February 2015 by Peekaboo

Peekaboo

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Annual Birthday Guide Northwest Arkansasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Family Magazine

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2005 Promenade Blvd. Ste 140, Rogers (479) 636-TCBY (8229) Jessica Ritchie Photography

A Free K-8 Public Charter School

Opening August, 2015 in Downtown Springdale

First Year Capacity: 120 seats Lottery Application Deadline: April 10, 2015, midnight Lottery Event: April 23, 2015, 6:00 p.m. • • • • • • • • •

American Montessori Society Member School Open to any Arkansas child entering grades K-6 Child-centered philosophy Hands-on, one-on-one instructional model Mixed-age classes Foreign language instruction Practical living skills including gardening & food preparation STEAM projects (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) Social skills development

Public Information Meeting:

January 13, 7:00 p.m. at the Jones Center Chapel 922 E. Emma Ave., Springdale

www.ozarkcca.org Or, contact for an appointment: phone: (479) 935-9992 | email: ozarkcca@gmail.com

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.

Peekaboo nwa W h at ’ s I n s i d e | F E B RUA R Y | 2 0 1 5 16

God’s Will by: David & Sara Leiffer

Rituals of Life by: Eva Lebens

Maizy’s Birth Story by: Jody Sayer

Top 9 Reasons to Date Your Spouse This Year by: Lela Davidson

Dad’s View with Ben Lacy

Ready Or Not...Here She Comes! by:Samantha Hines

Help Your Child Build a Strong Foundation in Reading

February Events

Ryder’s Story by: Casey Casteel Roark

A Story From the Heart by: Kim Lowe

Peekaboo’s Annual Birthday Party Guide

Reader’s Pages

ADHD by: Dr. Thomas Terry Lawson

I Have Cancer by: Danielle Hoeme

In the News

2015 Heart Association Survivor Story: Ashley Goett

The Dalai Mama by: Kristin Huizda

Meet Aizen by: Sami Cannon

o n t h e c ov e r Solara (4) and Skye (3), daughters of Dorn and Dominique Wenninger in Bentonville Photo by: Kim Ginn of Sweet Portrayal Photography

www.sweetportrayalphotography.com

10 February 2015

Cover Photo Location: Little Giggles Indoor Creative Play in Bentonville

2 CONV ENIENT LOCAT IONS To Schedule Your Appointment Call: ROGERS: (479) 631-6377 SPRINGDALE: (479) 756-6377

from the editor

ast week was definitely one of “those” weeks. The kind of week that makes everything feel fragile, with days that make you question if even the most factual of facts is even true. During these times, nothing really terrible has happened. From the outside, no one can tell the difference, but the truth is, there is something awry. Your brain runs at half-capacity, and your heart is much more emotionally charged. For instance, when you read about an accident on Facebook or see it on the local news, you immediately feel like everyone you love is in danger. It’s like the veil of positivity gets a tear and all the fears of the unknown come flooding into your mind. The worst part of last week was when my usual openness slammed shut, and the happy bubble I like to keep my kids in became a guarded fortress. During these times, an odd look from a stranger, family, or friend feels judgmental, condescending, and disapproving. Every email, call, or face-to-face interaction feels like work you just want to avoid at any cost. Things that seem fairly routine on a normal day come with questions of inadequacy and fears of failing miserably. Then I remembered something I read--a statement about the purpose of life according to the Dalai Lama. The purpose of life is to be happy. Now, is that the only purpose of life? I don’t believe so, but it did strike a chord. Stress, and fear, and heartache are a part of life, no matter how high we build our walls or how careful we are. What we do have control over is how we react to these days when everything seems so much more difficult. There are clearly different degrees of this feeling. It is much easier to recover from a broken dryer belt when you have 500 loads of laundry to do than it is to recover from a lost loved one, but moving forward toward finding happiness should always be the goal. The reason I bring any of this up is that I want us all to remember that, chances are, people around us are having these types of days and weeks all the time. So, if someone doesn’t wave, say “Hi” in just the right way, or acts “off,” we shouldn’t be quick to get offended or take it personally. Instead, we should offer an extra dose of kindness, because that might be exactly what they need. If someone doesn’t call you right back, cancels on you, or doesn’t

