Sometimes I laugh at the younger, more naive version of myself from before I had kids. You know, that bright-eyed optimist who was so sure he knew what kind of parent he'd be. I had it all planned out: I would create the perfect balance of structure and routine, while still being spontaneous and fun. I'd be firm but gentle, consistent but flexible, and my kids would obviously respond with perfect understanding because my parenting approach would be just that good.

Fast forward to reality, and here I am—unshowered for days, sporting a stubble that's less "stylish choice" and more "survival mode," and occasionally considering crackers a complete breakfast because who has time for actual food? And as for being in charge? That illusion shattered faster than a glass vase in a toddler's hands. I always thought I was patient and could hold my ground when needed, but clearly I've met my match in the form of a tiny dictator whose lung capacity for screaming puts rock concerts to shame. Nothing humbles you quite like being outmaneuvered by a 3-year-old at 6 AM.

The last couple of months have been what I'd generously call a "growth opportunity" in our household. Between my oldest daughter's Olympic-level tantrum performances and my youngest's apparent vendetta against the concept of sleep, we have been running on fumes (and in my wife's case: coffee). My entrepreneurial dreams and this blog? They've been patiently collecting dust in the corner while I've been trying to remember what a full night's sleep feels like. 😴

The Light Finds Its Way Through the Clouds

But here's the thing about parenting that makes it manageable: just when you think you can't take another day, the clouds start to part. ⛅️ After what felt like an eternity of sleep deprivation and emotional warfare, we're finally seeing signs of improvement. The tantrums haven't disappeared entirely (that would be too much to ask for!), but they've become less frequent and less intense. Our youngest is starting to understand that nighttime is for sleeping, not for practicing her opera skills. And my wife and I? We're actually completing sentences again without forgetting what we were talking about mid-way through.

Two weeks ago, I experienced something that felt almost foreign—a solid two-hour block of uninterrupted time (with the help of my amazing mother-in-law who took our youngest daughter for a walk while the oldest was in preschool). No emergencies, no screaming, no diaper disasters. Just me and the sweet sound of silence. I almost didn't know what to do with myself! But after the initial shock wore off, I picked up my laptop and got to work. 💻

Project Status Updates

With that rare pocket of time, I had the chance to test out a few different full-stack app generators—something that’s been on my to-do list for months. I’ll share more about that process and what I discovered in an upcoming post.

I’ve also been slowly chipping away at making some decisions around the tech stack for my app. Progress has definitely been made, but I’ve hit a few bumps along the way testing frameworks and tools that initially looked promising but turned out to be trickier than expected. More on that soon, so stay tuned!

Thanks for sticking around, especially through these unpredictable, sleep-deprived chapters of life. It’s been a wild ride lately, but I’m feeling cautiously optimistic. With a bit more sleep, a bit less chaos, and a supportive community, I’m hopeful that the coming months will bring more progress, more posts, and maybe even fewer tantrums.🤞🏼