Profile of a Parent

Name: Julianne, Mommy, Mama, Ma, Julie, Jules

Mother of: Abigail (12), Paul (10), Andrew (3), Charlotte (11mos).

What You Did Before You Were Someone’s Mommy: We were married young and moved to Okinawa, Japan 2 weeks later. So, I toured, lunched, shopped, took a few classes and shopped and lunched some more. To pay for my lunching and shopping I taught English at the Ryukyu University and to a few Japanese housewives, it was a total blast!

What You Do For Yourself Now: I enjoy going to the gym, walking or running. It's my "therapy". Christine's margarita's are a close second! I also employ a cleaning lady, so I can keep up with laundry! I'm an RN and will be going back to work in June. It will be nice to focus on something else for a few hours per week.

What is your favorite thing about being a mother? Gee, where do I begin? I love hearing my little one calling me in the morning, and nursing her at bedtime, the funny way my youngest son expresses himself and his good morning hugs and kisses, helping my oldest son with homework and watching him become more and more independent, and watching my eldest daughter turn into a young "lady".

What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you had children? How difficult it is to let go.

What would you do with an extra free hour in your day? I HAVE 4 KIDS...LAUNDRY!

Who are your go-to people when you have a parenting question? My mother, the Dairy Queen's mother, and the gal that keeps me informed of all the plastic dangers...Christine.

What is the one thing your child(ren) do that always makes you smile? I love watching Abbie twirl and dance across the kitchen floor when she thinks no one is watching or when Paul plays on the floor with Charlotte, he reminds me of his dad. I also love when I'm walking with my younger children in the side-by-side stroller and Drew puts his arm around Charlotte or holds her hand, it just melts me.

Who is your favorite fictional mother? I'm going to have to pick two characters. Carol Brady is my first choice, c'mon, 6 kids, a blended family, her house was always picked-up (thank you Alice), able to settle sibling squabbles, and quite trendy! Charlotte the Spider is the other. She was self-sacrificing, smart, poised and ready to take on the world.

If you could be someone you know for a day, who would it be? I don't think I'd trade places with anyone.

If you could ban people from doing something, what would it be? Rationalizing with a 2 year old; pointless.

If you could make one mixed CD that would be the only music you could listen to for the rest of your life, what songs would you put on it? "That's the Way" Led Zepplin, "Uncle John's Band" Grateful Dead, "Blue Sky" and "Melissa" Alman Brothers, any Motown or Disco (sorry), "The Blower's Daughter" Damien Rice, "In Your Eyes" Peter Gabriel, anything by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and "Jersey Girl" Bruce (I am the original). I'm sure there are a few top 40, but I'm tired and can't think of any right now.

**Join our parents by sending your answers to the above questions, along with a picture to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com