New Address for So Very Vienna!

Hello all! Thanks for your support for my So Very Vienna blog! Following the advice of friend and social media guru Lexi Grant, I have now moved my blog from blogger.com over to Wordpress. Please check out the new location of So Very Vienna at http://SoVeryVienna.com. I hope you'll continue following my adventures, and join in the fun.

~Melanie

Surviving One of THOSE Days

I'll admit it: I have a pretty good baby. She doesn't cry for no apparent reason, she smiles a lot and usually sleeps a consistent eight hours a night.

Yet, her sleeping mostly through the night doesn't mean I'm getting a lot of sleep. I stay up a little after I put her down for some "me" or "husband and me" time. And I'll wake up during the night as she kicks around in her crib (we call her the "Bucking Bronco").

Last night she got me good: by 7:30am I had gotten about five hours of interrupted sleep. I spent the next few hours trying to get a nap in. Not happening.

By this point in the morning, all of the feelings of grumpiness mixed with doubt about every facet of my life are in full force. I also haven't gone for a walk lately because it's been a muggy sauna outside for weeks. Choosing my best from limited options, I decide to try to pick myself up with a walk at Tysons Galleria, thinking it wouldn't be as crowded as the main mall. I'd also heard they had a nice food court.

Note to self: Tysons Galleria is not the place to go if you're feeling burdened by pregnancy weight and suffering from sleep deprivation. I arrived at lunch time and the place was bustling with women wearing stilettos in their 20s, no doubt from the nearby consulting firms. I was the only one wielding a stroller around the masses of people ordering food and waiting to pay. I felt out of place amidst the high end stores and well-dressed people.

I had just read an article about how to be happier with one's body after childbirth. It said to think about how you would talk positively about self image with your child, and talk to yourself that same way. I tried to keep that in mind as I heard the click-click of the high heels while I tried to savor and not wolf down my sandwich, waiting for the (finally!) sleeping baby in my stroller to wake up to feed on demand.

The score for today: Eleanor 1, Mom 0. But I will rise again! Serenity now!

Whine: Goes Great with Crackers

I am really good at whining. It's a skill, really. It takes a keen observer to notice the smallest things that are "wrong" and pick them apart methodically. On a more positive note, I can also recommend how to fix something that is "wrong".

Take today at Baby Gap: I needed to return or exchange a few gifts that had been given to my 0-3 month old while she was still 0-3 months old, which were unwanted/unneeded/the wrong size. Being that I had a 0-3 month old, I couldn't get to the store in the 30 day return window the store requires. I could not return anything today, although I had schlepped myself to the store - still an accomplishment although baby is almost 4 months old. Did anyone with a 0-3 month old write this silly rule at Baby Gap? If so, they'd know that new moms need at least three months to have going to Baby Gap be the priority of the hour. Sigh.

But let's not despair. Really. Let's have some fun. Like associating ourselves with wine that's served by the glass!

Last week I went to Church Street Cellars. There I met with my fellow co-chair for Social Events for Moms of the Vienna Moms group (more on Vienna Moms another time). This wine bar is one of the few places in town that you can sit outside and enjoy food and beverage. Inside, you can order wines by the glass using a convenient purchase card that you load up with money and then spend down as you drink the wine down. The menu has also grown sizeably since the place first opened a few years ago.

There is also Out of Site Wines which is, well, out of sight off of Church Street! Across from the caboose on the W & OD Trail, from what I've seen it's more wine store than wine bar. (Am I wrong? The Web site doesn't offer much, and I haven't been there in a while). However, I believe they are available for specialty events and tastings. Indeed, I'm going to see about hosting a Vienna Moms event there later this year. The staff is really friendly and knowledgeable. I felt good buying a bottle of wine here and supporting the local business.

I've also been meaning to check out Paradise Springs Winery in nearby Clifton, VA. A fellow new mom went to the Winery's weekly Friday Happy Hour (5 - 9 pm) with the kiddie. I wonder: Could I nurse Ellie while nursing a wine? :)

Seeking Balance Part 2

I headed over to East Meets West today again (this time with my neighbors!) to check out "Mom and Me" yoga. I expected it to be part play, part workout. I'm glad I had the right expectations for the hour-long session.

