February 2014

Peekaboo

February 2014

Free Magazine

Happy Birthday!

Clothing by:

Northwest Arkansas’ Family Magazine

the PEEKABOO family Kimberly Enderle

Editor-in-Chief editor@peekaboonwa.com (479) 957-0532

Ava. Grant. and Holden.

Jonathon Enderle

Creative Director jon@peekaboonwa.com (479) 586-3890

/

Distribution/ Circulation Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas Colleen Cook Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

Peekaboo Publications, PO Box 1036, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 Peekaboo Northwest Arkansas accepts writing contributions.

Please send inquiries to: editor@peekaboonwa.com or call (479) 586-3890 Peekaboo may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher.

Views expressed herein are those of the authors and advertisers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.

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peekaboo nwa February 2014 What’s Inside 16 22 26

|Baby Jamison

by: Candice Graham

| Emme Kate

by: Katie Spiece

| The Moment That

Changed

Everything In My Life by: Susan Averitt, MD

30

| New Years’

Resolutions:

Family Style

by: Millicent Ford, MD

32

| ODD: Oppositional

34

| Dad’s View: The Other Guy

with Ben Lacy

36

| Children with

44

|

Flat Feet by: Dr. Charles Ginn

Josie Layne, Thomas Oliver

by: Rebekah Ward, APRN

50 Lincoln Thomas

by: Alison Nation

|

52

|PEEKABOO’S Annual Birthday Party Guide to NWA

|

Defiant Disorder 72 Congenital Heart by: Hollie Weber, MS, LPC Defect awareness

Week: Did you Know?

On the Cover

Ellie, 10, and Avery, 7, daughters of Mark and Lisa McEntire of Rogers.

Models are dressed in fun, party dresses by Lili Gaufrette. Shoes from Steve Madden.

Clothing from 3 Monkeys Children Boutique in Fayetteville. www.facebook.com/3monkeysboutique Cover photo and 3 Monkeys ad photos by Sweet Portrayal Photography www.sweetportrayal.com Custom crowns created by Kambow Kouture.

Email: kerri.buntin@live.com Cover photographed on location at Bliss Cupcake Cafe in Rogers. www.blisscupcakecafe.com

H

appy 6th birthday, Peekaboo! I can hardly believe it has been six years since the first issue of Peekaboo made its debut in Northwest Arkansas.

Readers are often curious as to the story behind the “birth” of Peekaboo, so I thought I would share it here, with you. Every momentous occasion needs that time of reminiscing, right?

I have lived in Northwest Arkansas my entire life.

Born and raised in Siloam Springs, I moved to Fayetteville to go to the U of A and then moved to Rogers after I got married. This area is very much home and I have a lot of pride in that. It wasn’t until Ava was born that I felt like a stranger, a tourist in my own city. I already had all of my personal favorite stores, doctors, and restaurants, but for this new little person in my life, and in this new role as “Mom,” I was in uncharted territory.

Luckily, I had taught prenatal Pilates during my pregnancy and had a close-knit group of women who

all had babies within a few weeks of each other; so, I had an amazing support group of ladies experiencing everything at the same time I was. I had someone to call when Ava was fussy and the times when I needed an answer to a question not found in my stack of parenting how-to books. With this group of ladies, I had someone to call for a recommedation for a pediatrician, a photographer, a favorite boutique and places to take my baby girl. This was a huge blessing and a saving grace. I couldn’t have done it without them.

I knew that every parent could benefit from a support network. From shared stories, from been-there-anddone-that parents to doctors and business owners who could share expert, sage advice. I have a degree in English and Journalism so I figured, “Why not start a family magazine?” If only it were that simple!

Jonathon and I put everything we had into creating the first issue of Peekaboo, and it means the world to us that families across NWA have embraced it as its own.

To celebrate, we are featuring a number of amazing birth stories from families across the area. While every birth is a miracle, these women have ones with a few extra twists and turns.

No birthday would be complete without a birthday party, of course, so we have filled this issue with our annual birthday guide and top party places. This is a great issue to keep all year long to refer to when you have that special celebration coming up - whether for a birthday or a “just because.” When you book your party, let them know that Peekaboo sent you!

A special thank you to our cover photographer, Kim Ginn of Sweet Portrayal Photographer for being a part of the Peekaboo family for over almost 4 years, and to 3 Monkeys in Fayetteville, the wonderful stylists behind each of our cover models’ fashions.

The ladies of 3 Monkeys have been a great support of Peekaboo and its vision since the beginning, and they are definitely NWA’s go-to spot for children’s clothing.

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Birth story: ........................

Baby Jamison

........................ by: Candice Graham

T

he delivery of my third child was one of the most dramatic experiences I have ever had.

Before I tell the story, however, let me set the mood by giving some background on myself and the personalities in my family. My name is Candice Graham, and I married Nicholas Graham. Before the delivery of our third child, we had two small children.

Our oldest is Jaliyah, and she is 6 years old and in kindergarten. She is very intelligent and wise beyond her years. Jaliyah is definitely the diva of the family, but very loving and caring and loves her baby brother, Nicholas. Nicholas is our preschooler, 4 years old and ALL BOY, though he absolutely is a momma’s boy in spite of that. He is very rambunctious, smart, and a true comedian. My mother, Carolyn, is absolutely the funniest mother ever. She is the mother that always wants to be there for her kids--unless something really gross happens, or her kids are in severe pain. She’s going to be there for you via emotional support, but she really doesn’t want to be there in person! My father, Ron, is a basketball coach and used to play basketball in the NBA. He has coached me my entire life, even when he wasn’t technically my coach. In college, I had my own head coach, but I was always listening for my dad’s voice in the crowd, because I knew he would never steer me wrong.

During this time, my husband was traveling back and forth to and from Tulsa, Oklahoma in order to finish up his degree at the University of Tulsa. When I found out that I was pregnant with our third child, I decided to make the life-altering decision to try and deliver this baby with no medication. If you would have asked

16 February 2014

me to try this two kids ago, I would have definitely told you that God made smart people so that they could invent the epidural and ensure that women would not have to endure such pain! However, this time I simply decided to try it, because, first of all, I have a high tolerance for pain (or so I thought at the time), and our third was going to be our last child, plus, my mother had one of my siblings naturally and she is the biggest wimp when it comes to pain. If she could do it, I knew I could! I guess that’s the athlete in me--I love a challenge. My mother and I own a beauty supply store, and I figured that I was going to work all the way up until I had the baby. As the days grew closer to my due date, the more tired I became, and I began to question that idea.

It was November 7, 2013, and I was feeling particularly exhausted. At this point, according to the doctors, I was 38 weeks along. I had been telling myself for the last couple of weeks that “today” would be the last day that I would go to work. Since I own a business, I was trying to prepare everyone for my departure for maternity leave. This particular Thursday, I had finally decided that today really was the day that I was going to call it quits. That afternoon, I was talking to one of my girlfriends about how tired I was and how that day was going to be my last day at work. During our phone call, we were laughing because I had been repeatedly telling everyone that I was going to have my baby on the 7th or the 8th of November... I was convinced that the doctors were wrong about my due date! Initially I was told that the baby was due on November 13th, but later the doctor switched the due date to November 23rd because the baby was measuring smaller in my ultrasound at 20 weeks. Since it was already the 7th, I

started to doubt my theory because there was no baby action, and planned my day and evening accordingly.

In my household, Thursday night is TV night for Mommy! My favorite show, “Scandal,” comes on at 9:00PM sharp, so I make it a point to make sure that my kids, Jaliyah and Nicholas, are in bed on time by 8:30PM. This particular night, as I rushed around preparing the kids for bed, I kept having this strange feeling down below, but didn’t quite know what it was.

My water didn’t break on its own with either of my other kids, but that night I had the strange feeling that my water felt like it was going to break. I started to feel uneasy about that feeling, so I jumped in the shower and quickly got into bed. I knew I had to have been extremely tired because I fell asleep before “Scandal” even came on!

At 1:30AM, I had a contraction so powerful that it woke me up. Obviously, since I have children, I have felt contractions before, and for several weeks prior to this I had had several Braxton hicks. I immediately called my husband, who was away in Tulsa for school

....................

I put one leg in my sweatpants with no problems, but when I lifted my other leg to place it in the pants, my water broke... And true chaos began.

....................

that evening. When he answered the phone, he asked me what I was doing up so late, and I told him that I had a contraction that woke me up. He asked me if I thought that the baby was coming, and I reassured him that, no, I did not think that the baby was coming.

He said, “Candice, I know you. If you called me, then this contraction was pretty painful.” He asked me if he should come home, and I told him no. After all, I only had one contraction. How embarrassed would I be if it was gas or something? I had had Mexican food for lunch, after all. About 15 minutes later, however, I had another contraction and decided that I would give my parents a call to come over to be with the kids so that I could drive to the hospital. Before I hung up, my husband told me that he had already gotten in the car and was headed back to Fayetteville.

When I got off the phone with Nick, I called my parents, but there was no answer. I decided that it would be a good idea if I brushed my teeth, combed my hair, and put some clothes on before heading to the hospital. As I began to brush my teeth, my husband called back and asked if I had succeeded in speaking

[ story continued next page ]

These contractions were so painful and so close that I could barely talk. I immediately called my husband back and told him that my water had broken as I cried and screamed into the phone. “What do you want me to do?” he asked, and I told him to call my mom on three-way. When she answered, all I could do was scream for help because it felt like a door had opened and the baby was coming out right then and there.

With sheer panic in her voice, she said she was calling 911. All three of us hung up and called 911.

Baby Jamison

to my parents. He was obviously pretty worried! I said no, but that I would call again after I brushed my teeth.

I got off the phone and called my parents, but this time when my mom answered, I had a painful contraction and was forced to whisper that I needed them to come so I could go to the hospital. They agreed to come and I went on to timing my contractions with my contraction timer app. At this point, about 30 minutes had passed and I had only had two contractions. My son, Nicholas, woke up when my husband called back. Daddy said that he wanted to have Nicholas wake his sister, together they get water for Mommy, and sit with Mommy until their grandparents made it there. They did just that as Mommy tried to put her clothes on. I put one leg in my sweatpants with no problems, but when I lifted my other leg to place it in the pants, my water broke... And true chaos began.

As soon as my water broke, the contractions got real.

Before I called 911, I told the kids to go to the playroom and not come out until they heard someone ring the doorbell, and only then could thye answer the door. I didn’t want to traumatize the kids any further by keeping them with me, because they already had to hear their mother scream. In my mind, I was going to have to deliver this baby alone in my own house.