14 February 2015

photo credit: Created For You Photography

return a text message, instead of writing them off as being a bad friend, we should instead resolve to try and be an even better friend. I ended the week making the decision to count my blessings instead of clinging to my “woes” (and, trust me, clinging to woes is much easier!) Did everything that made me feel fragile disappear with this realization? No. If it were that easy, then this letter wouldn’t be relevant because it would be such an easy fix. I decided to focus my energy on something much more positive, something “happy.” One of my favorite things is a party--especially the birthday kind. On the 12th of this month, we will celebrate a special birthday--our little Grant turns 2! It really is unbelievable, and the often overused but very relevant phrase, “time flies” definitely applies to this big day. February also marks Peekaboo’s own 7th birthday, and the start of our 8th year in print. To celebrate, we’d like to give back to all of our amazing readers who have helped make Peekaboo their own. By dedicating this issue to birthday party hot spots across the area, our goal is to make sure each child in Northwest Arkansas knows about all the great opportunities available to help celebrate their big day. Every child deserves a special day all their own to celebrate the unique and wonderful person they are! We wish a very happy birthday to everyone. May 2015 be your best one yet.

God’s Will

By David & Sara Leiffer

hey started out funny. Then the tics seemed just a little unusual. Later, they became downright frightening. The occasional odd head turn or shoulder shrug didn’t concern our pediatrician, though, and, besides, all children develop at different rates. Babies always move their limbs in weird ways and take a while to learn to control them, right? Our second son, Will Leiffer, had always been happy and healthy. A great eater and a champion sleeper, he didn’t give us much on which to base our concerns. He was growing, but not reaching developmental milestones. We certainly never imagined that a year later we would be taking him to the Rare Brain Disorders Clinic in Dallas. The week of his first birthday, our little guy started therapy. At the time, we only knew he had global developmental delays. At random times, Will began to flop his arms or twitch his head in ways that looked more and more like seizures to us. Then, one day at the dinner table, Will’s eyes began to move to the left and they kept going… and going… way too far. Finally his head followed. “Did you see that?” we asked each other. It only lasted a moment, but suddenly, we were alarmed. The first pediatric neurologist we saw essentially informed us that something was abnormal. He continued with the disheartening words, “In 50% of cases like this, we won’t ever know what is going on.” That news did not sit well with us. We were determined to do anything we could to help our little Will. The next few months were filled with doctor visits, EEGs, brain MRIs, hours of weekly therapy visits, and the

16 February 2015

start of anti-seizure medication. Each appointment and test brought up new emotions and worries. We celebrated when results came back normal, grieved the abnormal, and began to realize that many of our medical questions had no answers. Our family has a strong faith in our Creator. Throughout this journey we prayed for our son, as did our friends and family--even people we never met. We prayed for healing. We prayed for wisdom. We prayed for doctors, and we prayed to be included in God’s plan for Will - whatever that might look like. After a few months of medication, Will maxed out the dosage of his anti-seizure drug, with no change in his symptoms. We decided we should further explore the seizure diagnosis, and in January we checked Will into the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. Doctors observed Will through video EEG for five days. Dozens of electrodes on his scalp and several video cameras captured his movements and synced them to his brain function. We pressed a buzzer when we saw anything unusual so that medical staff could analyze the EEG and video at exactly those moments. A neurologist noted abnormal brain activity, but did not classify anything he saw as a seizure. However, he shared that one particular episode reminded him of something he had seen in a patient with a rare brain disorder called Glucose Transporter Type 1 Deficiency Syndrome (also referred to as G1D, GLUT1, or De Vivo Disease). That night, we sat in Will’s hospital room and read everything we could find on the internet about G1D. Common G1D symptoms like low energy, movement issues, muscle stiffness, and various types of seizure-like activity stood out. Every symptom we read about matched exactly what we saw in Will. We learned that the brain’s amazing design includes a security system called the blood brain barrier. Individuals with Glut1 Deficiency struggle to effectively use glucose for fuel because they lack enough of the GLUT1 transporter that carries glucose across the blood brain barrier and into brain cells for energy. The next morning, Will had a lumbar puncture performed in order to check glucose levels in his spinal fluid. The test came back exactly dead-on… borderline. Since the gene that codes for GLUT1 production has been identified, we were told that genetic testing could positively identify this condition. We waited several weeks for the result. While waiting, we learned everything we could about the only known treatment for G1D, the Ketogenic Diet. This strict medical diet requires a specific ratio of high fat with low protein and carbohydrates to keep the body in a state of ketosis. Since ketones can enter the brain without GLUT1 transporters, this becomes

