Another Introduction.......

[VickiH]

Hi all....I have been posting for a few months, but reading for much longer. I've gotten so much help from these boards (and too many strollers and diaper bags...LOL!!!!). I am really grateful to have this available. It's a great community.
Anyway, I'm Vicki (31), DH is Bill (42) and DS is Michael (4.5 mos). I grew up in NY (big Italian family from the Bronx), DH all over - NY, Boston, CA, and Charleston. We live in Hoboken, NJ which is a small city right across the Hudson River from NYC. DH and I met at work about 4 yrs ago. I am currently on maternity leave from my job, but I'm going back on 4/1, which I am dreading. DH says I can be a SAHM, but then it will take forever for us to buy a bigger place (we live in a 1.5 bedroom condo). I am seriously considering it though, as I just found out my immediate boss is leaving, and I will probably be passed over for the promotion (the big boss is not family/mommy friendly).
Any other NY/NJ mommies out there?
Anyway, I love these boards and just wanted to officially introduce myself. I feel like I know all of you already, just from all of the reading I've done!

[Annette_C]

Welcome and nice to meet you Vicki!
You're right, this is such a wonderful community with great, supportive and helpful people always there when you need them.
I'm not form NY/NJ but live in CT. I'm also Italian (from Italy).
I understand your dilemma. It's not easy leaving your new baby so soon after s/he is born. Not everyone can be a SAHM but, I think, we all wish we could. No matter what, though, the important thing is that we love our children very much and, that, we do!:)
It's nice to have you "on board" (no pun intended...LOL).


Annette
SAHM to Sabrina 6/24/02

[sweetbasil]

Nice to meet you! I've only been to NY once- have been in Texas since '89- but we stayed in Hoboken and took the subway over to NYC each day, so I have fond memories of your part of the world. That's all from here, just wanted to add another "welcome" to your post! :)

[danielleh]

Hi,
I live in Westchester county, NY (north of NYC). One of my aunts has lived in Hoboken for about 20 years, and it is amazing how the city has changed during that time.

Danielle
mom to Jimmy born 8/29/02

[Hallie_D]

Hi Vicki,

Hope you don't mind if I jump on your bandwagon...I've also been reading the board for months and have posted a few times but never really introduced myself. I'm Hallie, DH is Eric, we are both 31. DS is Elijah, who will be 9 mos on Monday! We live in Chicago. I returned to work part time when DS was 3 months old and a few weeks ago started back full time for the "busy season" at my office. It has been hard on me but DS LOVES his daycare situation, so that helps.

I have also found these boards to be so helpful, and not just with product information! I can't count the number of times someone else has written about the exact feeling/symptom/situation I was going through...thanks!

[VickiH]

Hi Danielle -
Yup, really amazing how Hoboken has changed. DH has lived here over 10 years and kicks himself for not buying back then. Oh well....
Where in Westchester are you? I have family in Mt Vernon, Somers, Yonkers and my sister lived in Mamaroneck. When I lived in the Bronx I did all of my shopping in Westchester. Still do a lot of it there with my mom! Love The Westchester Mall and all of the stores along Central Ave....

[juliasdad]

Hi, Vicki-

With 3 degrees from Stevens, I spent a lot of time in Hoboken!!
In fact, even once I was long gone, I'd still make the occassional run just to bring back some canolli from Georgio's and maybe a slice of pizza from Benny Tudino's. The change, from my very first introduction to the city in 1980, is just amazing. We're now in NW NJ, about an hour due west.

-dan

[parkersmama]

Hi, Vicki! I'm going to jump on the bandwagon along with Hallie!

I've read these boards off and on for quite a while when I needed info but really only started posting around the beginning of January. I'm Denise (33) and my dh is Craig (31) and we live in Columbus, GA. We both mostly grew up in Alabama (me in the city, him in the country!) but have lived in Columbus for about 6 1/2 years and really like it here. We don't have plans to move anytime soon. We have two sons: Parker, age 5, and Wesley, almost 3. I'm pregnant with our 3rd child (we found out in December that it's a girl!) and she is due at the end of April (but sooner if I'm lucky!). We live in the 'burbs (there's not really a big urban area here anyway) in a really great neighborhood with lots of other young families. My older son is in kindergarten at a magnet school a little ways from our house and my younger son attends preschool 3 mornings a week at our church. I am currently working part-time as a corporate controller but I'm on the verge of losing my job. My company has been caught up in the manufacturing recession for years now and there is dire talk of shutting down completely. With my 3rd child on the way, I'm planning to just pull in the purse strings and become a SAHM when the company closes.

