Tell us about yourself...

[Hollyadmin]

I feel like I'm really getting to know some of you, but I want to know more about your non-fussy-baby-lives too. What do you do for work (or what did you do)? Where are you from? What does your partner do? That kind of stuff

[sheeshoo2]

That is a great idea---sometimes I forget about life "pre-Cole"!  My name is Amanda and I have been married to my husband, Jake, since March of 2007.  We met in high school in a youth symphony (I play violin, he plays cello) and both attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee after graduating from high school.  I majored in Music Business and worked for a record label during and after college.  Sadly we had to move up here to Indianapolis, Indiana as my husband was accepted to medical school here.  It is FRIGID compared to Nashville, but we are trying to manage. 

Since the move I have worked in human resources and then for a nonprofit film festival, but currently I am a stay-at-home mom.  My husband is finishing up his third year of medical school and will graduate in May of 2011, so the end is in sight!  He is leaning towards specializing in anesthesia, but it changes weekly.  We hope he will get a residency in Nashville so that we can move back, but that will be up to the vast "matching system" which will determine our fate this time next year. 

In the meantime I LOVE watching TV...and eating...haha, great "hobbies."  We have two dogs, both shelties (one girl and one boy - Lady Bella Luna of Belmont and Lord Simba of Fall Creek Place) and one ridiculous cat (dilute tortie - Dolce).

[nursemommy]

My name is Marie Andrée, i'm in Ottawa, Canada. I graduated from Ottawa U in criminology and psychology and then started to work with  offenders and ex offenders and wanted more then just being a part of a revolving door! I went back to school in nursing and finished my BScN in 2006. I worked in pediatric psychiatry and medecine, geriatrics and community health where I did manage 3 programs: infusion center, rheumatology program and diabeties program. i'm currently on mat leave and returning back to work in july!

I am with my hubby since 2007, we met 13 years ago while we both worked the bar scene!! He left for the army and I got in touch with him back in 07 ( when he left the army!!) and are together ever since! He now works alot of shift work ( mostly nights!) at the local casino so I consider myself as a single mom ahahahahah!!!

I'm the proud mother of Zackary and of course...my first baby... my little weiner dog Rose ( who has become Zack's best friend!!)

hobbies.... hummmmmmm good one!!! I dont have alot of time for those!!! I ballet danced from the age of 3 until I was 20. I took a salsa class where I go with my son ( he's in a sling while I dance). Before I got pregnant, I took agility with Rose and she was VERY good at it!! ( she got the name the Wonder Weiner!) I loooooooove traveling.... I have a thing for Cuba!

[Mbrown602]

My name is Melissa and I live in Montoursville, PA about 3 1/2 hours from Philadelphia and NYC. So we're pretty much in the middle of the state. I've been married to my husband Sean since August of 2006, but have been with him for 10 years. Like Marie, I met him when I worked in the bar scene -- I was a bartender for 8 years and I met him while working. Sean works long hours as a sous chef at a local hotel and does a lot of late nights too, so some days I also feel like a single parent.

Currently, I'm on maternity leave but only for another two weeks I work as a customer service rep for a dental insurance company. I have a BA in English and I was a newspaper reporter for a few years. Now, I supplement by freelance writing for local papers and I have a column on a local web site.

As for hobbies, right now I'm watching a lot of tv too, lol! I like to read, but haven't had a chance to do much of that lately. I love music and I have a bass guitar but that's another thing I haven't had a chance to do.

Besides my six week old, Nadia I have a 15 year old daughter, Simone. And we also have four cats.

[civano]

My name is Kim Mi (Mi is pronounced like "me" and is my Taiwanese mother's first name). It's always been said together. I was a former military brat and moved all over the place during my childhood. Eventually I ended up in Tucson, Arizona. I have a master's degree in community counseling. I worked for 5 years as a licensed counselor with victims of sexually abuse and then at a residential treatment center for people with co-occurring disorders (both a mental disorder and an alcohol or drug problem). I ended up moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan to live with boyfriend (and now husband) who is from Michigan in December of 2005. He's an applications developer (writes the code for website applications) at a small company. We met online, he knew my brother from online for a couple of years before we met. We decided we wanted to be together after getting to know each other and visiting one another several times. I took the plunge and moved to Michigan although I really wanted him to move to Tucson. It just wasn't in the works because he had just bought a house and couldn't sell it for what he owed as the housing market started to drop. Let me tell you...what a temperature shock it was moving...going from a very mild winter to a frigid freezing winter wonderland! I'm still not used to it and much prefer milder weather in the winter and a dry heat in the summer. I also miss my friends and my former coworkers and just so much about Arizona. I also miss my family but they live in other states.

