Chapter 2: My First Steps in Real Estate (and in Life)

From the moment I came into the world, my mother’s life took on a whole new direction. It’s as if my arrival created a shift, not just in the literal sense, but in how she approached her future and ours as a family. During those early months, her full attention was on me—every coo, every cry, every little sound I made was met with her immediate response. I had her undivided love and care, as if the universe had suddenly become smaller, revolving solely around the two of us.

Yet, despite the deep bond we were forming, one thing was clear: my mother was never the type to remain idle for long. Even with the demands of a newborn (and I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t exactly make things easy), she was already thinking about our future. She wasn’t content to simply resume her old life at the airline once her maternity leave ended. No, she wanted more—more for herself, and more for me.

So, while most mothers might have focused exclusively on diaper changes and sleepless nights, my mother was already plotting a new course for our lives. She’d always had a sharp mind and a keen sense for opportunities, and this was no different. Real estate had piqued her interest, and before long, she was signing up for real estate broker courses. She saw it as a way to offer a better future to our family, a career where she could be her own boss and create a stable life for us.

Of course, being the determined woman she is, my mother wasn’t about to let something like a newborn slow her down. And that’s where I come in—or, more accurately, continue coming along. Because, as you might have guessed, she didn’t leave me behind when she embarked on this new journey. Instead, I accompanied her to every single one of her real estate courses.

Picture this: a room full of aspiring real estate agents, poring over property contracts, zoning laws, and market trends. And there, in the middle of it all, was my mother, with a baby in tow. That baby was me, wide-eyed and taking it all in (or sleeping through it, depending on the time of day). While the others in the class were busy studying charts and graphs, I was focused on my own important tasks—eating, sleeping, and occasionally letting out a wail to remind everyone that I was, in fact, the youngest participant in the room.

It’s strange to think about it now, but even though I was just a baby, I like to believe I was learning something too. Perhaps it was the atmosphere of ambition that surrounded me, or maybe I was simply absorbing the energy of my mother’s relentless drive. Whatever it was, those early months laid the groundwork for a work ethic that I would come to appreciate later in life.

My mother, of course, was unstoppable. She attended every class, completed every assignment, and managed to juggle her studies with the demands of motherhood. Looking back, I can only marvel at how she did it all. Balancing a newborn and a new career path is no small feat, but she handled it with grace. And all the while, I was there, strapped into my carrier or cradled in her arms, watching as she transformed her life—and mine—in the process.

The real turning point came on the day of her graduation. It was a moment of triumph, not just for her, but for the both of us. The culmination of all those long hours of study, the late nights spent reading about real estate law while I slept nearby, the countless moments of juggling baby bottles and broker exams—it all led to this. My mother was finally about to receive her real estate broker’s diploma, and there was no way she was doing it without me by her side.

In fact, I wasn’t just by her side—I was in her arms. As she walked up to accept her diploma, I was there, just barely a year old, but already part of her journey in a way that most babies aren’t. The photograph of that moment is one of my favorites: my mother beaming with pride, her diploma in one hand, and me nestled in the other. It’s a snapshot of not just her success, but of our partnership, even at that early stage.

That diploma wasn’t just a piece of paper for my mother. It represented a new beginning, a new career, and, most importantly, a new life for the two of us. She had taken a leap of faith, stepping away from her steady job at the airline, and had instead built something entirely new from scratch. And I had been there with her every step of the way—quite literally.

As my mother transitioned into her new role as a real estate broker, I continued to be her constant companion. She brought me along to house showings, meetings with clients, and even property inspections. While other babies my age were learning to crawl, I was learning the ins and outs of the real estate market (well, sort of). Whether it was the sound of a door opening at a new listing or the rustling of contract papers, I was always in the midst of the action.

And through it all, my mother remained laser-focused on building a future for us. Every client she helped, every house she sold, was a step toward creating the stability she had dreamed of. And while I didn’t fully understand it at the time, I could feel the momentum building around us. My mother’s determination was palpable, and it was clear that she was not only succeeding—she was thriving.

Looking back, it’s incredible to think about how much my life was intertwined with hers from the very beginning. My earliest memories are not of playgrounds or toys, but of real estate offices, open houses, and the constant hum of my mother’s ambition. It was an unconventional upbringing, to say the least, but one that shaped me in ways I would come to appreciate much later in life.

For my mother, becoming a real estate broker was more than just a career change—it was a new chapter in our lives, one that she wrote with determination, love, and an unshakeable belief in a better future. And while I may have been just a baby at the time, I like to think that, in my own small way, I was part of that journey too.