So, I laid on the floor with my bottom half in the bathroom and my upper half in the bedroom where I could look down the hall and make sure that the kids did not come down the hall towards me. At this point, I only had on house shoes and a sports bra, because I just knew that I was going to have to deliver the baby right then and there. You have to realize that the contractions at this point were only about 1 minute apart, though it seemed like 30 seconds apart, and with every contraction, I could feel the top of his head. I managed to get out my address and a little bit of information as I screamed at the 911 operator for asking me so many questions. I assured her that this baby was coming out, and it was coming out now! As I laid on the floor I remember thinking that I actually had wanted to have this baby naturally. Was I crazy? If I could just get to the hospital, I swore to myself, “I’m getting some medication ASAP!” It seemed like forever, but I finally heard the doorbell and I hung up on the 911 operator. I thought it was EMS, but, to my surprise, it was my mother. She came running into my room, saw me on the floor and began to panic, saying “Oh, Jesus, please help my baby, Lord!” Before she got out of reach, I demanded that she get out of the bathroom and that she go tend to my

kids because as soon as she came in the door they had begun to cry, obviously terrified. The next person into the room was my dad. He took one look at me and said “’I’m going to get you some help.” As the paramedics rushed into the room, they knocked one of my house shoes off in their hurry to prep me to go to the hospital.

My dad made sure that they didn’t try to deliver the baby in the house. There was no way that I was having that baby in the house, away from the painkillers in the hospital! In my mind, I needed medical attention fast, and if I could just get to the hospital they might be able to stop the pain! I still continued to scream and yell as they were carrying me through the house. My father then went into coach mode, saying, “Candice, quit all that yelling and listen to the paramedic. You have to breathe like this.” I wasn’t thinking about those breathing techniques! I wanted that baby out and I wanted it out NOW! In fact, I was in so much pain that I didn’t even notice that I was down to a sports bra and one house shoe. However, I do remember it being incredibly cold as they carried me out of the house.

When we got into the ambulance, I was still screaming and in severe pain. With the very next contraction I decided that it was time. No one was listening to me, so this baby was coming out right now. I bore down,

gritted my teeth, and pushed his head out. One of the paramedics shouted to the paramedic driving to pull over, because they were going to have to deliver the baby since its head was out. With the very next contraction, little Jamison was delivered, right on Millsap road. I live less than five minutes from the hospital and I didn’t even make it! Oh well, it was such a blessing that the paramedics were even there to help me deliver my 6lb 2oz, healthy baby boy. And, as I was wheeled through the hospital with the baby on my chest, and me basically naked, I got congratulations from all the nurses and other doctors that were there that night. My parents came right behind us, only to find the paramedic’s high-fiving each other for delivering the baby. My parents found out from them that I had gone ahead and delivered Jamison in the ambulance. Even though my husband Nick had a head start, he missed the delivery because Jamison was born at 2:55AM, and it takes at least an hour and a half to get from Tulsa to Fayetteville. After my water broke, Jamison was here almost twenty minutes later!

The doctor asked me if I had waited too late to come to the hospital and I let her know very quickly that I didn’t have enough time to get to the hospital. Whew!

Needless to say, we are very happy with the three kids that we have now, and we shall not try our luck again!

Voice recognition service allowing Deaf and Hard of Hearing to use the telephone.

Birth story:

Emme Kate story by: Katie Spice

I

’ve always considered myself a meticulous planner. I like to think that I am progressing each day into that day-planner toting, coupon-cutting, and thank-you note-writing super-mom that is NEVER caught unprepared. And, of course, I applied this mentality to child-bearing. My initial plan for our first daughter (Harper Ann, born on December 23, 2009) was to have a natural childbirth. After 40 weeks and four days of pregnancy, I dutifully scheduled an induction, but, after four hours of laboring, I decided to break with my plan and have an epidural. No reason to be a martyr, right? She was finally born seven hours later. So, when I became pregnant with our second daughter, I decided this time around things would be perfect and I would double-down on my intention to have a natural childbirth. Well, as you’ll see, things didn’t quite turn out as I had planned!

Our pregnancy was uneventful, which is always a blessing. As our due date was drawing near, I began discussing birth plans with my doctor. I told her that I wanted to try again for a natural birth with as few medical interventions as possible. She said she would do all that she could to help me, so the plan was set and day-planner updated! We visited the hospital and talked to the nursing staff about our plan and everyone was on board.

Then my due date (September 6, 2013) came and went… still no baby. The doctor ordered an ultrasound for the following Monday, just to make sure everything was okay. The baby was fine, but my fluid levels were a little low. I was told that if my fluid levels dropped below a certain threshold, I would have to be induced.

22 February 2014

photos by: Cavalier Photography

We decided to continue monitoring my fluid levels, and hope that I would go into labor on my own. By the time I had a second ultrasound on Thursday of the same week, my fluid levels had dropped again -- we were forced to schedule the induction the following Monday, September 16.

I was so disappointed.

On the evening of Friday, September 13th, I had a few contractions. I had been having random contractions for about a week, so I didn’t think much of it. In the middle of the night, my husband, Andrew, woke me up to tell me that our dog, Sally, was pacing the house and throwing up. She kept coming to our bedroom door and whining and scratching. He said he would call the vet first thing in the morning. Looking back, I think she was using her prophetic powers to tell me what was about to happen.

Around 3:00AM, I realized that I had woken up a few times with contractions and should probably start timing them. I was having contractions every seven minutes. Several weeks earlier, I had kicked my husband out of our bed to accommodate the growing number of pillows I needed to keep myself comfortable. He and the dog had taken up residence in Harper Ann’s room. I knew I couldn’t go to the hospital until my contractions were five minutes apart, so I decided to try to get as much sleep as I could between contractions. I didn’t wake the rest of the family up because they wouldn’t be much help to me at that point anyway.

At 7:00AM, I texted my mom to tell her I was in labor, but not to hurry because I was sure it would be a long

time before I was ready to go to the hospital. I told Andrew and Harper Ann to eat breakfast and get ready for the day so that I could keep my room quiet and continue to labor on my own. My mom still hadn’t responded to my text, so around 7:30AM I called and told her not to hurry, but to come over when she was ready. Thankfully, she hurried. She got to our house at 7:59AM. I had just gotten out of bed to take a shower, hoping that that would speed up labor so we could go to the hospital.

At that point, I thought to myself “Forget this natural birth stuff! As soon as I get to the hospital, I’m getting that epidural!” I got in the shower and realized that my contractions had gotten significantly closer together. It felt like they were coming one after another.

I lost all sense of time. It all just started happening so fast. I got out of the shower and felt like I needed to go to the bathroom. So I decided to sit on the toilet. I remembered that this could be a sign of early labor, but I knew for sure this wasn’t early labor. The contractions were coming too fast for that. My mom came into the bathroom with me and told me that I should probably head to the hospital. Andrew said he would get my robe and we would leave, but every time I thought I could get up, another contraction would hit and I had to sit back down.

I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to get up and get to the car. I told Andrew to call 911. My mom and Andrew thought that I could make it, that I hadn’t

All of the racket coming from the bathroom must’ve been annoying Harper Ann because she got up from the table and closed my bedroom door and went right back to eating her breakfast, completely unaware of what was happening in the bathroom.

progressed as far as I actually had. I finally got the point across and he called 911.

I remember Andrew saying “29” to the 911 operator, and I thought, “They are asking him how old I am, and he doesn’t even know that I am 31!” The 911 operator asked him to check to see if the baby was crowning. Of course, he couldn’t see anything because I was sitting on the toilet! He and my mom both tried

[ story continued next page ]

Emme Kate

coming from the bathroom must’ve been annoying her, because she got up from the table and closed my bedroom door and went right back to eating her breakfast, completely unaware of what was happening in the bathroom. Looking back, it was a huge blessing that she was none the wiser.

So, there we were, just awkwardly standing in the bathroom, when, all of a sudden, I heard sirens in the distance! Our rescuers were on the way! I asked Andrew to grab a robe for me because I wanted to have some sense of modesty when the paramedics arrived. A couple of minutes later, six paramedics and two ambulances were at our house and somehow managed to get the gurney into our bedroom so I wouldn’t have to walk far. They grabbed a chair so I could sit down after they clamped and cut the cord.

One of the paramedics asked when the baby was born and we all just looked at each other and Andrew said, “I have no idea! We weren’t really looking at the clock!

Maybe 8:30AM?” As they wheeled me out of the house, I waved and said goodbye to Harper Ann, who was still innocently eating breakfast and watching cartoons. Then they loaded us up in the ambulance, started IV fluids, and then we were off to the hospital. On our short ride to Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville, they said her Apgar score was great, and that this was one of the best calls they had ever received!

to get me to get in the floor, but I just couldn’t move.

Then it happened… I needed to push. My mom very calmly said, “Katie, you can’t push yet.” I was never a disobedient child, but this time, I disobeyed. I had to.

I pushed. And out came our 8 pound, 11oz baby girl… splash… right there in the toilet.

I hopped right up off that toilet and Andrew threw down the phone and snatched the baby right out. He handed the baby off to my mom and grabbed a towel.

(Without sharing too much information, my mom had to hold the baby based on the logistics of how everything went down.)

While my mom tried to clean out our sweet little Emme Kate’s mouth and nose, Andrew picked the phone up again and told the operator that the baby had arrived. Thankfully, baby Emme Kate was crying and looked absolutely perfect! The operator walked Andrew through the next steps: cleaning off the baby, making sure I was okay, keeping everyone warm, etc.

Then she told him he should tie off the cord. I don’t know about you, but I don’t keep anything around the house for tying off umbilical cords. Andrew found some pink yarn and made every effort to tie off the cord. Unfortunately, yarn isn’t a very strong material, so it kept tearing apart.

Meanwhile, Harper Ann was sitting at the kitchen table eating waffles and watching cartoons. All of the racket

When we arrived at the hospital, we realized that there was some confusion about her birth. It seemed as though everyone had heard a different version of the story. We had a sweet nurse that laughed with us about the absurdity of the whole situation. She explained that because Emme Kate was born at home, she was considered “contaminated” and wouldn’t be allowed in the nursery. The nurses did all of the bloodwork and tests right there in the room. We spent one night in the hospital and then went home the next afternoon, happy and healthy.

Looking back, while the whole experience was totally unexpected and “unplanned,” we wouldn’t have had it any other way. Although I had no home birth plan that September morning, God certainly did. We are so thankful that baby Emme Kate came into the world without any complications. He was watching over us the whole time, and there was something so amazing and beautiful about hearing her first cry in our very own home. The experience also allowed both my husband and I to learn something about ourselves. I learned that sometimes having no plan is okay because God is always in control, and my husband (who is normally queasy with blood and “medical stuff ”) can brag about how he “delivered” the baby. (As if he did ANY of the real work…can I get an AMEN, ladies?!)

Now it seems that everywhere I go, someone has heard our story from a friend of a friend of a friend. That’s fine with me. It’s definitely a story worth sharing!

“

I am required to go on as someone who has experienced that which every mother fears.