an alternative energy source for the brain. We had so much hope as we read stories of G1D children starting the diet and the positive changes and development that occurred once their brains started to get fuel for the first time. This was what Will needed! The doctor finally phoned with the genetic test results… negative. To say we were crushed is an understatement. G1D made perfect sense for Will, treatment was available, and now we were starting over with nothing. We grieved this news deeply. Only a few hundred cases have been diagnosed worldwide, but experts believe G1D is much more widespread.

We yearn to hear his voice and have him join us praising his Creator with his own mouth. If God’s plan doesn’t involve this, do we still want to be part of it? Absolutely! But that’s not going to stop us praying from the heart for our true desires.

Photo by: Amy Holland Photography

During our research we learned that many cases are misdiagnosed or overlooked and that the clinical criteria for diagnosing G1D are changing. Also, 10% (and greatly rising) of those affected do not have a positive genetic test for G1D. With this knowledge we just couldn’t let this diagnosis go. Our research revealed three G1D experts. The one

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closest to us was Dr. Juan Pascual at the Rare Brain Disorder Clinic in Dallas, TX. Because he works primarily as a researcher and only sees patients twice a month, there was quite a wait to get in to see him. We could feel the clock ticking. If Will had G1D, we were losing precious time as his brain missed out on energy during this important time for development. Certain periods of development exist for children that doctors say you can’t get back once missed. Dr. Pascual suspected that Will had G1D, but wanted to repeat the genetic test in his own lab, as the test can be prone to false negatives. We traveled home to wait, once again, for the results. We continued to pray for healing, results, answers, anything. We could hear the clock ticking even as we prayed to understand God’s plan and to be part of it. The second genetic test also came back negative, so on May 30, 2013, we returned to Dallas for our precious 2-year-old to have a glucose-infused PET scan. The PET scan showed glucose was not reaching the parts of Will’s brain that rely on GLUT1 transporters. As we sat with Will in recovery, Dr. Pascual came in to deliver the news. It was clear to him that Will had G1D. We hugged him and wept. There we had it, a diagnosis! We could finally move forward. Now the clock ticked louder and faster. With urgency, we concentrated on starting the Ketogenic Diet so that Will’s brain could finally get the energy it had been lacking. Again and again we heard that he would do great and his development should take off. Finding a local doctor and dietitian with knowledge and experience willing to work with us, however, proved impossible. The Ketogenic Diet usually begins in a hospital setting under close supervision of medical staff, but we began the diet at home with the help of a remote dietitian. As parents, you try to feed and teach your children healthy eating habits, yet we gave our son high fat foods like butter, heavy whipping cream, oil, and nuts. We faced the challenge to create meals that were appealing, all within the precisely measured ratio specific for Will. We had to keep Will’s body in ketosis by feeding him fats and oils while making sure he had the vitamins and nutrients needed for growth and avoided complications from eating such a diet. Once Will’s body entered a state of ketosis (which normally happens only during starvation), his brain was flooded with ketones and we immediately saw his little body relax. The seizure-like movements decreased and his energy increased. We spent the next several months perfecting the diet and seeking a doctor/dietitian team familiar

God’s Will

with the disease. We ended up with a team at Cook Children’s in Fort Worth, TX. Will stayed on the Ketogenic Diet for almost a year. Then, the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial became available. Since we had yet to see any developmental milestones met, we decided to give it a try. In March of 2014, we switched Will over to a drug replacing the diet and once again expected him to take off developmentally. In the months that followed, we wondered from time to time if we were missing something. Will was moving in the right direction, but still hadn’t reached any major milestones. He had not yet shown any interest in crawling, nor had he verbalized much. We had committed to do everything we could for our son, but saw little progress. We were at a loss. An amazing thing happens when you grasp that things are beyond your control. When you’ve done everything you can do and throw your hands up in surrender, a sensation of freedom follows. You realize that the only thing you can control is your attitude and focus. We chose to focus on the joy Will brings to our family. We chose to be thankful for things like his amazing smile. His contagious grin will melt any heart. We had so much love for this fabulous boy with the huge smile, but we wanted more for him. Having surrendered control, we still had to do our part. We knew we couldn’t compare Will’s G1D experience and development with that of other kids, but also felt