I'm not working currently, I found it difficult to find work as a counselor here when I first moved here. That was really discouraging because I really loved my work in Tucson. Hopefully, when I am ready to go back to work either part or full-time I can find work. Although, at times I toy with the idea of going back to school and learning something else...but I don't really see myself doing that for many reasons!

My 2 year old son Evan will be 3 on April 22nd. He was my first fussy baby. My second fussy baby is Miles who is just over 4 months old. I really wanted to have a girl but I think I'm tapped out when it comes to babies and not willing to risk having another. Most people tell me I can't say that now...wait til Miles is at least a year and I'll feel different. But I think most people who do not have fussy babies have no clue how intense and stressful it can be. Having 2, I don't think I'll forget how much work it is! We also have a dog...who I had before I was married or moved to Michigan. He's a 6 year old Papillon named Oreo.

As for hobbies...well I'm an avid TV watcher these days (more so at night when I'm up with the baby who refuses at times to sleep...gotta love mute and subtitles   ). I used to love hiking, walking, listening to music (which I don't seem to do as much prechildren...at least not the music I like vs children's songs/lullabies). I also enjoy reading and gardening (not great at it but I have fun playing around in the yard). I want to find more things I enjoy...I've taken some quilting classes and have thought about trying that again. I used to computer game a lot as well but I just don't have time for that with children and don't really enjoy it as much as I used to. I do like to visit forums like this one though!

[Hollyadmin]

That is a great idea---sometimes I forget about life "pre-Cole"!  My name is Amanda and I have been married to my husband, Jake, since March of 2007.  We met in high school in a youth symphony (I play violin, he plays cello) and both attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee after graduating from high school.  I majored in Music Business and worked for a record label during and after college.  Sadly we had to move up here to Indianapolis, Indiana as my husband was accepted to medical school here.  It is FRIGID compared to Nashville, but we are trying to manage. 

Since the move I have worked in human resources and then for a nonprofit film festival, but currently I am a stay-at-home mom.  My husband is finishing up his third year of medical school and will graduate in May of 2011, so the end is in sight!  He is leaning towards specializing in anesthesia, but it changes weekly.  We hope he will get a residency in Nashville so that we can move back, but that will be up to the vast "matching system" which will determine our fate this time next year. 

In the meantime I LOVE watching TV...and eating...haha, great "hobbies."  We have two dogs, both shelties (one girl and one boy - Lady Bella Luna of Belmont and Lord Simba of Fall Creek Place) and one ridiculous cat (dilute tortie - Dolce).

Hey Amanda, have you heard the line, 'you must make beautiful music together'? hahaha I heard that one A LOT when I dated a musician

Love your animals' names lol!

My husband was part of the same matching system for his psychology internship. Any ideas where you want to go if you don't get Nashville? We wanted Boston, and were pretty sure we were going to get it, but ended up in frigid, God-forsaken Winnipeg instead

[Hollyadmin]

My name is Marie Andrée, i'm in Ottawa, Canada. I graduated from Ottawa U in criminology and psychology and then started to work with  offenders and ex offenders and wanted more then just being a part of a revolving door! I went back to school in nursing and finished my BScN in 2006. I worked in pediatric psychiatry and medecine, geriatrics and community health where I did manage 3 programs: infusion center, rheumatology program and diabeties program. i'm currently on mat leave and returning back to work in july!

I am with my hubby since 2007, we met 13 years ago while we both worked the bar scene!! He left for the army and I got in touch with him back in 07 ( when he left the army!!) and are together ever since! He now works alot of shift work ( mostly nights!) at the local casino so I consider myself as a single mom ahahahahah!!!

I'm the proud mother of Zackary and of course...my first baby... my little weiner dog Rose ( who has become Zack's best friend!!)

hobbies.... hummmmmmm good one!!! I dont have alot of time for those!!! I ballet danced from the age of 3 until I was 20. I took a salsa class where I go with my son ( he's in a sling while I dance). Before I got pregnant, I took agility with Rose and she was VERY good at it!! ( she got the name the Wonder Weiner!) I loooooooove traveling.... I have a thing for Cuba!