”

The moment that changed

EVERY THING in my life

Dr. Averitt is a pediatrician practicing at Best Start Pediatrics located at 5501 Willow Creek Drive, Suite 104. For an appointment, please call 479-575-9359.

H

ave you ever had a moment, just one moment, in your life that changed everything? Some people have, some have not. If you have-- you know it. You can name that moment in an instant, without having to think about it.

My moment came in the form of tragedy. It was January 19, 2006. I was a working mother of three young girls. After getting my daughters ready for school as usual, we loaded up the car and headed on our way. We arrived at school at the usual time. It was a small, rural school in the outskirts of a small Oklahoma town. The school was located on a straight and simple two lane road. I parked my car across the street from the school in the designated parking lot and helped my four- and five-year-olds out of the back seat. I grabbed my 15 month old baby in my arms and we proceeded over to the side of the road.

As usual, we stopped at the cross-walk. There was no crossing guard along this scantly traveled road.

There were seldom more than a few cars crossing and everyone who passed on this road knew that there was a school. As I approached the cross-walk with my hands full of precious cargo, I noticed a pickup truck nearing. I saw the driver look my way and begin to slow. “Okay,” I remarked, “Let’s go.”

Within seconds we were in the street, and that is when I turned my head to find the truck still moving forward.

It was upon us. I quickly pulled myself back, my baby in my arms and my 4 year old clinging to my left hand.

But my sweet little blond-headed kindergartener was hit. The truck kept going and my baby girl was run over—there in the cross-walk in front of her school.

26 February 2014

Someone flagged the elderly driver down a few yards later. He didn’t even realize what he had done. I went into this strange state of utter calm as I asked someone to take my four-year-old into the school and hold my baby. Bystanders stepped forward and we started CPR. Someone called 911 and soon an ambulance was on the way.

I knew as soon as it happened that Cameron was dead. My brain said out loud in my head “That was it.” It was a finality I knew intuitively. I was a doctor. I was trained in these things. I felt like I was watching the scenario take place from outside my body. I was detached from myself, yet I was as much in charge of the situation as I could be considering the circumstances. I was devastatingly calm.

That was my moment—the most significant and substantial thing that ever happened to me. After that moment, nothing has ever been the same. It is not that my life ended then. It just seems as if the life that I continued to live has been lived by a completely different person. I am still me, but I feel like I became someone else.

Being a bereaved mother is not something that anyone would ever wish to become. It is a title I wear only by force. I cannot go back in time and erase that tragic day. I am required to go on as someone who has experienced that which every mother fears.

I am here to tell you that it can be done. A mother can watch her baby girl die and live to tell it. It becomes her story—it is my story. And my life has developed a new sense of purpose, because now that Cameron is gone I feel I must live just to prove that her life mattered. I live each day with the goal to somehow make a difference in a positive way that will make

”

Cameron’s light shine. I want to bring hope and goodness to the world in Cameron’s sweet and precious name.

If there is something I would want people to know about losing a child, it is this—the bereaved parent is never the same and he or she never “gets over it.” His or her life doesn’t return to normal. Whether you see them again a month after the death or ten years later, they are thinking about it. At least in the back of his or her mind—it is there. They are breathing and acting and reacting to whatever it is they are doing with regard to the death of their child. It becomes their new reality. It is never wrong to say, “I think about you often… what you’ve been through… your loss. I know you miss your child. Others miss her too.” You won’t remind the mother or father of their loss by saying that. They are already thinking about it. It is already fresh on their mind. He or she won’t be angry that you said something. They might be angry if you try to minimize it by saying “It happened for a reason,” or “She is in a better place.” But they won’t be upset if you just show them that you care, that it still matters.

One blessing that I did not foresee has presented itself to me recently. It is the joy that others receive from seeing me and my family happy. I didn’t realize that just to see me go on living would be a gift to others. It makes sense, but I didn’t think about it because for so long I haven’t really been living. Yet, life has a way of going on and, because it does, I am finding more about it that I enjoy again. Instead of going through the motions, at times I actually find myself laughing out loud, or anticipating a fun event, or even just being content in the moment. I am still creating new memories and I am still here.

I can’t fathom another moment in my life that would take the place of Cameron’s death in significance. But, I can say that in this journey of ups and downs that we call life, I am living it. I may be forever changed, but as long as I am here I will continue to get up each day and put a little bit more of Cameron into this world!

479.575.9359 5501 Willow Creek Dr. Suite 104 Johnson, AR

Milicent Ford, MD, Pediatrician

479-751-2522

New Year Resolutions -

FAMILY STYLE

H

appy New Year! We are a few weeks into 2014 and for many of us, our New Year’s resolutions are still fresh in our minds. One of the most common resolutions among adults is to become healthier and/or lose weight. Involving the entire family in your quest for physical fitness and improved health can not only increase your likelihood of being successful at achieving your fitness goals, but it can also instill in your children the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and set them up for healthy lives as adults.

Here are a few tips to help keep the family on track with good nutrition and healthy lifestyle changes: Get an hour of exercise a day, at least 4 days a week It can be challenging during this time of year to find ways to stay active, but with a little creativity and input from the children, you may be surprised at what you come up with. Dance games on various video game systems are quite fun, and even turning up the music on the radio or iPod and dancing around the house while your children giggle and join in can be exhilarating! Clear some space in the living room and see who can hula hoop the longest. Do jumping jacks, sit ups or plank holds during commercial breaks (while limiting your children’s time in front of a screen to two hours a day or less).

Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, and limit or alleviate fried foods.

Try to keep the word “diet” out of your vocabulary, as that connotes a short-term solution, as opposed to a lifelong approach to healthy eating.

Increase your intake of water, and decrease intake of sugar-sweetened drinks to 0-1 per day. Sodas, sweet

30 February 2014

tea, fruit juices, and energy drinks can be laden with sugar and calories; drinking even one or two additional servings of these drinks may work against you when it comes to attaining your ultimate goals.

When you are hungry for a snack, consider drinking a glass of water first. Sometimes we think we are hungry but our bodies are really telling us that we need water.

Let the children help with grocery shopping and meal preparation.

Refrain from watching television while eating meals and snacks. It can be very easy to over-indulge while watching television, because we are not paying attention to how much we are actually eating.

Eat breakfast every day. Skipping meals can actually have a negative effect on your metabolism and make it harder to lose or maintain weight.

I encourage those of us who are parents, as we set goals for ourselves, to choose our words carefully. Our children hold us in high esteem and they watch us and listen to us closely. Hearing parents talk about working out because we want to become healthier, stronger, and more fit comes across very differently than needing to exercise because we are fat, need to lose weight, or look awful. As parents, we are our children’s first, and often most influential, role models. Maintaining a positive attitude about exercise, healthy eating and our motivation for making changes will really go far in shaping our children’s perceptions. Teaching good habits now increases the likelihood that our children will carry these habits through childhood and into adulthood. And what better gift can we give our children than to equip them with tools to lead active, healthy lives for years to come?

Dr. Ford is a pediatrician at The Children’s Clinic at Springdale, 3057 Springdale, Ave., Springdale, AR. For an appointment, please call 479-751-2522.

ODD

: Oppositional Defiant Disorder

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ll children misbehave from time to time, mainly when tired, hungry, stressed or upset. They may talk back, disobey, argue, and defy parents, teachers, and other adults. Oppositional behavior is often a normal part of development for two to three year olds and early adolescents.

However, candidly uncooperative and antagonistic behavior becomes a serious concern when it is so frequent and consistent that it stands out when compared with other children of the same age and developmental level and when it affects the child’s social, family and academic life.

Some symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) are: • Often loses temper • Argues with adults and authority figures • Refuses to comply with adult requests • Blames others for his/her mistakes • Deliberately annoys people • Is easily annoyed by others • Is angry/resentful and spiteful/vindictive The causes of ODD are unknown, but many parents report that their child with ODD was more rigid and demanding than the child’s siblings from an early age. Parents are often intimidated by their ODD child’s behavior because it’s so difficult to deal with; sometimes it just seems easier to give in than to deal with trying to manage and respond differently.

The hope is that you can learn to respond in such a way as to reduce the acting out behavior.

Here are four things you can try as a parent to successfully manage the behavior: • Respond without anger: It’s important to respond without anger; try to be as calm and matter-of-fact as possible. Just acknowledge the behavior, state it as you see it, explain how it will need to change and then remove yourself from all arguments. You really have to pick your battles and decide what’s most important to you—and ultimately to your child.

• Be clear and consistent: The nature of ODD is to wear parents down so that they eventually give in. You need to be strong, clear and consistent in your follow through.

Establishing clear household rules can be a good first step in reducing arguments. Post the rules on the refrigerator or another prominent location in the house, this way you can refer to them as necessary.

• Do not take things personally. When your child acts out,

as hard as it might be, stay as neutral and objective as possible. You need to be clear and concise and not get pulled into a power struggle—it’s really not about you, it’s about the child and what s/he needs to learn.

• Don’t be your child’s friend—be the parent: Remember, being a parent is not a personality contest. There are times when s/he won’t like you—s/he may even shout, “I hate you,” or call you names. But if you keep setting limits with him/her and follow through by giving consequences and holding the child accountable; ultimately, you’re doing the best thing for your child.

Many children with ODD will respond to positive parenting techniques. Parents may ask their pediatrician or PCP to refer them to a qualified mental health professional who can diagnose and treat ODD and any coexisting psychiatric condition.

Hollie Weber, MS, LPC is a therapist at the Center for Psychology and Counseling and is currently accepting clients.

References: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (July 2013). Facts for families pages: Children with oppositional defiant disorder.

Retrieved from www.aacap.org Lehman, J. (2011). 4 Ways to Manage Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Children. Psych Central.

Retrieved on January 6, 2014, from http:// psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/06/20/4ways-to-manage-oppositional-defiant-disorder-inchildren/

(479) 444.1400 see ad next page..

Dad’s View with Ben Lacy

The Other Guy

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I’m not happy.

t’s almost Valentine’s Day, and I’m 100% sure my wife is going to be spending more time with someone else other than me. She’ll spend time with him before I wake, she’ll eat breakfast and lunch with him, and hold him for most of the day.

At night, she’ll snuggle in under the covers with him and she absolutely will not keep her hands off him.

Not happy at all about this situation, as you can probably guess.

He will show her things she’s never seen before and buy her whatever she wants. He knows everything that’s happening in her friends’ lives and always plays her favorite music. He’s always ready to talk to her mother (the notorious M.I.L.) and never plays with the smelly dog that she only mildly tolerates.

Never does he argue with her; nope, never even raises his voice. He never misspells words and can speak every language imaginable. He knows every trick in the book, every joke written and all the good recipes. The sucker even has more pictures of her than I can imagine.