he should be progressing more, since he had been on treatment for well over a year. In the back of our minds, we often wondered about a possible visit with the neurologist who discovered G1D in 1991, Dr. Darryl De Vivo. Perhaps if we traveled to Columbia University to see him, we would return home with more definitive answers. Friends, family, and our church family at Grace Harbor in Rogers raised thousands of dollars to support us in this endeavor. Experiencing their generosity overwhelmed us, as we began to realize how many people love Will. In November, our family traveled to New York City to meet Dr. De Vivo and his team of G1D researchers. During our appointment, Dr. De Vivo openly shared with us that he was learning from us as Will’s parents. With such a rare disease, many questions lack answers, and we appreciated his desire to learn from those dealing with it daily. At Columbia University, we met with a geneticist and other members of Dr. De Vivo’s team who are very close to a gene therapy cure for G1D. This process involves introducing a modified virus into the body. The modified virus carries a heathy gene for the production of GLUT1. Dr. De Vivo’s team has already been successful in curing the condition in mice. The next step involves a primate study and eventually human clinical trials, but it carries a price tag of over $3 million. Dr. De Vivo informed us that grants have become more difficult to obtain and this promising research has been halted due to a lack of funding. Funding for rare disease research remains hard to come by due to the small number of affected individuals.

that’s not going to stop us praying from the heart for our true desires. Even Jesus prayed earnestly for the cup to pass before closing with “Even so, not my will, but Thine.” We are currently waiting for more test results to come back. We don’t know what Will’s story will look like in the coming months and years, but we do know that he brings us incredible joy. We know that he has the perfect big brother. Eight-year- old Ryan has a giant, soft heart and a thoughtfulness that we should all envy. There is no one as compassionate as our oldest son. We also know that God prepared a specific plan and purpose for Will’s life, and as his parents, we get to be a part of that. Much of the time it seems difficult, draining, and confusing, but when we choose to focus on the positive, life becomes so much more amazing! We may not know God’s plan, but His Will sure makes us smile. For more info on G1D visit:

www.g1dfoundation.org To donate to the Love Some1 with Glut1 campaign visit: https://g1dfnd.ejoinme.org/Leiffer

We spent 4.5 hours with Dr. De Vivo’s amazing team and walked away with a plan for further testing and also a strong desire to raise money to continue his research into a gene therapy cure for G1D. Most fundraising for G1D occurs during the month of February through the Glut1 Foundation. Starting on February 14th and running until Rare Disease Day on February 28th, the foundation will have their annual Love Some1 with Glut1 Fundraiser. The foundation uses these funds to educate, promote awareness of G1D, and fund research. The link below will lead you to our personal fundraising page, and we would love for you to join our efforts by making a contribution to this foundation. February is a big month for the Glut1 Foundation. We still pray for healing. We long for Will to run and play and break things. We want him to go into his brother’s room and get into trouble. We yearn to hear his voice and have him join us praising his Creator with his own mouth. If God’s plan doesn’t involve this, do we still want to be part of it? Absolutely! But

www.peekaboonwa.com

Rituals of Life: Adventure and routines go hand in hand by : Eva Lebens

Each month, Eva invites you to meet a NWA family and learn about their unique rituals and routines. This month, Dominique Wenninger, owner of Little Giggles in Bentonville, shares her story with you. Dominique is married to Dorn and they have two daughters, Solara and Skye.

Family I remember my brother and I having tea and cookies with my parents in their bed, a tradition they they still celebrate every morning. The girls can’t wait to join them when they’re staying over at our place. I also remember having dinner together, as my mum used to cook. I helped set the table, and I prepared the salad. She always used fresh ingredients. Spaghetti bolognese and roast chicken were amongst my favorite dishes. Secretly, I also really liked the chicken pie she sometimes bought from the store.

Fresh ingredients Eating together has become an important aspect of our family life. I prefer cooking with fresh ingredients, just like my mum. I try to prepare meals for two days at once, and we eat lots of black beans. We have dinner at 5:45PM, and the kids eat quite well as long as I prepare the food how they like it: small carrots, green beans cooked in chicken gravy, and those black beans. Dorn and I have a glass of wine and we unwind, tell stories and laugh together... Unless we have two overly tired little girls!