Marie, for some reason I thought you were in Quebec. Hmmmm, shows what I know. I would lOVE to visit Ottawa someday.

You are one accomplished lady!  Are you still thinking of going into maternity when you go back? (was it that, or peds?)

[Hollyadmin]

My name is Melissa and I live in Montoursville, PA about 3 1/2 hours from Philadelphia and NYC. So we're pretty much in the middle of the state. I've been married to my husband Sean since August of 2006, but have been with him for 10 years. Like Marie, I met him when I worked in the bar scene -- I was a bartender for 8 years and I met him while working. Sean works long hours as a sous chef at a local hotel and does a lot of late nights too, so some days I also feel like a single parent.

Currently, I'm on maternity leave but only for another two weeks I work as a customer service rep for a dental insurance company. I have a BA in English and I was a newspaper reporter for a few years. Now, I supplement by freelance writing for local papers and I have a column on a local web site.

As for hobbies, right now I'm watching a lot of tv too, lol! I like to read, but haven't had a chance to do much of that lately. I love music and I have a bass guitar but that's another thing I haven't had a chance to do.

Besides my six week old, Nadia I have a 15 year old daughter, Simone. And we also have four cats.

Melissa, I can't believe we are the same age (I remember from another post), and you have a 15 year old. This is like doing it all over again for you!

Hmmm, I'm noticing the theme of a lot of TV watching among us lol! It's the one thing you can still do when you're alone with a cranky baby I guess!

[Hollyadmin]

My name is Kim Mi (Mi is pronounced like "me" and is my Taiwanese mother's first name). It's always been said together. I was a former military brat and moved all over the place during my childhood. Eventually I ended up in Tucson, Arizona. I have a master's degree in community counseling. I worked for 5 years as a licensed counselor with victims of sexually abuse and then at a residential treatment center for people with co-occurring disorders (both a mental disorder and an alcohol or drug problem). I ended up moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan to live with boyfriend (and now husband) who is from Michigan in December of 2005. He's an applications developer (writes the code for website applications) at a small company. We met online, he knew my brother from online for a couple of years before we met. We decided we wanted to be together after getting to know each other and visiting one another several times. I took the plunge and moved to Michigan although I really wanted him to move to Tucson. It just wasn't in the works because he had just bought a house and couldn't sell it for what he owed as the housing market started to drop. Let me tell you...what a temperature shock it was moving...going from a very mild winter to a frigid freezing winter wonderland! I'm still not used to it and much prefer milder weather in the winter and a dry heat in the summer. I also miss my friends and my former coworkers and just so much about Arizona. I also miss my family but they live in other states.

I'm not working currently, I found it difficult to find work as a counselor here when I first moved here. That was really discouraging because I really loved my work in Tucson. Hopefully, when I am ready to go back to work either part or full-time I can find work. Although, at times I toy with the idea of going back to school and learning something else...but I don't really see myself doing that for many reasons!

My 2 year old son Evan will be 3 on April 22nd. He was my first fussy baby. My second fussy baby is Miles who is just over 4 months old. I really wanted to have a girl but I think I'm tapped out when it comes to babies and not willing to risk having another. Most people tell me I can't say that now...wait til Miles is at least a year and I'll feel different. But I think most people who do not have fussy babies have no clue how intense and stressful it can be. Having 2, I don't think I'll forget how much work it is! We also have a dog...who I had before I was married or moved to Michigan. He's a 6 year old Papillon named Oreo.

As for hobbies...well I'm an avid TV watcher these days (more so at night when I'm up with the baby who refuses at times to sleep...gotta love mute and subtitles   ). I used to love hiking, walking, listening to music (which I don't seem to do as much prechildren...at least not the music I like vs children's songs/lullabies). I also enjoy reading and gardening (not great at it but I have fun playing around in the yard). I want to find more things I enjoy...I've taken some quilting classes and have thought about trying that again. I used to computer game a lot as well but I just don't have time for that with children and don't really enjoy it as much as I used to. I do like to visit forums like this one though!