Tough competition, and it’s my fault: I introduced them at Best Buy. Ever year around this time, Hollywood offers us up some sappy/corny love story, and this year I’m seriously bummed out that ultra-cooly-named Spike Jonez, ultra-en-fuego Scarlett Johannson and ultra-whacky Joaquin Phoenix all collaborated on the new movie “Her,” since I’ve been mind-writing this similar story for months. For those of you who haven’t seen the trailer, “Her” is a movie about a man who falls in love with the female voice of his computer operating system. While not exactly the same; something similar has been happening at my house for the last 18 months.

My wife seriously loves her iPhone and, yeah, I’m jealous.

You see, I used to be the one she talked to at night, and I used to play her favorite music (mix tapes, baby!) and I would go and get her whatever she needs. Now I’ve been replaced by something smaller, quicker and younger. Something I not-soaffectionately call Sir-He (instead of Siri).

He’s not all that, though. For starters, I’m much warmer. Sure, I don’t have anywhere near a 6-pack, but I do have a nice additional post-holiday layer to radiate heat. I’m not overly active and don’t have the same amount of energy I had 10 or 15 years ago, but he runs out of batteries by early afternoon.

Recently I’ve been more prone to accidents and I have my fair share of bumps, dents, scars and bruises; however, drop us both from 10 feet and see who survives. Swimming? I win.

Of course I’m just kidding (mostly) about her relationship with her iPhone, and the Mrs. would be quick to point out that I also have someone else in my life: my iPhone (and, man, would it be cool if she had Scarlett’s voice!).

The real problem is attention. You see, the ol’ Dad’s View guy has been spending a lot of time trying to be a good dad. Seems logical, right? Yes, but I’ve also shirked my previous-and-still-valid-jobresponsibilities of being a husband. As my wife often and pointedly reminds me, “Hey, I was here first.” She’s not telling me to ignore the minions-she’s asking me to remember her.

They say that men don’t listen, to which I respond, “What did you say?” Recently, though, I have been trying to hear what my wife has been saying and

asking for and I think I’m in trouble. She wants face time, not “FaceTime”. We both do, but it is easy to fall into the time trap of having a family and forgetting about spending time one-on-one.

Example: Fall school started back up, as did dance, basketball and baseball practices that were quickly followed by 100-hour work weeks preparing for holiday sales and spring plans that then moved to Halloween parties, then Thanksgiving feasts, then holiday parties, then Christmas shopping, then a quick family trip, then the kids were out of school and now they’re back and so are all the activities and it’s getting close to beginning the planning of holidays all over again at work and... I can give you tons of reasons and excuses.

Family time is good time, and I’ll never tell you to miss an opportunity to spend time with your kids.

But kids also need to see that their parents are not just parents-- they are also husband and wife.

Yeah, they may get a bit squirmy if you show a little affection from time to time. But I’ll take a little squirminess now in hopes that they learn to always cherish their own spouse when that time comes.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

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Children with

FLAT Feet by: Dr. Charles S. Ginn, www.nwafoot.com

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ost of us do not spend much time thinking about our feet, but when foot problems arise, it quickly affects quality of life. Poor foot health can not only be painful for your feet, but it can also cause problems in the rest of your body. Children’s feet are no exception. There is no one more qualified to care for your feet than a podiatrist. Podiatrists are highly trained physicians who treat conditions of the foot and ankle with both surgical and non-surgical methods.

One of the most common reasons for a pediatric referral to a podiatrist is flat feet. While this blanket description is not a diagnosis, it is a common descriptor for a number of foot deformities that include a decreased arch of the foot.

Almost universally, the first question a parent asks in a consultation is

Did I cause this with these cheap, flat shoes?

Okay, maybe they don’t exactly ask like that, but they do ask whether their shoes caused the problem. The problem is not caused by the shoes. In fact, kids with flat feet generally cannot tolerate shoes with a high arch and end up in very flat, flexible shoes. Over time the flexible shoes can worsen the condition. Genetics plays the predominant role in the development of a flat foot. It is not a guarantee, however, that siblings will have flat feet as well.

Why has the foot not hurt before now?

Most often the child will have some pain to the heels or arches, but not always. They may walk clumsily and with their feet wide apart. Pain usually starts at either a growth period or as they become more active

36 February 2014

in sports. They may complain of tiredness or aching to the inside of the leg and to the arch after activities, or a sharp pain in the heel. This can progress to a daily pain that is worse by the end of the day. Flat feet is very common for kids with developmental disabilities due to a general hyper-mobility of their joints. Pain is not a reliable indicator for most children with disabilities.

It can be difficult for children on the autism spectrum to verbalize pain. A painful foot can be a noxious stimulus and lead to a lack of desire to walk, run or play, but the answer to the question “Do your feet hurt?” is most often no. The physical exam is much more reliable in this case.

Will my child need surgery?

Thankfully the answer is most often no. The majority of flat feet can be successfully treated with custom molded orthotic inserts. Some cases can be treated with a pre-fabricated orthotic insert. These devices work to realign the joints of the developing foot to restore the shock absorption of the arch as well as reduce load on the tendons crossing the ankle joint.

Over the counter inserts are universally unhelpful for children with flat feet. Children require a great deal of added control to the heel and arch and will “roll over” the side of most over the counter insoles.

Will they have to wear these for the rest of their life?

Orthotics are like glasses in that they correct a deformity, but only while they are being used. As the foot develops and the growth plates close, the orthoses do not need to be as deep. In some cases, patients will not require custom molded orthotics as adults.

To find out more or to make an appointment with a podiatrist, I encourage you to visit www.apma.org.

Sun

Tues

Mon

We

Pinnacle Hills Promenade and the NWA Mall

Johnny Bruscos Tackle Hunger Bentonville

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Looking for a great place to watch the super bowl and help tackle hunger?

Come to Johnny Bruscos or order delivery and tell your server that you want to support the NWA Food Bank. 10% of your check total will go to NWA Food Bank when you order from us on Super Bowl Sunday! Cash donations and canned food products will also be accepted! Come join us for 75 cent wings too!

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Family Sunday Crystal Bridges noon to 5 pm

Family Sunday | I ♥ Art Get in the Valentine’s Day spirit at a Family Sunday celebrating our love of art! Enjoy music, art projects, and fun in the galleries and have a lovely time with your family! Sponsored

by Rockline Industries. All activities are free.

Bentonville Public Library 1:00 PM-Grades 1-2 Library Lessons 1:00 PM-Kindergarten Library Lessons 1:30 PM-Grades 3-4 Library Lessons 2:00 PM-Grades 5-6 Library Lessons

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Fayetteville Public Library 9:45am Baby Bookworms 10:30am Toddler Time

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Springdale Public Library Storytime Wigglers & Jigglers Pre-School Story Time (Ages 3-5) 9:30 Wigglers & Jigglers Pre-School Story Time (Ages 3-5) 11:00 Laugh & Learn Library Lab School Age Program(Ages 6-9) 4:30

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 - 7:00

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Bentonville Public Library 1:00 PM-Grades 1-2 Library Lessons 1:00 PM-Kindergarten Library Lessons 1:30 PM-Grades 3-4 Library Lessons 2:00 PM-Grades 5-6 Library Lessons Giggles CLASSES Little Giggles Indoor Play 10:00 - Toddler Music (18 months+) 11:00 - Enrichment Mondays!!

(FREE with admission - for all ages but best for ages 2 years+) www.littlegigglesplay.com

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Free Admission on President’s Day Clinton House Museum 930 West Clinton Drive, Fayetteville www.clintonhousemuseum.org The former home of the Clintons will offer free admission all day on President’s Day. Admission: Free

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Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 - 7:00

Cirque Ziva February 23, 2014 - Monday, February 24, Walton Arts Center www.waltonartscenter.org

25 Fayetteville on College and 6th St. Bentonville on Walton Rogers on Walnut and Pleasant Grove

Swimmy Fredrick Inch by Inch February 12, 2014 - Thursday, February 13, Walton Arts Center waltonartscenter. org

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Expert Hour (ages 5-12) Rogers Public Library, 2PM Expert Hour program allows children to explore, discover, and learn from a variety of topics such as art and science.

Registration is limited and required for this program. For more information call 621-1152

Giggles CLASSES Little Giggles Indoor Play 10:00 - Toddler Music (18 months+) 11:00 - Enrichment Mondays!! (FREE with admission - for all ages but best for ages 2 years+) www.littlegigglesplay.com

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Springdale Public Library Storytime Wigglers & Jigglers Pre-School Story Time (Ages 3-5) 9:30 Rattle & Rhyme Toddler Time (Birth-Age 3) 9:30

Preschool Art Class: Water 1:00 PM - 2:15 For ages 3 to 5 Crystal Bridges

Preschool Art Class: Water 1:00 PM - 2:15 For ages 3 to 5 Crystal Bridges

Thurs

ed

Sat

Fri

February

1

Wii Dance Party 2:00 pm Springdale Public Library Join in as we move and groove to the Wii game Just Dance Kids.

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5 Wigglers & Jigglers Pre-School Story Time (Ages 3-5) 11:00 Rattle & Rhyme Toddler Time (Birth-Age 3) 11:00

12 Preschool Art Class: Water 1:00 PM - 2:15 For ages 3 to 5 Crystal Bridges

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Preschool Playdate 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM (CT) Crystal Bridges Monthly Preschool Playdates feature performances, art projects, story time, and creative play based on themes from our collection. Activities are geared for children ages 2 to 5 with an adult. Free, no registration required.

The 5th annual blood drive in memory of sweet Hannah Grace Crumby 2-7 pm Lowell city Hall council chambers.

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One District, One Book Event: After School Crafts Bentonville Public Library 4:30 -6:30 Drop In Craft

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Daddy/Daughter Dance Community Building 110 N. Mt. Olive St Siloam Springs, AR 72761 www.siloamsprings.com The Daddy/Daughter Dance is an opportunity for Dads to take their daughters for a special night out. The dance is held on Friday night and Saturday afternoon for girls up to the 4th grade and on Saturday night for girls from 5th grade through high school.

Admission: $15 per couple

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Family Workshop: Family Love Box 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Crystal Bridges Museum Come together on a Friday night to create art with your family! Celebrate your family’s love of art and togetherness through collaging a family Love box. Personalize your box with your own small family treasures by bringing them to the workshop. $20 per family ($16 for Members).

Register online or at Guest Services.

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Expert Hour (ages 5-12) Rogers Public Library 4PM Expert Hour program allows children to explore, discover, and learn from a variety of topics such as art and science.

Registration is limited and required for this program. For more information call 621-1152 ex. 26.

One District, One Book Event: After School Crafts Bentonville Public Library 4:30 -6:30 Drop In Craft

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AFTERSCHOOL WORKSHOP Fayetteville Public Library - 4:00pm Registration is required and will open three weeks prior to the workshop. Unless otherwise indicated, all workshops are for kindergarten through fifth grade.

Unplugged Concert Crystal Bridges: 7 to 9 pm Candy Lee and the Sweets Candy Lee is the 2011 Northwest Arkansas Music Award winner for best female singer/ songwriter and best female singer in a band.