Evening After dinner, we always bathe the girls. They take turns choosing a fizzy bath tablet to color the water. After bathing, Skye takes off, often without clothes. She hides under the covers of all of our beds and we have to catch her. That silliness is a ritual in itself. When we finally catch

her, we all read a book together. The girls kiss each other goodnight - and kissing becomes wrestling. Then we split up to read more books. Lately, Solara then wants me to tell her a story too. We switch off the light and I often tell her a story about Solara and Skye while rubbing her back. I suddenly remember that my mum used to do that as well!

Structure I’m drawn to structure, but I’m flexible as well. Would I cancel Crossfit to do something else? No, I wouldn’t skip the gym just like that (laughs). I guess I’m very attached to my routines. I do believe that it provides space to accomplish things in life. I make a lot of lists that I email myself. Every night before I go to bed I make a ‘to do’ list for the next day. It clears my head and relieves my stress. Routines are good for the kids as well; things go smoother when they know what’s coming.

Adventure and Routines Dorn and I like to discover new restaurants; we share a love for good food. We also love to travel and often stay with friends or in hotels. On the other hand, we do abide by structure. Maybe it goes hand in hand. Because of the routines, the kids are comfortable wherever we go. It’s like bringing the warmth and coziness of home with us wherever we go. Structure provides us the freedom to discover things, to actually be adventurous and explore the rest of the world.

Learning begins with play.

February classes:

Little Giggles is an indoor playground providing a safe environment fostering educative, creative play for young children.

Enrichment Mondays 10:30am Free with admission

Music with Miss Megan!

Babies are FREE! (0-8 months)

Fridays 10:30am

Party Packages Available! (call for details)

Crafty Cottage

Free with admission

Tuesdays

10:30am & 12:30pm $8

per child

Stay and play at a discounted rate!

Come play with us!

Monday - Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm Saturday and Sunday Open Play Hours vary. Please call ahead to see what our open play times are!

3301 South Walton Boulevard â&#x20AC;˘ Bentonville â&#x20AC;˘ 479-268-4949

www.littlegigglesplay.com

Maizy’s Birth Story by: Jody Sayer

Friday, June 20th, 2014. Five entire days over my estimated due date. It’s hot. I’m hot. I’m huge. I. Am. Miserable. I had been having what I thought were Braxton Hicks contractions on and off. I had also been dilated to a 4-4 ½ diameter for a few days and nothing was happening. I called my midwife and told her I was ready for some intervention and I wanted my membranes swept. Anything, ANYTHING to get this labor started! I made an appointment for 2:00PM, later that afternoon. I arrived at the Birth Center a few minutes early. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was wearing a long blue-and-white striped skirt with a blue top and black flip-flops. My hair was pulled back in a pony tail and I wasn’t wearing any makeup, as I had officially reached the “I really don’t care” stage of pregnancy. My precious midwife took me back to the exam room, asked how I was feeling, and if she could feel my tummy. I laid back while she placed her hands on my stomach. “I don’t want to push down while you’re having a contraction,” she said. “Oh, okay,” I said. “I’ve been having them all day. Just Braxton Hicks, I think.” They kept coming, and her eyes opened a little wider. “Are you in labor??” “Ha! I wish!” I said. She swept my membranes and then left me to get myself put back together. I walked out of the exam room and met her at the front desk. I had two more contractions. “There’s another,” I said. A few minutes went by while we visited. “And another...”

22 February 2015

“Are you sure you aren’t in labor?” She asked. “I’m fine. I’m not in any pain. Just Braxton Hicks,” I responded. I told her how badly I wanted to be done being pregnant. I was ready to hold my sweet baby in my arms. She suggested I make an appointment to have my hips adjusted to help get the baby in position. As soon as I got into the car, I called my chiropractor. He had a 4:20PM appointment, which I took, and went home to tell my husband I was having more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions and I was heading to the chiropractor soon. I tossed some laundry in, got a few things done around the house, and headed to my appointment. As soon as I got into the car, what I had previously thought were Braxton Hicks contractions began to come more intensely. A little sharp, a little painful, but nothing I couldn’t manage. All the way to my appointment they kept coming. I counted four as I drove and three while I waited to be called back for my appointment. I didn’t end up having my hips adjusted, instead going the acupuncture route. I left my chiropractor appointment shortly after 5:00PM and had 2 more contractions on my drive home. I laid on the bed and downloaded a timer to my phone to start timing contractions. My husband