Vicki...NYC is one of my favorite places on Earth! I'm so jealous of people who live near there. Of course, my thin Southern blood could never take the winters. :-) We've been there on vacation twice and every time we talk about another vacation that's my first choice! We've been trying to see other parts of the country but the Big Apple has a strangle hold on me! LOL!

Denise
mom to:
Parker, 9/1/1997
Wesley, 3/9/2000
and #3 (a girl!) due 4/29/2003

[danielleh]

Hi,

We live in Chappaqua. I have also spent a fair amount of time at the Westchester, though lately I have also been going to the Palisades Center in Rockland County, since in addition to the regular mall stores they have a Target and a Legal Seafoods. I went to college and grad school in Boston and became a big fan of Legal Seafoods there.

Danielle
mom to Jimmy born 8/29/02

[VickiH]

Wow, it really is a small world. DH and I are both getting our grad degrees at Stevens, although mine is on hold for now.

[juliasdad]

>Wow, it really is a small world. DH and I are both getting
>our grad degrees at Stevens, although mine is on hold for
>now.

On hold? Why?


:-)

-dan

[VickiH]

Nice to meet you! I do love NY - I even stayed home for college - went to NYU. Although now, with all of the terrorist alerts I hate being so close. I work only 2 blocks from where the World Trade Center was, and I was at work that day! Sometimes I wouldn't mind getting out of here and heading down south, and other times I can't imagine living anywhere else!

[VickiH]

Hi Hallie - nice to meet you! I find comfort in the fact that you went back to work when you DS was 3 months. I am really scared to go back...all of the other moms I know who work have their moms taking care of their babies, which just isn't convenient for me. Oh well.

[VickiH]

Well, DH is taking class this semester and studying for the final CFA exam. He doesn't have the free time for me to go to class! I'll start back this summer when things have settled down for us.

[Hallie_D]

Vicki,

My best piece of advice for you when it is time to go back to work is to ease into daycare. I knew I would work Monday through Wednesday. The week before I started I took DS to the center (we use Kindercare) those three days. We got up and ready as though I was going to work. It was so helpful to me to meet the other parents, to see the teachers interact with the babies, and most important for me, to see the other babies--they were all HAPPY and all responded with smiles to the teachers. The other moms told me their stories of going back to work and how hard it was, but how supportive everyone at the center was.

The day I actually first left him I didn't go to work. My goal was to make it out of the building without crying or throwing up. I met a friend for breakfast and just talked about how sad I was-and I cried a little. I picked up Elijah at noon. Then, the day I actually started working, it was much easier for me. I didn't cry (or vomit, thank goodness!) but I did call the center to check up on DS twice.

Now, six months later, DS is very excited every time I bring him into the classroom. He loves his teachers and has so much fun all day. Do I wish I could be a SAHM? Yes, absolutely. But I am as happy as I can be, knowing I have to work.

Sorry this was so long...if you ever want to "talk" more about it, let me know!

[atlbaby]

Hi Vicki,

I live in Tenafly (next door to Englewood) and grew up in Mannhattan. I'm with you on being freaked out by all the terror alerts and being so close to the city. Most of our family is in and around the city too, and DH works at a hospital in NYC. Just one more thing to add to my worry list...

As for me, I would lovelove to move South--especially when there's all this yucky snow around! :)

Welcome!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[parkersmama]

Rachel & Vicki...come on down for a visit any time! I do love the South but the hustle and bustle of the city is exciting too. Although we live fairly close to Atlanta and I grew up in Birmingham, neither of those can really compare to NYC!

How frightening about the terrorist attacks, though! I can't believe you were so close that day. I'm sure that living in a "target" area must be extremely frightening. We are very close to Ft. Benning where all Army Rangers are trained (it's practically empty right now since everyone has been deployed) and in a danger zone, too.

Denise
mom to:
Parker, 9/1/1997
Wesley, 3/9/2000
and #3 (a girl!) due 4/29/2003

[atlbaby]

Hi Denise,

Well, you *know* I have a soft spot for Atlanta :)
...especially after 19 inches of snow!! Just about this time, maybe early March, 2 years ago when we were living in Atlanta I saw buds on the trees! None here yet...sigh...

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[gravymommy3]

I, too, am going to take this opportunity to introduce myself.

My name is Amy (36), my DH is Allen (31), DD Grayson (3/25/98), DS Avery (10/7/99) and DD Hayden (11/6/01). We live in Dacula, GA (a suburb of Atlanta). I am a SAHM now but when Grayson was born, I went back to work when she was 6 weeks (DH and I worked out schedules so we could switch off caring for her). We kept that up until Avery was 3 or 4 months old. I have immensely enjoyed reading and posting to these boards.