Her music has been described as delightfully conscious and “philosophically giddy.”

Admission is free, but tickets are required, as space is limited. Reserve tickets online or at Guest Services.

15

Valentines Pops Concert, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) Walton Art Center’s Baum Walker Hall sonamusic.com Event Details: 7:30 p.m.

Admission: $28, $38, $48

22

Lego Mania 10:00-11:30 AM Rogers Public Library Ages 0-12 are invited to join us for our first Lego Mania! Get ready to use your imagination and have some Lego building fun! We will provide the blocks; all you have to do is show up and let your imagination soar! No registration required. Children under the age of 7 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. For more information call 6211152 ext. 26.

February 2014

26

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Daddy/Daughter Dance Community Building 110 N. Mt. Olive St Siloam Springs, AR 72761 www.siloamsprings.com The Daddy/Daughter Dance is an opportunity for Dads to take their daughters for a special night out. The dance is held on Friday night and Saturday afternoon for girls up to the 4th grade and on Saturday night for girls from 5th grade through high school.

Admission: $15 per couple

Birth story:

Josie Layne

Story by: Rebekah Ward, APRN Photos by: Sue Lee

Thomas Oliver “Your baby is breech. You will more than likely have a c-section.” These were the disappointing words that I heard when i was 34 weeks pregnant. I was devastated.

What about the birth plan that I had meticulously organized? We had completed our Lamaze classes.

I had picked out labor lotion, relaxing music, lip moisturizer, and other comfort items for labor. I had the breathing down and was ready for the perfect and natural birth that I had envisioned. In discussion with my physician, we opted to try and perform an external cephalic version. This would hopefully rotate the baby to a head-down position. An appointment was scheduled to perform this at 36 weeks. However, one day prior to the appointment, my little girl had plans of her own. My water broke and I was forced to have a c-section.

We arrived at the hospital at 8:00AM and, by 9:30AM, I was being wheeled to the operating room.

My emotions began to overwhelm me. I had been separated from my husband, was about to have a major abdominal surgery, would have a premature baby, and would soon be a little person’s mother. I also feared the idea of a needle going into my spine to paralyze me for the surgery.

In the operating room, two sweet nurses held my hand while the needle was placed in my back. The apprehension had been way worse than the pain. I received the medicine and was quickly placed on the operating table. They prepped my abdomen and hung the blue sheets in front of my face to block my view. I began to feel sick and momentarily blacked out. When I came to, the anesthesiologist informed me that I had a common reaction to the medicine. My blood pressure and heart rate had dropped. He had given me

44 February 2014

medication to correct this. Then, finally, my husband returned to my side. He was wearing the sterile blue suit, surgical cap, and mask. Even through his headto-toe gear, I could detect his nervousness.

One thing I never expected from the surgery was to feel every movement. There was absolutely no pain but I felt the knife hit my stomach and the doctor make the incision. I also can recall many hands on my stomach as they tried to wedge her out of my tight abdomen. It seemed to take forever but finally she made her debut.

“It’s a girl!” they proclaimed. Where there should have been excitement, however, there was concern instead. She was not crying at all. I remember voicing this aloud as the obstetrician brought her around the sheets for me to see. You often hear about that magical moment when you lock eyes on your child for the first time. It did not happen for me. I was too worried. She was limp, motionless, and silent. She was placed in the incubator, and then we finally heard her cry for the first time. It was the cutest whimper I ever heard.

I remember the anesthesiologist saying to my husband “Remind her that she said that.” I touched her briefly before she was wrapped in a blanket and whisked to the nursery with her father, and I went to the recovery room.

I laid in the recovery room, with only medical staff, for what seemed like an eternity. Everyone else was peering through the nursery windows at a healthy, precious baby girl while her proud father assisted with bathing and other procedures. I felt defeated. I didn’t get the birth that I had planned and was missing out on those first moments of her life.

Hours after her birth, in the postpartum room, I locked eyes with my beautiful baby girl. Finally, that

magical moment occurred. She was absolutely perfect in every way. From her little toes to her perfect nose, I could barely take it all in. Unfortunately, the pain was intense following the surgery. It was greatest when I stood. It felt like my insides were trying to push through the fresh incision. It took a good six weeks to fully recover, but she was totally worth the unexpected journey, pain and apprehension.

Two years later, I became pregnant with my second child. I was persistent and eager to get the birth experience that I longed for. I found an excellent physician that supported my decision to have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). I also found an amazing doula to assist before, during, and after labor. I chose my mother and a sister to also be involved in my birth process. After thorough research and discussion with my physician, I developed a written birth plan specific to my situation. Everyone was aware of my plans to have a natural birth.

I had a relatively uncomplicated pregnancy. At 36 weeks, the obstetrician was sure I would delivery early like my first. For four more weeks, I waited to go into labor. There is no one more emotional, exhausted, and moody than a nine months pregnant woman who has been expecting a baby for that long. The doctors who choose a profession that interacts with these women, on a daily basis, are incredible.

I never experienced one contraction with my first pregnancy. Therefore, I had no idea what to expect. I really thought, for some unknown reason, that I would be one of those women who would go into the hospital with a few cramps and have the baby three hours later.

That does not describe my birth experience in any way. I started having regular contractions the morning before my due date. I was so excited. They were five minutes apart and not painful at all! My abdomen would just tighten up. I called everyone. My family drove across the state to be present for the birth of my son. Everyone was prepared to have a baby. Hours began to pass and my contractions dissipated. I was embarrassed and afraid everyone had come for no reason. I made an appointment with my physician that afternoon. When we arrived he checked me and I was dilated to two centimeters. At this appointment he stripped my membranes. If you are wondering what that means, trust me, it is exactly what it sounds like and is not for the faint at heart. He said that I would probably go into labor in the next day or so. Let me repeat: exhausted, emotional and moody woman.

However, the membrane stripping worked. The contractions came back and they were fierce. It’s hard to explain what they feel like. The pain is unreal. They take over your entire body. I could not move or talk during one.

I ate supper that night prior to going into the hospital because I knew I would not be permitted to eat

[ story continued next page ]

Thomas Oliver

Josie Layne

anything while attempting a VBAC. Contractions were coming fast and hard and I knew it was time to go. I was certain I was dilated to a five or maybe even a six. I got my gown on and got settled into the room.

The nurse checked me and I was only dilated to a two and a half. I wasn’t even far enough to be admitted.

The plan was to walk the halls for about an hour and if there was any progres, I would be admitted. An hour later, I had progressed to a measly three centimeters.

I was admitted and moved to the labor room. That night, I decided it might be best to get pain medicine through my IV. I figured it would give me comfort and allow me to sleep. I put my eye mask on and hoped for the best. I got very little sleep that night. I slept only in between contractions that were about five minutes apart. I would wake in a groggy state, moan my way through a contraction, then go back to sleep.

Early the next morning, my contractions just stopped.

My physician visited and we discussed breaking my water. This was one procedure in my birth plan that I did not want performed. I had heard so many horror stories about the increased risk of having a c-section and the risk of cord prolapse. My doctor assured me that he would not perform the procedure if this was a risk. I was dilated to a five. He broke my water with easiness and without pain. Now my job was to get out of bed and get the contractions going again. I was fearful.

I was perfectly happy without the contractions, but I knew we weren’t going to get anywhere without them.

I walked around and did some movements offered by my doula. They soon returned with a vengeance. Then, and for hours, the birth ball became my very best

friend. My contractions were decreased on the ball.

They intensified if I was lying in the bed or walking.

I’m sure every woman’s preferences are different in labor. For me, I didn’t mind being touched in between contractions. It actually made me feel secure.

However, if you touched me during a contraction, I could bite your head off. I remember a nurse coming in and adjusting the straps on my stomach during a contraction. It really took everything I had not to rip her arms off. My support team realized my needs early on in the process. They were exceptional and gave me support at just the right moments.

Late that afternoon, I really started to feel exhausted.

I had been in labor for a day and a half. Lack of sleep and the pain were catching up to me. I decided to get an epidural at eight centimeters dilated. Looking back, this was a really great idea. I really didn’t want my son to meet me with no make-up and hair all over the place. I looked like a crazy person. During this break, my sister put on my make-up and fixed my hair.

About two hours after receiving the epidural, I was fully dilated and ready to push. There is a technique to moving a body part that you cannot even feel. I tried different maneuvers before I was pushing the right way. Finally, when my nurse told me it was the right way, I was pushing with all of my might. Getting an epidural so late sometimes causes you to have areas that you can still feel. I felt a small part on the left side of my abdomen, but it allowed me to sense when I was having a contraction. I would push as everyone counted during a contraction and then lie back and close my eyes when it was over. It was great. I was getting mini-naps in between the hard work!

After an hour of pushing, my son finally arrived and was placed on my abdomen. That would be the most amazing feeling I have ever felt. I just gazed at him and felt his warmth. He was absolutely beautiful and felt perfect lying on my chest. He was the greatest reward that followed exceptionally hard work. I watched his proud father cut the umbilical cord and witnessed all of those first moments of his life. I was extremely proud of my dedication, persistence, and strength to get the experience that I wanted.

Birth Story Lincoln Thomas Story by: Alison Nation

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’m not sure when, but, at some point before I was even pregnant, I decided that I wanted to have a natural birth. After weighing my options and assessing the various facilities in NWA, I decided that we would do it in a hospital setting. Throughout my pregnancy, I approached labor as though it was one part marathon, one part SAT test, and one part spiritual awakening --something that I could prepare for mind, body and soul. My husband Jason and I took a weekend-long intensive childbirth class. I quizzed my doctor about all kinds of scenarios for labor and delivery, interviewed and hired a doula in my first trimester, read books borrowed from my doula, and memorized birthing affirmations. I practiced prenatal yoga via video podcast daily (thank you, Mamaste Yoga!), walked about a mile every day, and sat on a stability ball at home AND at my desk at work. I practiced relaxation techniques every night as I went to sleep, and I tried to practice pain management techniques from Pam England’s Birthing from Within.

I worried about the pain of labor, but I worried more about going past my due date and facing an induction.

So, when I woke up with cramps at 2:30AM six days before my due date and realized that labor was starting, I was so relieved. I resisted the urge to wake my husband and tried to rest. The surprised look on his face when he got up for work and I told him I was in labor was priceless.

From there, the morning was spent trying to relax and stay comfortable. We both called in to work, and I called our doula, Sara Huneycutt. My weekly doctor’s appointment was already scheduled for noon that day, so we packed bags and got organized for the hospital.

I was hoping (quite foolishly, I know), that my doctor would check my cervix and say “WOW! You better go upstairs right now!” so we packed the car with all of our stuff - just in case. Of course, that was not to be.