had been outside with the kids, who were swimming in our pool. He came in, and I showed him my timer. “What is this?” he asked. “It’s a contraction timer,” I said, and his eyes got big. “THEY’RE 4 MINUTES APART! Shouldn’t we be leaving?!” he burst. “No, I’m fine,” I reassured him. “I can walk. I can talk. If this was real labor, I don’t think

Here we were. I’m naked and covered in glorious baby mess. Hubs is sitting on the floor of our closet with the baby still attached to me in his arms. Our master closet. The exact spot the baby was made in.

I would be up walking to the kitchen right now to get a drink.” I continued to time the contractions. With some persuasion from my husband, I decided to take a screen shot of my contraction timer and send it to my midwife. She called immediately. We talked for a few minutes and she told me to try taking a warm bath. I was only in the tub for a few minutes when the contractions became very intense and started coming one after the other. This was it, I told myself. This was real. I called my midwife again and we decided it was best if I came in. I started to drain the water from the bathtub and got out. I grabbed a towel, dried off, and ended up at the sink. Another contraction. This time very intense and painful. I swayed back and forth and screamed for my husband to come inside. By the time he came in, I had made it into our closet. I was hoping to grab something to wear, but I ended up on my hands and knees and couldn’t get back up. “What?! What is it?” He asked. “I can’t move,” I muttered.

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It was quiet. Weirdly quiet. “Is she okay?” I said. “Yes. She’s fine. I swabbed her mouth and spanked her bottom. I saw that on TV!” my husband joked. I laughed, relieved to the point of delirium. Here we were! I’m naked and covered in glorious baby mess. Hubs is sitting on the floor of our closet with the baby still attached to me in his arms. Our master closet. The exact spot the baby was made in. Full circle, right?! (Come on. We have three kids already... you learn to get creative!) “What do we do now?” I asked.

Maizy’s Birth Story He kept asking if I wanted help to get up and get dressed so we could go. “You don’t understand, I can’t move!” He rushed outside and yelled at our kids to get OUT of the pool NOW! He helped them quickly dry off, sent them to their rooms, and then rushed back to the bathroom. He asked where my phone was and dialed the last number I had called--our midwife. While on the phone with her, I knew the baby was coming and it was time to push. Here we were. At home. In our bathroom closet, about to have the baby. “SHE’S COMING!!!” I screamed. The midwife instructed him to dial 9-1-1. He threw the phone down and came into the closet. I had already pushed her head out and reached my hand down to feel.“What is that?!” I said. “Is that her head?!!” “Yes,” he said. He was so calm.“You need to push again.” I did. And out she flew!

He asked if I could turn around and take the baby. I carefully turned myself around, cord and baby still attached. He handed her to me and grabbed the first thing he could so we could wrap her up. My bathrobe. My white bathrobe. Completely oblivious, I snuggled her to my chest and covered her with my robe. Sweet, sweet baby face. I kissed her all over and couldn’t believe what had just happened and how awesome it was! She was here. We did it. We just had a baby in our closet, the exact spot she was made, and she was caught by her daddy.

My husband called 9-1-1, finally. Within minutes, I had four EMT’s standing over me in my closet. I just wanted to get up and get dressed. They wanted to take my vitals. I just kept saying, “I’m fine. I’m okay, really. I just want to get up and put on some clothes.” Talk about a seriously awkward moment. One of them bent down next to me and kept asking how I was. I repeated, my face completely red, “I’m fine. Really. I’m okay!” He had a giant smile on his face. “Wow. You’re a rockstar! Your vitals are awesome and you just had a baby, at home, in your closet. Wow. And you want to get dressed, too! I’ve only done this maybe 3 or 4 times. This is awesome. You’re a rockstar!” He had a big grin plastered all over his face. I think I gave him his own high! I stood up and looked around my closet to grab something to put on and wear. The EMT’s had agreed to transfer us to the Birth Center to make sure the baby and I were all right. I looked around and couldn’t find the gown I had planned to wear. Then, I turned and looked down on the closet floor. There it was, sitting in a pile of goo, blood, and birth mess. Lovely. Just lovely.

