenge: Pets in Costumes
@mrs_massie the air vents in the back are a big reason we got a minivan! In my old car my rear-facing kids would be sweating buckets while I was shivering bc the way the ac moved through the car. I love that they reach have their own vents and I don't have to freeze!! Plus the sliding doors for the infant seat!