50 February 2014

My Dr. checked me (2.5 cm dilated, but 85% effaced) and we talked over some basics (I didn’t realize it would feel like menstrual cramps all of the time, and she advised that I take some Tylenol - duh!). “You’re definitely having a baby this weekend, and I predict you’ll be back here by tonight at 8:00PM,” she said.

I was at first appalled (having a baby this WEEKEND!?

I thought I would have this baby TODAY!), but then felt better that she thought we’d at least be back that day.

6:00PM was when things started to get a bit more serious. Contractions got closer together, more regular and more intense. We played music, turned the lights down, and tried to change positions every half hour. I experimented with a couple of different contraction timer apps. Since a natural birth was my goal, I wanted to stay at home for as long as possible. We left for the hospital around 9:45PM. My contractions were 3 minutes apart and had been that way for about an hour. Riding in the car was hard.

Braking and accelerating intensified the contractions-reminiscing now, it seems like the car ride was just one long contraction! Because it was after regular hospital hours, we had to enter the hospital through the ER, but I’d pre-registered myself so it went fairly quick, with just a few awkward moments while Jason and I entertained everyone in the ER with our “we’re obviously about to have a baby” status.

Entering our hospital room and meeting our awesome nurse was when everything started to feel surreal. This was really happening. I was in labor. I was in a hospital --and we were having a baby. Around this time our doula arrived and her presence was a balm. Our nurse said “I assume from seeing the labor ball that you’re going to have a natural birth,” I said “Yes,” and that was the last word said about it. I was amazed. I had worried and fretted and stewed over what would happen if

our nurse wasn’t supportive of a natural birth. I got my saline lock IV and started the first long round of fetal monitoring. That was certainly the worst part of my labor at that point - being still, and in that sitting position, was very uncomfortable.

I realized that counting my breaths was essential during a contraction, but also valuable between contractions.

I remember very clearly, sitting there breathing through a contraction, and then after the contraction trying to chat with Sara and Jason and our nurse about how the day had gone so far, soon realizing that if I was going to make it through each contraction, I was going to have to rest between contactions, so I started counting my breaths while resting and it helped me relax and prepare. I found out later on that no one was aware of my counting technique, and it amazes me looking back how deeply internal labor was for me.

My memories from the rest of the night are a blur: standing in the shower, sitting on the labor ball, sitting on the couch, squatting on the bed, leaning on the ball, sitting on the toilet, leaning on Jason or Sara or walking. I was hot, I was cold. I was panicked. I was calm. Labor affected my body in ways that I had not anticipated - there were periods of time when my legs were shaking uncontrollably, and I was working so hard to control them. Luckily, Sara was there to say, “it’s perfectly normal. Your body is just working really

hard!” That was was the benefit of having our doula with us--no matter what we had learned in the class, the books, from friends or family, the experience of labor was so much more intense and wild than I could have ever anticipated. Having her with us, a person that could anchor the moment with knowledge, was invaluable. She boosted my confidence at every turn and helped us by answering questions, offering support, both physical and emotional, and helping keep me moving to keep labor progressing.

The intermittent fetal monitoring was easier after the very first session - I was able to stay seated on the ball or the stool - no more uncomfortable bed. Our nurse checked my cervix occasionally, and if I remember accurately, only at my request. I was making steady progress, but my water had yet to break, and knowing how far I’d dilated was a blessing and a curse - it was great to know that I was dilating steadily (from 4 cm and mostly effaced when we checked in at 10:30PM to 6.5 cm at 1:30AM), but at the same time, I’d think: “Really!? Only 6.5 cms!? What is taking so long!?” I fantasized about an epidural, but didn’t say a word about it. I’d tell myself “we’ll see how the next one goes.” I started to obsess about my water breaking - fixating on the idea that once it broke, maybe

[ story continued next page ]

Lincoln Thomas everything would start happening very fast, since once the watery cushion was removed there would be more pressure from the baby’s head. I remember sitting on the toilet in our little bathroom, talking to Jason about it, trying to decide-- should I have the nurse check me? Will that help my water break? Will that speed things up?-- and coming out of the bathroom to have Sara say: there’s no guarantee either way. It was a great reality check, so I didn’t have the wrong expectations.

At around 4:00AM, I asked our nurse to check me, and a moment later I felt a warm gush of calming water - it was such a relief that my water had broken. It felt like I was finally about to finish this whole thing and be done with it! I was 9.5 cms then.

Memories get a bit fuzzy after that, I remember concentrating on my breaths, counting them in and out and occasionally issuing orders to Jason or Sara “move here,” “stay there,” or “press on my back again,” all the while letting their constant words of support and encouragement flow over me. I’m not sure how long that haze of intensity lasted, but I do remember the moment while squatting on the bed, I felt an intense need to push. I remember squealing, half terrified, half relieved, “I need to push!” And the calm reassurance of Sara and our nurse: “That’s good, that’s great” and “I’ll call your doctor.” It was about 4:45AM.

Slowly but surely, the room was transformed from my now comfortable and familiar room to a slightly more crowded, much more hospital-y place. I kept reminding my nurse, “I need to push, I’m ready to push,” and she said, “Go ahead and push, your doctor is on her way.” She coached me through a few pushes, but I felt like I was supposed to be waiting. Eventually my doctor appeared, and from there I feel like things happened very fast. There was a pediatric nurse to examine the baby, who in the meantime was giving me oxygen in between pushes. The doctor was at the foot of the bed, giving me intense, earnest instructions about making my pushes more productive, Jason by my side encouraging me, Sara doing the same but clutching my camera to snap some quick pics as the baby was born. And through it all, in the back of my mind I remember thinking over and over: “I have got to have this baby before the sun comes up!”

After maybe 40 minutes of pushing that felt like 5 minutes, he was crowning and Jason was saying “I can see his head!” The doctor was promising it was so close, and saying “Just keep pushing.” Then, then there was a gush, and there he was. Our son, Lincoln Thomas Nation. 7 lbs, 20 inches long. Jason cut the cord, and then Linc was in my arms, screaming, bloody, and bizarrely cuddling a huge silver clamp that was on his umbilical cord. I remember those first few moments that I held him so clearly. I remember I couldn’t get my eyes open enough to look at him - I just couldn’t take him all in, but I also couldn’t open my eyes at all - I was so overwhelmed with joy at the sight of him, I kept squeezing them shut. It was 5:43AM, 12/29/12.

From there, I bounced right out of bed and had a productive day, right? Um, no. I stayed in bed until at least noon that day. My hemoglobin was very low, and when I first tried to stand up, I almost passed out.

Eating a meal, drinking water, and resting improved my situation, but I was very frustrated by my inability to just stand up and walk to the bathroom. Emotionally, I was giddy-- not only was my baby healthy, I had birthed him naturally, the way I’d wanted to, and accomplishing that dream made me feel satisfied and extremely fortunate.

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Give your child a birthday party that inspires! Let

any party booked in August your child and their guests paint their own pottery

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and then take it home to show off their creativity!

Imagine Studios Imagine Art Studio offers everything from the Games, 5212 Village Parkway, planning to the set-up, invitations, and more so you Suite 11, Rogers always get a personal touch. gs for The New School 479-619-6085 Year, Services include: Kid’s and adult haircuts, feather hair imagine-art-studio.com the Very Best. extensions, updos, parties, nails Good at Fayetteville location only.Expires 8/31/11

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Pigtails and Crewcuts 100 East Joyce Boulevard Suite 105, Fayetteville 479-935-4121 -- pigtailsandcrewcuts.com Pigtails & Crewcuts - Fayetteville

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for you with special party room where kids love to play dress-up, have their hair done, enjoy make-up and ©2011aPigtails & Crewcuts nail color services, embark on treasure hunts and celebrate a great occasion with friends! Offers a variety of parties with kid-tested themes, all of which can be tailored to both girls and boys.

The Little Gym 2603 Pleasant Grove Rd. Rogers 479-636-5566

Looking for an awesome birthday bash?

Nothing captures the magic of childhood better than a birthday party -- especially one that they will never forget! For children ages 1 - 12 years old. You will receive the entire facility to yourself and your guests, music, and fun created just for your child, with no worries about set-up or clean-up!

Starlight Skatium 612 N. College Ave., Fayetteville 479-444-7827 starlightskatium.com Most of us remember celebrating at least one birthday at a local skating rink, and now your children can, too! Choose between a pizza party, an Ultimate Sk8r Party, and a private kid’s birthday party. All include admission and skate rental for your child and guests, a reserved party table, party favors, and classic games like limbo and the hokey-pokey played in your child’s honor.

Fast Lane Entertainment 1117 N. Dixieland St. Lowell 479-659-0999 fastlanebowl.com

54 February 2014

There is no place in NWA like Fast Lane to celebrate a New Year with your child and his/her guests. Choose from a Bowling Blast, a Gamer’s Deluxe Party, or a Cosmo’s Ultimate Lazer Tag Party!

////////////////////////// Birthday Party Hot Spot 2603 Pleasant Grove Rd., Rogers, 479-636-5566

The birthday child gets to go on a special ride on the parachute while their friends sing Happy Birthday – Fischer had a friend join him.

Personalize your party with the activities your child loves most. Fischer chose Basketball AND Bubbles – what’s more fun than that for a 3-year-old little boy!

Group photo with friends after enjoying cake to celebrate!

There’s no better place to celebrate a birthday than at The Little Gym. That’s because it’s incredibly fun for kids and incredibly easy for you. Kids tell us their birthday party at The Little Gym is the most awesome party they’ve ever had! Parents love it, too, because we take care of everything.

Your group will have the whole place to yourselves with games, music, and fun activities created especially for your birthday kiddo! Our trained instructors will lead all the fun and The Little Gym team will handle everything from set-up to clean-up, which means you get to go home to a clean, quiet house when all the fun is done.

We will provide everything from the invitations to the gift registry as your child opens presents. You only need to bring the cake. The Little Gym Birthday Bash is the perfect fun and stress-free party!

///////////////////////// Birthday Party Hot Spot 1450 E. Zion Road, Suite 6, Fayetteville (479) 582-LEGO (5346) www.razorbricks.com Brick by Brick is a new place for NWA kids to “Imagine, Build, and Play.” Brick by Brick was created for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages! Legos are the perfect tool to get young people excited about STEM education… even at a birthday party! At Brick by Brick, we aim to provide hands-on experiences that are as entertaining as they are educational.

When you book a party, your group will have exclusive use of the entire learning center, plus games, music, and fun activities will be coordinated especially for your little BrickMaster. Our instructors will lead all the fun, and Brick by Brick will handle everything from set-up to clean-up so that Moms and Dads can relax and have some fun too!

Visit www.razorbricks.com or follow us on Facebook to get all party package info, as well as info on a variety of programs we offer at Brick by Brick, NWA. Call: 479-582-LEGO (5346) to book a party, class, Parents Night Out, Camp, or just to learn more. Come in and check out NWA’s newest hot spot for the kiddos!