Ellie did great in the first half - smiling, cooing. And she was loud! I had THAT baby in the class - the one that makes all the noise. I tried not to get all worked up about her as a distraction. Hadn't the teacher said that motherhood is about managing distractions? That's true, but, um, I'd like to stretch a little, please.

Well, there was no soothing her so I quickly realized that my yoga practice was effectively over for the day, and began the ritual walking her around. Before the final relaxing pose for the last five minutes of class, the teacher offered to hold Ellie so I could lay like a lump on the floor, reflecting on my practice that wasn't. Gladly handing her off to so willing a watcher, I did manage to get in five minutes of peace while Ellie fell asleep in the teacher's arms.

Fast-forward: Ellie is still napping, and I've had a peaceful lunch! So I didn't stretch too much, but I did gain a little me time this morning. Lesson learned: yoga during the start of nap time = little yoga time.

Fresh in Vienna

I would be remiss if I didn't attribute one post to my favorite summertime activity in Vienna - going to the Farmers Market. Located by the Caboose on the W&OD Trail on Church Street, the Vienna Farmers Market is THE place to be on a Saturday morning between 8am - 12pm.

As spring creeps near, my mouth starts to water for the fresh fruit and veggies that have been lacking all winter long. Now it's a bonanza! Today we got fresh watermelon, cantaloupe, plums, peaches, nectarines, corn, tomatoes, squash, onions and cucumbers. We usually get these awesome pretzel roles and semolina bread, too, but I am trying to watch the carb intake these days - the constant reminder of pregnancy that is a larger pants size needs to go away.

For the holiday weekend, the vendors today wore red, white and blue beads. One shopper had an Uncle Sam type hat. When we went on Halloween last year, hubby and I dressed up and got lots of smiles and comments - we were the only ones in the whole market dressed up! Our costumes served as a starter for conversations that are sometimes lacking as we all rush from stand to stand, eager to get on with the day.

Do you go to the Farmers Market?

Independence for All!

As the nation prepares to celebrate yet another anniversary of sticking it to the Brits, I can't help but take stock in my own independence. As a mom I find I'm really not so independent any more. Well, I'm certainly almost never alone, with my constant cute little sidekick. But do moms need to be alone to be independent?

I suppose on the Fourth of July even moms can claim their independence, even if they do so with their families or in a throng watching fireworks. If that's what you're looking for, here are some things to do around town this coming weekend. Thanks to fellow-mom Amanda for the suggestion! Keep the suggestions coming, folks.

The Town of Vienna July 4th celebration. This is the big-ticket item in town. A day of events at the Community Center, including an antiques car show, arts and crafts, music (including a Jimmy Buffet tribute band) and a children's stage. Culminates with fireworks at 9:15pm at Southside Park on Ross Drive.

There seems to be no Town Green concert this weekend. Bummer! Nice weather for it, too (read: not 100 degrees).

There are also celebrations in Fairfax city and Great Falls. But consider staying local to support our little town! Got any other fun holiday weekend activities around town? Post 'em here!

And Happy Birthday, Mom!

Dancin' with my Baby

I like to boogie down with my baby. I want Ellie to appreciate all types of music.

We play lots of classical to her, especially when she's nursing. We often have public radio WETA 90.9 on as the background music to our shenanigans. And I recently picked up a 10 disc classical music CD at a yard sale in town for $5! The classics are so under-appreciated. I grew up playing piano and clarinet, so I want the little baby to like the good stuff. Recently we waltzed around her bedroom to the Blue Danube Waltz and the Waltz of the Sugarplum Fairies. Waltzes are hard! Very fast! I was pooped afterwards!

The Vienna Community Center and various Fairfax County Rec Centers have music classes that I think we'll bring Ellie to when she's a tad older.

But I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I've been known to play the occasional Lady Gaga song to her. I just downloaded the knew Michael Franti song, Sound of Sunshine, too - happy, pop, summertime music. I'm making what I call "Ellie's PLAYlist" on the iPod. Rock on!