Thanks to everyone

Amy

[atlbaby]

Hi Hallie,

Welcome! I love the name Elijah (and happy 9 month birthday to him!) :)

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[atlbaby]

Hi Amy,

Welcome! We lived in Atlanta for a year while DH was doing part of his residency training, and got pregnant with Arielle during that time (hence my username:) ) Thanks also for the advice on the stroller board--I agree with you it would be best to purchase a 'better' product for its longevity, it's just so *amn expensive!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[LD92599]

I've never actually introduced myself either! We live in Dumont (Rachel, we're practically neighbors!)...DH works in medical sales in/around the NY/NJ area & I work in Paramus...i will be going back to work after 12 weeks. We are both 27 yo.

I am obsessed with these boards and have absolutely learned so much from everyone! I am always referring to the board for one thing or another!

Laura
Due: Feb 26th, 2003

[gravymommy3]

I hear ya Rachel. It really took a chomp out of the vacation budget (which was already screaming!) I am now looking at $600 to replace carseats!! We may be eating sandwiches for the rest of our lives, but at least the babies will be as safe as possible in the car. If you do decide to go with the MB, call Michelle or Kit at Baby Outfitters (www.baby-outfitters.com) They were the best to work with.

Where in Atlanta did you live?

Are you expecting again or am I making that up?

Thanks

Amy

[parkersmama]

Yep, the redbud trees are already in bloom here! Pretty pink blossoms! Columbus isn't that far south of Atlanta but for some reason things happen a lot sooner here and it gets a good bit hotter in the summer. I think we are south of the fall line that is around Pine Mtn/Callaway Gardens. Something about that puts us in a different climate zone. It's in the upper 60s here today & I was actually hot in my long sleeve tshirt when I went to get Parker at school this afternoon. If you can get a flight...come on down! :-)

Denise
mom to:
Parker, 9/1/1997
Wesley, 3/9/2000
and #3 (a girl!) due 4/29/2003

[atlbaby]

Hi Amy,

We lived in the Druid Hills/Toco Hills area, but unfortunately because DH was doing his internship year of residency (read: he had about a minute of free time per week!) we didn't get to explore the surronding suburbs much:( . But we did go to Tallullah Gorge (sp) in the Spring, which was *gorgeous*! And the zoo--which was funny because it was right after we found out we were pregnant with Arielle and we joke that we'd never seen so many stollers and babies at once (because we were suddenly taking notice!)

And no, you're not making it up--I made a 'quasi' announcement a few weeks ago! After next week's appoitment, G-d willing I hope to make an addition to my signiture and add something to Neve's chart! :) Thanks for remembering!

Hayden's birthday is one of my EDDs--I had 2, long story...


-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[atlbaby]

Hi Laura!

Nice to meet you! :) I've never even been to Dumont, but I do know it's very nearby. I have some friends in Cresskill which I think is close too?

Wow, it looks like you are down to the last couple of days now!

Good Luck! :)


**Edited because I'm exhausted and left some prepositions out!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[gravymommy3]

Rachel,

Bummer you don't still live here! What was your DH's internship in? I know what you mean about messed up EDDs - they had to date all of my pregnancies with ultrasound - I just never could keep up with the cycle and then with the bf, I went very long spans with no visitor - yeah! Good luck on that announcement - that will make them right at 2 years apart, right? It is a good spacing!

Amy
Mom to Grayson Elizabeth 3/25/98
Avery Garrison 10/7/99
Hayden Catherine 11/6/01

[LD92599]

Rachel:

Thanks, yes we're down to the wire! Cresskill is about 4 blocks away...we're on the Cresskill/Haworth/Dumont border..Tenafly is a stone's throw away too!

Laura
Due: Feb 26th, 2003

[jojo2324]

Hi everyone!! Sorry I am so late! Time flies now...

I am not really a NY/NJ mommy, but I live on Long Island (East Hampton specifically) and visit my mother who lives in the city all the time...I hear you on being freaked out. She used to work at Windows on the World, as did her husband (that's where they met). Fortunately they had left their jobs there before the attacks. I still fret though; I want her to move down south. Then I can escape this horrible winter we're having! :P

I used to live in NJ when I was a little kid, Colts Neck, Old(e?) Bridge, Kendall Park and then finally Princeton. Then we left for Upstate NY. And my dad and my brother live in Atlanta.

Welcome to everybody! :D