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Birthday Party Guide: Mad Science 1034 Reed Valley Rd., Fayetteville (479) 444-0303 nwa.madscience.org Mad Science parties entertain children of all ages with exciting, high-energy, interactive shows that come to you. The no-mess, hassle-free parties typically last one hour, with the option of special add-ons, like cotton candy-making, bubbling potions and rocket launches. Children will discover objects that float through columns of air, marvel at the mystery of fireworks, see the power of static and be amazed by green-glowing water... just to name a few of the wonderful things you can expect!

ATA Martial Arts Bentonville: (479) 273-1212 atabentonville.com Fayetteville: (479) 443-5425 atafayetteville.com

Happy Feet (479) 553-8810 NWAHappyFeet.com

Have a martial artsthemed party for kids interested in Karate and Taekwondo. Let your child kick, jump, tumble and celebrate their birthday all at the same time!

Add fitness and fun to your next party with a HappyFeet Soccer Party! HappyFeet coaches offer an action-packed experience for your special day!

Happy Feet classes and parties are designed to build off the developing imagination of preschoolers, which means they are guaranteed to have a blast!

Bricks 4 Kidz Village on the Creeks: 5208 Village Parkway, Suite 5, Rogers (479) 268-4345 www.bricks4kidz.com/fayetteville or www.facebook.com/bfkfayetteville

Let us make hosting your party a breeze by providing you will all the benefits that Bricks 4 Kidz® has to offer. Your guests will enjoy a unique and one-of-a-kind experience with our exclusive models created with our Bricks 4 Kidz® kits. We individualize each party according to age and theme with many themes to choose from, including Batman, Minecraft, Superheroes, Bricks for Girls, Amazing Animals and

Jump!Zone 805 SE 22nd Street, Bentonville, AR (479) 202-4476

58 February 2014

Parties are now TWO HOURS LONG! That means a smoother, STRESS FREE environment so you never have to feel rushed on your child’s special day! We have four themed party rooms with throne chairs for the birthday children to make them feel extra special on their big day!

///////////////////////// Birthday Party Hot Spot

3301 South Walton Boulevard, Suite 11, Bentonville (479) 268-4949 www.littlegigglesplay.com

Little Giggles is an indoor play space and unique birthday party venue located in Bentonville, AR. We have desigined a clean, safe haven, built for young children aged 0-7 years with a focus on creative play, and with a fantastic birthday room overlooking the playground with floor to ceiling windows.

We work hard with you to create a unique and special occasion that will be a day to remember for years to come. We intend to take the stress out of organizing, running, and cleaning up the big day. We ensure that everyone enjoys the party as much as the children do!

weekend private party (all weekend parties are private with exclusive use of the party room and play space), or a party during the week (during our Monday Friday opening hours) where you have exclusive use of the party room while we remain open to the public for open play. You also pick from a generic, Giggles party or a themed party. We can do any theme for boys and girls - your wish is our command! See our website for all party details: www.littlegigglesplay. com.

We offer a variety of packages to suit any budget, pricing starting from $200 (+ tax) for up to 15 children, dependent on your choice of either a

Fun!

Little Giggles has been designed to be fun for the kids, and easy for mom or dad to keep an eye on them--parents can see their kids from every angle of the play space. Little Giggles contains a bounce house, a jungle gym, some amazing building blocks, a gorgeous custom-made play house and grocery store, and an area specifically for prewalkers full of soft play equipment. It is also home to a quiet corner with books and puzzles and loads of great dress up clothes in our costume corner!

A cafe is available for snack time or lunch indoors, or families can sit outdoors on our picnic tables.

Little Giggles was designed to be a fun and easy experience for EVERYBODY... and one that they will want to repeat again and again!

Classes!

Little Giggles offers some lovely “mommy and me” classes: “Music and Motion” classes -- children are encouraged to play instruments, sing songs and socialize with others of a similar age. “Drama” classes -where children engage with each other and their parents and are encouraged to use their creative thought processes to create stories without props.

Birthday Party Guide: Mommy & Me Nail Spa (479) 903-7033 Pinnacle Hills Promenade Mall: 2203 Promenade Blvd, Suite 8120 Rogers

Mommy & Me is a truly unique, fully customized nail spa for your event enjoyment. We specialize in hosting parties for birthdays, weddings, bachelorette, and everything in between. Great for your child’s birthday party in the private children’s pedicure section!

Kona Ice (479) 601-4297 shnewell@kona-ice.com www.kona-ice.com

Looking for the perfect birthday party event this year? Why not ask Kona to bring some tropical island party FUN? EVERYBODY loves Kona Ice! Our party truck will come to your location, the music will put you all in a party mood and everyone is served a Kona... woo hoo!

Rogers Equestrian Center 2935 N Arkansas Street Rogers 479-636-1203 www.rogersequestrian.org

Bliss Cupcake Cafe blisscupcakecafe.com 14 S Block Ave. (On the Fayetteville Square) Uptown Fayetteville: 637 East Joyce Boulevard Pinnacle Promenade in Rogers: 4204 West Green Acres

Rogers Equestrian Centers offers a beautiful space for hosting your party. Festivities begin with a hay ride, followed by pony rides, and wrapping up with a picnic area perfect for a cookout and blowing out the candles!

Decorating Party: Looking for a super fun party idea with little work required on your end? Bliss has good news, because our cupcake decorating party in a box guarantees fun memories and no hassle in two easy steps.

Step One: Stop by Bliss to pick up the preprinted invitations and mail them out. Step Two: Pick up a box for each partygoer on the day of the shindig!

Brick by Brick 1450 E. Zion Road, Suite 6, Fayetteville (479) 582-LEGO (5346) www.razorbricks.com

Your group will have use of the entire Learning Center! Games, music and fun activities will be created especially for your Lego® enthusiast. Our instructors will lead all the fun and Brick by Brick will handle everything from setup to cleanup! Offering different packages to fit each child’s interest and budget.

62 February 2014

///////////////////////// Birthday Party Hot Spot

479-636-1203

Rogers Equestrian Center 2935 N Arkansas Street - Rogers - www.rogersequestrian.org

Ellie’s 10th Birthday Party at Rogers Equestion Center The Rogers Equestrian Center sits on 52 acres of rolling hills and beautifully maintained pastures. The party started with a hay ride through the pastures and concluded with petting and feeding carrots to the pasture horses. The girls loved the chance to get up close to the horses! The staff of REC set up picnic tables under a huge shade tree and served the girls grilled hot dogs, chips and drinks. Afterwards, as the sun was setting, the pony rides began! Each of Ellie’s guest were able to ride a pony or horse in the large arena. Once the rides were over, the entire party made their way back to the picnic tables to blow out the candles, eat birthday cake and open gifts. The venue was absolutely fantastic, the staff was wonderful to work with and Ellie had a 10th birthday party that she still talks about--and will never forget.

Need a party that is more than cupcakes and musical chairs? Mix it up with MAD SCIENCE!

To book your party call 479.444.0303 Visit www.madscience.org/nwa

Birthday Party Guide: No muss, no fuss--just lots of fun!

Abrakadoodle Art Party 479-856-6651 jdavis@abrakadoodle.com www.abrakadoodle.com

Abrakadoodle parties are easy for parents, FUN for kids and include: • An edu-taining ARTrageous art teacher!

• Age-appropriate activities and art lessons.

• Each party guest leaving with the best party favor ever … their own FRAMED piece of original art.

• All art materials and LOTS of ZANY FUN!

Hopes & Dreams Gymnastics (479) 751-8844 228 B South 40th St Springdale hopesdreamsgym.com

Plan your next birthday party at Hopes & Dreams Gymnastics! We offer hour-and-a-half parties at our facility, providing a fun and active party for your child and their friends! Time in the gym for a Hopes & Dreams Birthday Party is, as stated, one hour and 30 minutes in a party room. We offer numerous different packages ranging from smaller parties of up to 15 children to larger parties of over 40 children.

Participants have the use of our entire facility, including the foam pits, trampolines, spring floors, uneven bars, balance beams and obstacle courses.

Arkansas Missouri Railroad 306 East Emma Springdale, AR (479)751-8600

Vintage Violet 118 W. South Street, Fayetteville (479) 966-4241

Kids Fit Fun FACtory 2920 E. Zion Rd Fayetteville www.fayac.com 479-587-0500

Want a party that is sure to impress? Know any youngsters who absolutely adore Thomas the Train? Make their day, and have their party on the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad!

If your child enjoys trains or just the idea of a creative location, you can party in style.

Party like an “It” girl! Dress-up, make-up, hair and photo shoot! Fun for girls of all ages.

Great for birthdays or just a fun girl afternoon out!

An indoor party includes a personal party attendant to run your party, the party loft reserved for refreshments, gifts, etc, access to the Play Maze and access to the FACtory gym and bounce around. Party options include pool, indoor, tennis or dodgeball.

Birthday Party Guide: Little Giggles 3301 South Walton Boulevard, Suite 11, Bentonville www.littlegigglesplay.com (479) 268-4949

Little Giggles’ aim is to make each and every one of our parties a unique and special occasion, tailored to your needs and wishes in any way that we can. We offer a variety of party packages and look forward to working with you to ensure that we take all the stress out of party organizing, making it a day to remember for years to come. Ask us about special ‘add-ons’ like face painting, clowns, balloon twisting and more, to make the Little Giggles Party one your child will never forget. We see our children grow up in a flash, but the memories they carry with them will be there forever.

Johnny Brusco’s NY Style Pizza 700 SE Walton Blvd, Suite 10 Bentonville 479-268-6748

At Johnny Brusco’s, you can combine two of your child’s favorite things - pizza and creating their own masterpieces! Make-your-own pizza parties are always a lot of tasty fun and sure to please any kid.

Pottery Worx 1004 S. Mt. Olive St. Suite M Siloam Springs (479) 970-7857

Karina’s Party Rentals 479-549-7459 www.karinaspartyjumpers.com

Pottery Worx is a paint-your-own pottery studio where you can come and paint your stress away!

We supply all of the paints and brushes, just bring your imagination and creativity! Great for birthday parties!

Karina’s Party Rental is a family owned and operated party rental business providing fun inflatable bounce houses and slides, both wet and dry.

The Party Place Party Supply Superstore 4202 W. Green Acres Road, Rogers, by the Promenade (479) 230-9494 www.partyplacear.com

The Party Place is Arkansas’ largest independent party store! They carry all your hard-to-find party supplies, decorations, party favors, and so much more. Number one source for piñatas, balloons, and birthday parties. We make spectacular balloon bouquets and even have an online design-your-own banner service.

Many different theme parties, as well as costumes, bows, balloons, banners, party favors, and every different party supply you can imagine.