Kim, I think are you right about parents of fussy babies not forgetting so easily. Sammy is almost 3.5 and I'm still completely sure I don't want another one. It takes such a toll emotionally and physically having a baby like that...once they get a bit older and start to get a bit easier, there's no going back!!!

[Hollyadmin]

Well, I am Holly, mom to 2 kids, daughter (almost 6) and son (3.5). We live just outside of Vancouver, BC. I am home with the kiddos, and also do some work from home. My business is called 'Her SEO', (www dot herseo dot com), and I do web marketing for small businesses. I am moving more into writing content for other websites though, and love that.

I started this website in May 2007. I knew I wanted to somehow help other parents who had fussy babies, and looked into becoming a postpartum doula specializing in colicky/high need babies. Then somehow, I had the idea to start a website instead...I figured if I was a doula, I could only help a few people a month. I knew how important the internet was to me when Sammy was small, as we didn't really know anyone with a fussy baby. So without knowing the first thing about starting a website, I did anyway!  I can't really remember where the idea came from, but I'm so glad I did!  I find it so rewarding.

My husband is a Psychologist who teaches at a university, and also does some private practice. He's still trying to finish up his dissertation and he will officially be 'Dr. Klaassen'. Maybe that means he will finally also start making the $$ of a doctor!!

[nursemommy]

I'm in Quebec... but I cross a bridge and i'M in Ottawa! It's faster to say i'm in Ottawa, then GAtineau ahahaha!!! People know Ottawa but not Gatineau!

I would love to do obstetric/maternity after my mat leave but my husband works shift and I cant go and work at the hospital on shifts also! that poor child would never see either of us!!! straight days are offererd to old nurses! us rookies we get the crappy eve and nights shift! I would not be able to work nights, then come home and take care of my fussy baby!!! I would probably end up on the psych ward ahahahahah!! But some day, when Zackary is older, I could probably go there... I will have more mommy experience too, so I will be more credible. I remember my nurse was like 15 years old and new nothing about babies or breastfeeding. Z had trouble latching on and I remember asking my husband to go and get « a old nurse ». This lady ( about 55) came into the room and I remember feeling soooo relieved she was there!!

If  you ever come to Ottawa, let me know, I will show you around! We are actually planning to go to victoria Island soon, My husband's best friend lives there and he would like to visit ( I told him we needed to go to Cuba before that!! hehe!... I neeeeeeeeeeed suuuuuuuuunnnnn and the latino vibe!!!)

[Hollyadmin]

I'm in Quebec... but I cross a bridge and i'M in Ottawa! It's faster to say i'm in Ottawa, then GAtineau ahahaha!!! People know Ottawa but not Gatineau!

HA!  I'm so glad I'm not going crazy, I could have sworn you were in Quebec! We had a guest speaker at our church this morning from Quebec...he reminded me what a charismatic and energetic people Quebecois are

[nursemommy]

yeah well.. my son is most def from Quebec ahhaahahahha!!!

[Hollyadmin]

yeah well.. my son is most def from Quebec ahhaahahahha!!!

 

[fbsurvivor]

I have one daughter, Abby, who is now 18 months.  She was extremely fussy (high needs and colic) for the first 6 months. (And in the last few days, after Grandma and Grandpa have left, I'm having deja vu.)  Generally, though, she is a very happy extroverted little girl who is intense and strong willed.

Since I am officially liable for whatever I say online, I won't tell you the exact company I work for, but I edit video for a major entertainment web site.  Before that I worked on a show called Modern Marvels for the History Channel, and previously for Biography.  Even though my mother was a professor, I'm finding being a working mom surprisingly difficult and I'm constantly wrestling with it, especially because in my business there is a neverending ladder to climb.  My husband works as a manufacturing manager for a large Pharmaceutical company that primarily makes cancer drugs.

I have a BA from Reed College in Cultural Anthropology and an MFA in Film from Loyola Marymount University.  I'm originally from Hawaii, but I live in LA.  My husband and I met on our dorm, freshman year of college and were together 9 years before getting married.  We've been married 7 years.

Before I had a child I enjoyed gardening and interior decorating/renovating our house.  I like art, particularly printmaking.  I have a rescue Husky and a rescue Malamute and they are definitely not getting the exercise they need.   I love that I have so much in my life, but I feel a little like I'm constantly flailing around, dealing whatever shoe just dropped.