2025 Reflections

This year has been filled with uncertainty as we’ve been trying to grow our family. We faced a few moments of disappointment early on, but those quickly turned into joy when we beat the odds and learned we were expecting a baby in December. This pregnancy has been more challenging with a toddler to care for, but experiencing toddlerhood with Max is also more playful, silly, and full of sweet moments together.

2024 Goals

[X] Enjoy motherhood and share new experiences with Max – This was a practically guaranteed. His toddler years are so joyful and spirited. 

[-] Potty train Max! – We started but he has not fully mastered it. 

[X] Learn travel point hacking strategies for future overseas trips. – Totally obsessed with this hobby — my travel points are piling up!

[X] Keep traveling! – Three trips down this year: Bahamas, Toronto, and San Diego. We had planned Alaska and Costa Rica too, but had to change plans due to my pregnancy

[ ] Revamp and rethink this personal blog. 

[ ] Figure out next steps with one of our Airbnbs. 

[X] Expand our family, which requires mostly luck and a little bit of science. – Luck was on our side, and our family has grown!

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Infertility and pregnancy 

Infertility sucks — there’s really no other way to put it. We took the longer, more “scenic” route to our second baby, and we’re incredibly grateful (and still a little in disbelief) to have found success — not once, but twice, knowing how many women struggle for years without success. It’s still surreal that our family is growing.

This pregnancy has been tougher. There are so many days when exhaustion hits hard and all I want to do is lie down… but that’s just not possible with a toddler running around. Thank goodness for Chi, who’s been picking up my slack and keeping things together. Time has flown by, and sometimes being pregnant feels like an afterthought amid the chaos of daily life with Max. 

I’m so excited to relive the sweet moments of babyhood — those tiny hands, sleepy cuddles, and first smiles — but I’m also terrified. The thought of sleepless nights and juggling life with two little ones is daunting. It’s already a lot with one, and adding another isn’t just double the work — it’s a whole new level of chaos. 

Parenting a toddler

Max is truly living his best life as a two-year-old. He continues to bring us so much joy — even with all the challenges that come with toddlerhood. The joy feels different now that he can express himself with words. At the start of the year, his vocabulary was limited to a few words like “stop” and “ball,” but he’s grown so much since then. Now he copies our phrases, speaks in simple yet complete sentences like “Max pick apples” or “Max miss Legoland,” and even asks curious questions like “What is this?”

Max is such a delightful little personality — silly, playful, and fiercely independent. He loves basketball and is starting to enjoy swimming and waterparks. He also adores his Sesame Street characters and has developed a love for reading stories. Watching him explore the world with curiosity and wonder has been one of the greatest joys of parenthood, and seeing him grow and discover new things fills me with so much pride and happiness.

Nassau, Bahamas

This was one of our best trips with Max — he’s becoming so much more curious and playful, and he absolutely loved the waterpark. He also slept better than he ever has on a trip, which meant Mom and Dad finally got some rest too!

Vancouver / Seattle

We explored the cities with our best friends and got to share some special news — our pregnancy! We also told Chi’s sister and celebrated together with a gender reveal cake. It was such a wonderful moment to experience and celebrate with the people we love.

Toronto 

After finding out I was pregnant, our travel plans shifted and we decided to prioritize a trip back to Toronto — knowing it might be a while before we visit again with both a baby and a toddler. It’s always special to see our friends and family, but this trip was extra meaningful as we got to share our happy news. For our parents, we had Max announce it by saying, “Max be big brother!” — though it took them a moment to realize what he was actually telling them.

San Diego, California 

This was our babymoon, but also our last trip as a family of three, where both parents could give their full attention to Max. We explored the city, visited Sesame Place, the zoo, and Legoland — it was the perfect family vacation and Max expressed so much joy. I can’t wait to revisit as a family of four!

Our newest addition: Emilia 

Our greatest accomplishment arrived on a cold winter morning, December 28. It was an incredibly fast and smooth birth, filled with wonderful surprises—being fully dilated at 10 cm the moment we arrived at the hospital, only five minutes of pushing, and having our baby placed on my chest just an hour after parking the car. We welcomed Emilia into our family that day, and we are completely smitten.

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2026 Goals

I’m keeping my goals light and realistic this year by giving myself some grace and keeping things manageable. 

[ ] Survive, and hopefully thrive in newborn + toddler motherhood era

[ ] Travel as a family of four —currently planning to visit Cancun, Mexico

— Stretch goals that I likely won’t have the mental energy for.

[ ] Rebuild this blog

[ ] Find a new law firm and update our estate plan

[ ] Start planning education for the kids (saving plans, schools etc.)