With Mother’s Day just around the corner, the Inside Press asked four local moms why they chose their town to live in, what excites them about welcoming a baby into their family and of course how they hope to celebrate Mother’s Day. Here’s what they had to say.
Emily Rudolph: Briarcliff Mom Hoping to Add a Built in Buddy for Her Son
Emily Rudolph is an occupational therapist in the Rye school district and mom to her toddler son, Mason. She and her husband Max are looking forward to adding another baby to their family this July. The gender of baby #2 is a surprise.
Three years ago, they moved to Briarcliff and were attracted to the award-winning school district as well as to the many community offerings available such as the town pool and camp. Emily, who grew up in upstate New York, has many fond memories of her summers spent at the local pool. She wanted to give her children that same warm community feeling she had as a young girl.
She’s excited to be a new mom again and to give Mason a sibling. “I grew up with two siblings and I really value that sibling relationship. I’m sure it will be an adjustment at first but we are hoping he has a built-in buddy,” she says.
As an occupational therapist, when she thinks of the term ‘mother’, on the surface she thinks of a caregiver. “It is another role that I carry and is not my whole identity but it is probably the most important role to me.”
Emily, who has a lot of friends still in Boston, is so grateful that she joined Social Parent, a group started by Alison Leighton that holds events for new local parents. “There’s this WhatsApp group that I can get advice from real moms in real time without judgment,” she notes ,and urges other new moms to put themselves out there to find a network of moms to go on a walk with or commiserate with.
For Mother’s Day, she hopes to spend time with her family and then sneak in a little “me” time with a good mani/pedi or massage during Mason’s nap.
Ali Roselle: Pleasantville’s Thriving Downtown Drew This Young Family to Town
A native of Briarcliff Manor, Ali and her husband Jon are expecting a baby boy this spring. They have two girls: Lila, 5 and Juliette, 2.
With three children under the age of five, life in the Roselle house is busy. “Once you start having kids, part of your brain just never shuts off. You are always thinking about them and putting them first,” says Ali who hopes that all three of her children will be ready for life’s opportunities as well as challenges.
As a third time mom, Ali is well aware of how quick each phase of babyhood flies by. “I really appreciate the [baby] stages for what it is and I know how short lived it will be.”
Ali looks forward to spending time with her girls and the baby this summer while on maternity leave from her job as Vice President of Content Finance at WB Discovery. “This is the last moment when all our kids will be pre-elementary age. We will have a great summer ahead.”
She is looking forward to walking into town with her family in tow to take advantage of all that Pleasantville has to offer such as the Farmers Market, great restaurants and the Jacob Burns Film Center plus visits to Roselle Park which they sometimes joke with the kids is named after their family.
For the perfect Mother’s Day, Ali has two versions in mind. One will be a spa day, date night with her husband and having no responsibilities. The other version would be going to the farmers market with the kids, brunch at a local restaurant and a Rockefeller Park hike with take out for dinner. Each of those options sounds like a win, according to the Inside Press.
Ashlan Gleason: A Millwood Mom Due with Daughter #2 on Labor Day
Originally from Texas, Ashlan Gleason first came acquainted with the bucolic hamlet of New Castle after meeting her then boyfriend, now husband Jonathan, a Chappaqua native. She loved the beautiful outdoors and ample space.
Moving to Millwood a month before COVID hit, their first daughter Quinlan was born. Due on Labor Day with a second girl, Ashlan’s husband jokes that his lot in life is to be surrounded by his girls. “We definitely rule the roost here,” she laughs.
Ashlan is hoping to emulate the close relationship she has with her own mother who is still based in Texas. “Growing up my mom was a lot like my best friend. We had a very transparent relationship. I want my girls to have that same trust and know that I am there for them without judgment.”
Ashlan says she shares a lot of similar qualities as Quinlan. She is excited to see how similar her daughters will be and also how different and unique they will be.
Both Ashlan and Jonathan work at White Plains Hospital (WPH). She works on the administrative leadership side working on the digital transformation at WPH to enhance the patient experience and allow for convenient scheduling. He works in the revenue cycle at the hospital. “We are in two very different departments, and he is thankful that he doesn’t have to work with me,” she admits.
For the upcoming Mother’s Day, Ashlan is grateful for her husband letting her sleep in and taking care of their two dogs and Quinlan and then making her breakfast or a big brunch. She hopes to go to Kitchawan with her family and in-laws. “The day is all about recharging and spending time with my family.”
Erica Alter: A Recently Relocated Armonk Mom with a New Baby in Tow
Erica Alter and her husband Matt are new residents in Armonk, after most recently living in San Diego. They were attracted to the area’s surrounding nature and easy commute to the city.
Suburban life has been a transition for Erica, a New York City native. “A house is a living breathing thing. There’s a lot of random stuff that you don’t have to worry about when you have an apartment,” says Erica whose new house lies on the border of Armonk and Bedford.
Now that the weather is warmer, they hope to go hiking a lot with their three- year-old daughter, Sydney, and their seven-month-old daughter Poppy. “Seeing the girls play together is very cute. When they take a bath together, Poppy gets really giggly. I never had a sister growing up so my hope is that they will have fun together and be friends as they grow up,” she says. “Plus, I can’t wait for them to have matching outfits,” she gushes.
Erica works as a psychotherapist in private practice. She sees couples and adults virtually and plans to open an office soon in the area. When asked to describe the term mother, she naturally views it from a psychological perspective. “A mother is a baby’s first primary connection to the world and how they make sense out of it,” she says.
As Mother’s Day approaches, she is looking forward to brunch with her family. “I love a nice card and projects that the kids make in school. The day doesn’t need to be fancy. I just want my family to make me feel special.” That’s clearly something many of our mom readers can relate to as motherhood is the toughest job in the world yet filled with great joy.
Family life is and always will be many things to many people, but the powerful connection and bonds forged within our family units–and for me and many that includes our friendship circles, too–is the common denominator. Family is love. Cherishing family, and the children I raised, grown and flown they may be, will always be central to any love I feel, and more so in challenging times.