“Well, I was planning to wear that,” I said, as I pointed down and laughed. The EMT’s handed me a large sheet and I wrapped it around myself several times. They had wheeled a stretcher into the bathroom and put me on it. I was pushed through the bathroom, our bedroom, and out the front door. They loaded me into the ambulance and and my husband followed behind in our vehicle. We arrived at the Birth Center, where we were greeted by my precious midwife and her nurse. I was still on such a high and in disbelief over what had just happened. Our stay at the Birth Center was only 4 hours. Our newest squish was doing well, after all, and this wasn’t my first rodeo. I was ready to go home and settle in to our new normal. My midwife had told us to be prepared for a horrid smell in our closet. My parents had done their best to clean the area while we were gone. But, the next morning, there was definitely a funky smell coming from our closet. My husband told me he needed to go to the store for a few things. When he came back home, I asked him what he had purchased.

“I got bleach, box cutters, giant trash bags, and rubber gloves!” I laughed and wondered how suspicious he must have looked when checking out. It would have been even better had he worn the blood covered shirt he had on when he caught the baby. It’s been just over six months, and the carpet we cut out of our closet has still not been replaced. We cut out the portion where the baby was born, but I’m such a sentimental sap I just can’t bring myself to have it replaced yet. I walk in every morning to get dressed and remember what happened on that spot like it was yesterday. Every day. Our house is also for sale. I think we should update the listing to include: a fully functional birthing closet.

Top Nine Reasons to

D a t e YZu r S pous e T h i s Y e a r

by Lela Davidson

could spend all week coming up with valid reasons not to spend precious time engaged in some artificially romantic date night, but the truth, is we need them. Here are the top nine reasons why:

Dating is cheaper than couples counseling—not to mention divorce.

Every relationship requires maintenance. Seeing a movie or taking a walk with your spouse is much less expensive (and more fun) than twice-weekly sessions on an outdated sofa in a counselor’s office. Not to mention, date night costs a fraction of what you’d spend from your side of a well-apportioned attorney’s desk. Think of these expenditures as an investment not only in your happiness but in your long-term financial health as well.

Your spouse is hotter than you think.

We all get tired of looking at our partners. No matter how much they set us a-flutter in the beginning, the sparkle wears off. Sometimes (admit it) you check out other people’s spouses and think, “Dang! That’s a hot one!” Rest assured that while you are mid-melt, someone else is checking out your own partner. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, just human nature. Date night—especially if you both take the time to shave in the right spots—can remind you what you saw in this person in the first place—because for most people, it had at least a little to do with a hotness factor.

Date night is a guilt-free way to get away from your kids.

Do you enjoy spending every minute with your kids? Again, you don’t have to raise your hand in public, but be honest. The extreme urge to get very far away from the creatures you birthed is natural. We all need adult time. Unfortunately, the guilt that comes along with that

desire is common. Date nights are the exception, because you know that taking care of your relationship is one of the single most important things you can do for your children’s overall well-being. You know that, right?

You used to be really into each other.

There is no Bravo vs. Discovery Channel on a date.

Shoes, shoes, shoes.

Between the diapers, the [oops!] late electric bill, and that odd smell in the hallway, romance can get away from you—quick. Sometimes sitting on the couch (after having just spent twenty minutes vying for the remote), you wonder how you ended up with this person. Getting away from everything together helps you focus on each other—on what attracted you to one another in the first place (besides the, um, heat). You may be surprised to find you’re still kind of into each other—at least until you need to get home to unclog the drain.

We all get selfish. When the routine at home gets stressful, we seek comforts, from eating the foods we like to watching what we want on TV. All of these petty preferences divide us. The great thing about date night is it has an agenda. Even if you’re only going to a coffee shop to share a triple-choco-latte, you’re there to be together. That’s the only objective. It’s not about what you want or what your partner wants; time has been set aside to spend together as a unit.

When you have young kids you can start to feel frumpy , and fast. If you don’t have a date night, what excuse have you got to dress up? Some of us end up covered in spit-up most days. Even if you dress in “real clothes” for work every day, you still need the glamour

Z 1

date night provides. Couples need to see each other at top form once in a while (see above)--and it’s fun. Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to look cute--but, if you’ve got a little extra, I’d spend it on shoes.

