Hi, I’m Heejee. I wanted to share a little about my background and the story behind this blog. My husband and I are first-generation immigrants—he’s from Mexico and I’m from Korea—and we live in sunny California with our two daughters: “munchkin,” who is 4, and “sweet pea,” who is 11 months.
I started this blog as a creative outlet outside my professional life. By day I’m a licensed architect, and when I became a mom I found that cooking was the main creative thing I was doing. I hadn’t planned to become a food blogger, but sharing the meals I prepared for my kids felt natural, so the blog evolved into a kids’ food-focused space.
When I began, I knew very little about baby and kids’ feeding techniques—I didn’t even know the term “BLW” (baby-led weaning). I also didn’t have many mom friends; most of my close contacts were colleagues without children. So I improvised. I cooked the foods I love and adapted them for munchkin in simple ways. I shared those meals online, and as my audience grew I connected with other parents and learned a lot more about feeding, nutrition, and safe serving practices. Looking back, I can see I was casual about how I cut and presented some foods—something I’ve since improved—but I still prefer a flexible approach rather than strict rules.
My own upbringing shaped that relaxed attitude toward food. I grew up with a lot of freedom around meals; my parents rarely forced me to eat things I didn’t want. My dad would treat my brother and me as a way to show affection, and I became an adventurous eater. I was the kid asking for mushrooms at dinner, much to the surprise of adults. That curiosity turned into a deep love for food—I’ll happily spend on a memorable meal just for the experience.
Munchkin, now four, is a typical child. Overall she eats a wide range of foods, though she has days when she insists on sweets and other days when she refuses certain dishes entirely. Sometimes I encourage her to try new things; other times I don’t push. Generally, I don’t worry too much. My relaxed upbringing didn’t harm me, and I trust that allowing some flexibility helps her develop her own tastes.
A bit of background on how the blog’s visual theme developed: when I went back to working outside the home, I relied on natural light for photos. The only window of time I had for shooting was at 7:15 a.m., right before leaving for work, so I started photographing the lunchboxes I made for munchkin that morning. Those images became a recurring theme on the blog simply because of the timing and light available to me.
Although many aspects of this blog happened by chance, I’m passionate about learning and improving. I spend a lot of time developing my cooking skills, studying feeding and nutrition advice, and refining my photography and video techniques. I want to share what I’ve learned and the recipes I love, while encouraging readers to follow what feels right for their families. Above all, do what makes sense to you and what brings you joy.
When sweet pea was four months old I returned to working outside the home and planned to continue. Then COVID-19 changed everything: I spent much of the year at home with both kids, cooking constantly. Despite the chaos, I view that time as a gift—it allowed me to watch sweet pea grow and spend meaningful time with munchkin. With some professional projects on hold, I’ve taken the opportunity to focus on developing this blog further. Thank you for reading and supporting this project. I look forward to sharing more recipes, video tutorials, and creative ideas with you.
Check out my latest projects. Are you following me on YouTube? Subscribe!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgW77-lZiMF3b5GBGjVUSYg?view_as=subscriber
Also, my first ebook is available: “Lunches for Kids and You.”
Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope my recipes and ideas inspire you to make mealtime enjoyable and creative for your family.