////////////////////////// Birthday Party Hot Spot

5212 Village Parkway, Suite 11, Rogers, AR (479) 268-3190, imagine-art-studio.com

L

et Imagine Studios help with your child’s next birthday. The birthday child and guests will have a great time being creative and making a unique project. From canvas painting to pottery, we will help you create an unforgettable celebration. The best part? Parents get to sit back and enjoy watching their young artists at work. Choose a project from our menu or work with Miss Melanie to customize your project. When the last present has been opened and the last crumb of cake has been eaten, your arty party instructor will take care of all of the clean-up. Why not treat your child and friends to a creative and colorful party where every guest will take home a masterpiece?

Owner and art instructor, Melanie Hewins, has been offering arty parties for kids of all ages for over eight years so you’re in good hands for a memory making celebration.

Parties include:

•

•

•

• • •

Postcard invitations ready for you to pick-up and fill in Paper products—plates, cups, napkins, plastic-ware, tablecloths Supplies for each guest to make his/her own project Art play stations One hour of art time 30 minutes for cake and gifts

A trained arty party instructor will manage the party while you enjoy time relaxing with family and friends.

You only need to bring your own cake and drinks!

Imagine can accommodate up to 25 party guests.

70 February 2014

Choose from a variety of creative projects and make a masterpiece to remember!

• • • • • • • • • • •

Glass dessert plates Canvas Purses T-shirts (tie-dye or paint) Picture frames Bulletin boards Chalk clip boards Flower pots Paint-your-own pottery Spa party Aprons

Did you know we also offer private group events for baby showers, girls’ night out, bachelorette parties, bridal showers, Boy and Girl Scouts, and corporate team building? Call the studio or check us out on Facebook or at http://imagine-art-studio.com.

“We had our daughter’s 6th Bday party at Imagine Studios and it was absolutely perfect. She kept all the girls entertained and happy from the beginning to the end. As a result everyone got to take home a beautiful canvas, so it is very special. I would definitely recommend having a birthday party at Imagine Studios and let your imagination be the limit. We love Mrs. Melanie and her studio—it definitely opens your eyes to how artistic the kids can be with some direction and knowledge and how much fun they can have with it.” --Garcia Family

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www.peekaboonwa.com

71

February 7-14, 2014 is National Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week.

Did you know?

Congenital heart defects are the most common types of birth defects.

They affect nearly 40,000 infants born in the US each year. It is estimated that there are nearly 1 million U.S. adults living with a congenital heart defect.

Peekaboo

Pick

Did you know that congenital heart defects are common?

Congenital heart defects are conditions present at birth that affect how a baby’s heart is made and the way it works. They are the most common type of birth defects. In the United States, about 40,000 infants are born with a heart defect each year.

Did you know that some heart defects can be found before birth, some at birth, or some after a baby leaves the hospital?

Some congenital heart defects can be found before birth. Knowing if a baby has a heart defect before birth can help families plan for the future. Some heart defects can be found at birth, because they can cause a baby to have bluish tinted nails or lips or troubled breathing. Also, some heart defects potentially can be detected in babies soon after birth using pulse oximetry screening, which is a test to determine the amount of oxygen in the blood and pulse rate. Certain hospitals screen all babies soon after birth using pulse oximetry screening. However, pulse oximetry screening is not required in most states. Other heart defects might have no signs at birth and are not found until later in life, during childhood or even adulthood.

If a health care provider (a doctor or nurse) thinks a congenital heart defect is present, the baby can have several tests to diagnose the defect.

Did you know that congenital heart defects can greatly affect the finances not only of the families involved, but of everyone?

72 February 2014

In the United States, hospital costs for people with a heart defect were about $1.4 billion in one year.

Families and the government share the burden of these costs, which means that all taxpayers are affected.

Other costs due to lost wages or work limitations can affect families and businesses as well.

Did you know that people with congenital heart defects are living longer?

As medical care and treatments have advanced, infants with heart defects are living longer and healthier lives. Many now are living into adulthood. About one million adults in the United States are living with a congenital heart defect. It is important for children and adults living with a congenital heart defect to see a heart doctor regularly throughout their lives.

Did you know that some congenital heart defects can be prevented?

The cause of most congenital heart defects is unknown.

Some babies have heart defects because of changes in their genes or chromosomes. They also might be caused by a mix of genes and other risk factors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Birth Defects Prevention Study has found that women who are obese, have diabetes, or smoke during pregnancy increase their chances of having a baby born with a heart defect. A woman can take some important steps before and during pregnancy to

help prevent congenital heart defects. She can work to get to and stay at a healthy weight, control diagnosed diabetes, quit smoking, and take folic acid daily. These actions can reduce the risk of having a baby with a congenital heart defect.

Did you know?

In Arkansas • Every 14 minutes a baby is born • Every 5 hours one is born with a birth defect • On average, 500 babies are born each year with a congenital heart defect Lower your risk by eating a healthy diet and adding 400 micrograms of folic acid to your daily routine through an over the counter multivitamin.

To learn more, please contact: Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention Telephone: (501) 364-5001 Toll free: (877)-662-4567 http://arbirthdefectsresearch.uams.edu Email: ACH.ARCenter@uams.edu And visit: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects

At a Glance ARTS and MUSIC

At a Glance

Abrakadoodle (Pg. 60) (479) 856-6651 abrakadoodle.com Crystal Bridges (Pg. 42) (479) 418-5700 crystalbridges.org/KidsDirectory Imagine Studios (Pg. 71) (479) 619-6085 imagine-studios.com Pottery Worx (Pg. 47) (479) 970-7857 Walton Arts Center (Pg. 67) www.waltonartscenter.org

BANKS

First Security Bank (Pg. 52) www.fsbank.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 51) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Better Beginnings (Pg. 5) 1-800-445-3316 arbetterbeginnings.com The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 77) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 18) (479) 633-9900 www.larsonslanguagecenter.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg 59) (479) 273-1011 Seeking Sitters (Pg. 46) (501) 203-3097 www.seekingsitters.com

CLOTHING / FURNITURE

2nd Look Consignment (Pg. 12)

(479) 790-1536

3 Monkeys (Pg. 74)

(479) 271-0701

June Bug’s Reruns (Pg. 31) www.junebugsreruns.com

Little Darlings (Pg. 55)

(479) 464-8492

Rhea Lana’s (Pg. 39)

(479) 799-7335 rhealana.com

Vintage Violet (Pg. 14)

(479) 966-4241

DANCE/CHEER/TUMBLE/STRETCH

The Little Gym (Pg. 63) (479) 636-5566 tlgrogersar.com

DENTIST / ORTHODONTIST

Dr. Brown - Orthodontics Exclusively (Pg. 72) www.drbrownbraces.com Smile Shoppe Pediatric Dentistry (Pg. 21) (479) 631-6377

DERMATOLOGY

NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

76 February 2014

EDUCATION

Walnut Farm Montessori School (Pg. 71, 79) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT

Fast Lane Entertainment (Pg. 7)

(479) 659-0999 www.fastlanebowl.com

Jump! Zone (Pg. 69)

(479) 202-4476

Little Giggles (Pg. 19)

(479) 268-4949

Mad Science (Pg. 55)

(479) 444-0303 www.madscience.org/nwa The Party Place (Pg. 9)

thepartyplacear.com (479 ) 230-9494

Starlight Skatium (Pg. 59)

(479) 444-STAR

Sugar Pie Social (Pg. 53) www.sugarpiesocial.com

Youth of the Year Celebration (Pg. 80)

FOOD / DRINK

TCBY (Pg. 3) (479) 636-8229 (TCBY)

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

A. R. Chiropractic (Pg. 34)

(479) 236-3606 ARchiropractic.com

Dr. Charles S. Ginn, Podiatrist (Pg. 37)

(479) 254-1975 nwafoot.com48

Dr. Jim Elkins (Pg. 47, 60)

(479) 636-0300

Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 4)

Siloam: (479) 770-0744 Siloam: (479) 524-2456

West Fork: (479) 839-3359

Ginn Foot and Ankle (Pg. 37)

(479) 254-1975 www.nwafoot.com

Kohl’s Wellness Wonders (Pg. 48)

Tate HealthCare (Pg. 45)

(479) 271-6511 www.tatehealthcare.com

HOME and YARD

Arkansas Relay (Pg. 20) www.arkansasrelay.com Carpet Smart (Pg. 13) (479) 750-0117 / (866) 795-8520 Two Men and a Truck (Pg. 73) www.twomennwa.com

To advertise in PEEKABOO 914.519.8191

INSURANCE

Delta Dental (Pg. 38) deltadentalar.com MOMS Direct (Pg. 69) 1-800-461-5257 www.moms-direct.com

JEWELRY AND GIFTS

David Adams (Pg. 25) davidadams.com

LEARNING CENTER

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 51) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Brick by Brick (Pg. 35) (479) 582-LEGO www.razorbricks.com Bricks 4 Kidz (Pg. 25) (479) 268-4345 Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 18) (479) 633-9900 www.larsonslanguagecenter.com Learning Rx (Pg. 57) Fay: (479) 695-1234 and Bentonville: (479) 715-6870

MARTIAL ARTS

ATA (Pg. 28)

Bentonville: (479) 273-1212 / Fay: (479) 443-5425

OPTOMETRIST

Pediatric Vision Development Center (Pg. 27) nwavisiontherapy.com (479) 795-1411

PEDIATRICIAN

Best Start Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 17) (479) 575-9359 Bentonville Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 43) (479) 273-5437 The Children’s Clinic at Springdale (Pg. 29) (479) 751-2522 Harvey Pediatrics (Pg. 23) (479) 254-1100 harveypediatrics.com MANA NWA Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 75) Wellness: (479) 443-3471 Urgent: (479) 442-7322

PLASTIC SURGEON

NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 www.nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

PRESCHOOL/ PRE-K

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 51) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 77) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 18) (479) 633-9900 www.larsonslanguagecenter.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 59) (479) 273-1011 Walnut Farm Montessori School (Pg. 71, 79) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

SURROGACY SERVICES

Gifted Journeys (Pg. 8) (818) 505-3026 www.giftedjourneys.com

THERAPY

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 51)

(479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com

Dr. Thomas Terry Lawson (Pg. 33)

(479) 444-1400 www.terrylawson.com

Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 4)

Siloam: (479) 770-0744 Siloam: (479) 524-2456

West Fork: (479) 839-3359

Tate HealthCare (Pg. 45)

(479) 271-6511

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Life Spring Women’s Health (Pg. 57) (479) 271-0005 lifespringhealthcare.com Northwest Willow Creek Women’s Hospital (Pg. 11) (479) 684-3000 Northwest Pediatrics (Pg. 15) (479) 553-1000 Parkhill Clinic for Women (Pg. 63) (479) 521-4433 Siloam Springs Women’s Center (Pg. 64) (479) 524-9312 siloamwomenscenter.com UAMS Birth Defects (Pg. 78) 1-877-662-4567 Washington Regional Her Health (Pg. 49) (479) 463-5500