New to NOVA mamas (veteran NOVA mamas most welcome too!!)

[bluedaisy]

I started a thread a few weeks ago about moving to NOVA and was surprised to see so many responses and other women who were moving to NOVA, so I thought it would be fun to have a new NOVA mamas thread to share advice and maybe plan some get togethers.  Veteran mamas are most welcome too as I'm sure you all can help some of us newbies out a lot.

I'm planning to be at the Holistic Moms Network meeting in Alexandria on Thur - does anyone else go there?  Where is everyone located?

We are in Ashburn for now staying with my parents until we get settled and find a place (we just moved on Sat!) - DH is working in DC so we're hoping to move to Alexandria/Arlington area.

What about you??

[jessica_s]

Waving hi from Ashburn, were neighbors right now! :D Welcome to NoVA!

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

Hi! We've recently moved to Woodbridge.

[OTMomma]

We plan to move to Woodbridge in July! Haven't got a place to live yet though.

[allisonrose]

Looks like I'll be settling into Herndon in mid July. (I responded on the original thread.)

[Antimony26]

Moved to Woodbridge 3 months ago-but lived in Alexandria for almost 20 years...

[OTMomma]

We went up there last weekend and found a little house to rent in the Dale City part of Woodbridge and plan to move in around July 1.  My kids are a girl age 8 (will be 9 soon) a boy 4 and a baby girl 22 months.  We homeschool and do lots of the usual MDC type of stuff.  How about the rest of you, how old are your kids? Anyone else homeschool?

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

OTMomma,

We spend a lot of time in Dale City.  Our church is there and we LOVE the farmer's market there.  My DS is two and a half.   Right now we are not planning on homeschooling but that could change again.  We'll see.  PM me once you are settled in the area.

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

Antimony26,  How old our your little ones?  We would love to find some similarly minded friends down in this part of NoVA!

[Mittsy]

We're in Woodbridge, if anyone wants to get together pm me! OT momma look into the Woodbridge Springfield HS'ers, on yahoo groups, when you get down here.;)

[sunwise]

Hi there - I guess I am more of a "veteran" since I've been in NOVA since 2007. We live in Alexandria city, in Del Ray. I really love our neighborhood if you are considering family-friendly and walkable places to live.

[Bekka]

c/p from the other thread:

I've lived in Sterling for 6 years and moved here from a small city out of state.  There are lots of resources, but they are definitely spread out.  If you're a 1 car family and want the Metro, I would lean toward Falls Church, which has some older areas but lots of character, and a farmers market by the town hall.  I think the COL is a little less there but it's right next to McLean/Tysons so you have the shopping within 20 min.  As a SAHM you can time your shopping for weekdays and non-busy times (non-weekends).

I get lost every time I go to Reston, and it seems to be more of a gourmet community, so I'm happy to have it as a nearby resource, but I choose not to live there.  If you want a historic "small town" with a (small) farmers market and local eateries and stuff, I would choose Leesburg, but it depends on what resources you want, as well as how long your commute would be.  DH did not want to live down the I66 corridor b/c it has terrible traffic for many hours per day.

There are a lot of parks, etc. that anyone can make use of.  I love Sterling, but it's not really a walking community.  If I wanted a walking type community I would choose Vienna or Falls Church, or Leesburg.  With kids taking classes all over NOVA, we have lessons in Ashburn and in Merrifield (between Falls Church and Fairfax), and my daughter's orchestra has performances in Alexandria, Great Falls, and other places.  There are active groups of Freecycle, LLL, Holistic Moms, etc. all over this area, and the NOVA families for natural living yahoo group is a great resource.

The libraries have lots and lots of free resources.  If you homeschool, there are several peer groups.  If you want alternative education, don't live in Sterling; there are better sounding options near Vienna, McLean, Arlington, etc.

There are lots of farm co-ops and delivery locations, including from Polyface Farms in this area, which is like the grandfather grass fed animals farm!  I picked up milk, vegetables, ground beef, and natural bologna from my pickup location yesterday 10 minutes away.  There are about 3 other locations within 20 min of my house.  I forgot eggs, but I get them from that farm as well.  Will have to check out the other tribe.  :)

[allisonrose]

Attempting to revive this thread. I am in Herndon and just got a vehicle! I would definitely be interested in some sort of MDC NoVa mama get-together.

[AUvetmom]

I'm due in September with my first, but would love to get together with people at some point. I'm coming from way down in Rappahannock county west of Warrenton, so it sounds like it'd be a bit of a hike. Anyone else in this general area?

[KittyMM]

I live in Sterling and have for the past 6 months.  I have a 2.5 year old DD and a 2 month old DD.  I really love it here!  There is so much to do and it is so beautiful.  My one complaint is that I am having a heck of a time finding a ped who is supportive/knowledgeable about breastfeeding and that will work with me on a delayed/selective vax schedule.  We have been going to Whole Child as they work with alternative vax schedules but they are completely clueless about breastfeeding.  I just can't go back there anymore after a series of incidents where they gave me really bad b/f information. 

[allisonrose]

Originally Posted by KittyMM 

I live in Sterling and have for the past 6 months.  I have a 2.5 year old DD and a 2 month old DD.  I really love it here!  There is so much to do and it is so beautiful.  My one complaint is that I am having a heck of a time finding a ped who is supportive/knowledgeable about breastfeeding and that will work with me on a delayed/selective vax schedule.  We have been going to Whole Child as they work with alternative vax schedules but they are completely clueless about breastfeeding.  I just can't go back there anymore after a series of incidents where they gave me really bad b/f information. 

Oh really? I've heard good things about Dr. Bunger. I did hear that they have a new PA who may not be as supportive/knowledgable of bfing. I haven't chosen a ped yet but was planning to go with Dr. Bunger. If you wouldn't mind sharing - either here or via PM - what your experience has been with Whole Child, I'd really appreciate it.

[KittyMM]

Originally Posted by allisonrose 

Oh really? I've heard good things about Dr. Bunger. I did hear that they have a new PA who may not be as supportive/knowledgable of bfing. I haven't chosen a ped yet but was planning to go with Dr. Bunger. If you wouldn't mind sharing - either here or via PM - what your experience has been with Whole Child, I'd really appreciate it.

I am going to be writing them a letter next week explaining why I won't be coming back because the reasons are numerous.  I can share the letter with you if you would like once I write it. 

Dr. Bunger is the one who suggested I give my DD formula when she was 2 weeks old because she wasn't gaining weight fast enough for them.  I refused.  After a couple more visits and still my DD wasn't gaining, I decided to see a lactation consultant.  Within seconds of examining my DD, she said, oh yeah, she has a severe lip tie.  That's why she isn't gaining weight.  Next day, had her lip tie cut and she immediately began gaining weight.  A month of going to Whole Child and they never looked at her mouth...just suggested formula.  In fact, Dr. Bunger's exact words were: giving her fomula isn't criminal.  Nice.

[allisonrose]

Originally Posted by KittyMM 

 In fact, Dr. Bunger's exact words were: giving her fomula isn't criminal.  Nice.

Yuck. I was recommended Whole Child by three different people (two at a LLL meeting).

I'm thinking about calling up Herndon Family Medicine (http://www.herndonfamilymedicine.com/) to ask about their vaccine policies. They have a few docs who specialize in peds. It sounds nice to have my doctor and the kids' doctor in the same place and I know mamas here at MDC tend to feel that family practice docs are a bit less rigid than peds. (I read on a knitting message board that several people are happy with them but I do not know if the mamas recommending them are AP/NFL.)

Unfortunately it's difficult to get recommendations.

[Joolz]

Originally Posted by KittyMM 

I live in Sterling and have for the past 6 months.  I have a 2.5 year old DD and a 2 month old DD.  I really love it here!  There is so much to do and it is so beautiful.  My one complaint is that I am having a heck of a time finding a ped who is supportive/knowledgeable about breastfeeding and that will work with me on a delayed/selective vax schedule.  We have been going to Whole Child as they work with alternative vax schedules but they are completely clueless about breastfeeding.  I just can't go back there anymore after a series of incidents where they gave me really bad b/f information. 

hi, sorry to just jump in....I have been taking my kids to whole child since it started, and Dr. Bunger used to be awesome about all that stuff and never said anything about formula.....but then when Dr. P passed away and now Dr. B is only there every few months, I hate it. My DS5 was refused as a patient as a newborn bc we didn't do the Vit K shot. Huh. My teens go there, but I am thinking of switching them to Leesburg Family Practice where DS5 goes. They don't say anything about no-vax- I go to Joy Saari only though.

[Joolz]

Um, ok so after I just butted in, I might as well intro myself, lol. I am def a veteran. I moved to Arcola when I was 4 and have lived in Loudoun Co since then....I moved to Leesburg as an adult and still live here. When my 4 teens were babies, I was active in the Leesburg LLL group and became a leader. It disbanded years ago and with that went my holistic group. So, now with a 15 mo old, I don't see anyone like me. No BW-ers, etc. I just can't seem to make it to Burke or Tysons or B-more, etc for a BWing group. We have one car, I have joint custody of my teens and with driving everyone around, leaving town is almost impossible :(. Anyone else in Leesburg or outlying? ~ julie