The kids love eating mac-n-cheese out of a box.

Your kids will enjoy seeing their parents go out and do something fun. They might not admit it, and they may even try to pour on a little guilt, but it can only do them good to see Mom and Dad make each other a priority. You’ll be setting a good example, and they really do like that junky food we fix on our way out to something better. (Oh, STOP feeling guilty. It’s not every night!)

It may be the only night of the month you actually do your hair.

Seriously, hair can take a long time! The point here is not that you’re not already bathing on a regular basis, but that everyone needs special things to look forward to. Sometimes our regular workday and take-care-ofthe-kids lives don’t offer many opportunities to shine. Maybe you aren’t working your dream job or slicing your carrots on granite countertops, but you can make date night a bright spot on your calendar.

Date night is a good time to reminisce.

In the early years of a relationship, friends are always asking how you met. This inevitably leads to sweet, funny, or mushy stories of eyes locking and hands trembling and blah-blah-blah-blah. But it’s fun, and reminds you why you (see above) a) found each other hot and b) used to be quite into each other. So live a little--in the past. You don’t want to rely on memories for all your contentment because that would mean you’re not busy making new ones, and reminiscing about any good times together (not just at the beginning) is good for your future. A scheduled date night is not the end-all-be-all solution to every relationship problem, but it’s one little thing you can do. It’s not the grand gestures that define a relationship; it’s the little things, added up over time, that fortify. Lela Davidson is the author of Blacklisted from the PTA, and Who Peed on My Yoga Mat? She has been dating her husband for a very long time. Her thoughts on marriage, motherhood, and life-after-40 have appeared in hundreds of magazines, websites, and anthologies.

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“Way” back in the 90’s, there was a time, post-Nirvana and pre-Britney, where all was right with the world. A young man had convinced (coerced) a young maiden into accepting a circular piece of metal and asked for her hand, and of course, the rest of her, in marriage. Ah, the engaging time of engagement. No more scrimmaging, no more practice, it was on. Game time. Part of our pre-marriage process was to meet with the pastor. I was not the most loyal of church attenders, a fact that the gentleman marrying us knew, so there would be much questioning and discussion on the stability or instability of our relationship. This included a “compatibility test” where we separately answered questions about life, hopes, dreams, kids, etc. then shared our responses; out loud. One particular test in my mind:

question sticks out

“Does your fiancé have any habits or idiosyncrasies that annoy you?” A. No B. 1 or 2 C. 3 -5 D. More than 10 Like I said, my pew performance was not on par, and I thought it would be super bad mojo to lie in a church, to a pastor, in front of my fiancé, so I went with the truth. My response: “Alex, what is D, more than 10”. Well, that triggered a mighty minister meltdown. He was completely baffled at why anyone would marry someone they clearly thought was annoying as Flo (guys, I’m seriously done with all of the Progressive Commercials). After he calmed down a bit and put down the stake and mallet, I explained my concern with fibbing in this environment and that, while everyone annoys me, this chick annoys me least. Just kidding. But we did talk about how couples have to grow together and learn

28 February 2015

to work with and sometimes around their differences. In the end, he signed the marriage certificate, shook my hand and promised not to pray for my eternal damnation. My point was, and is, that since there are no perfect people, putting two imperfect individuals together is probably going to lead to a few differences, discussions and even a few dents. Kind of like my friend Crash said to me (it’s a nickname; and an appropriate one) when I told him I was having trouble with my new dog and was considering getting another dog to keep it company. “So, you’re having trouble with one dog and your solution is to get another?” So, if there aren’t any perfect people there can’t be any perfect pairs; and there probably aren’t any perfect pears either. Sorry to ruin the ending for those of you holding this magazine with a big ol’ supply-regulated rock on your left hand (Yes, I’m not a big fan of jewelry; I’m in the business… and I know things…) But, do not fret, do not freak, do not flee, becaause, as Bob Marley said “Every little thing’s gonna be all right.” You will make it, you will love it, you will be loved! Don’t read the marriage statistics. I work with numbers for a living, and by work I mean “work” or “massage” or “manipulate.” Numbers can be a bit fuzzy or fluid or funky. But seriously, back to our discussion on being a superbly awesome and flawless couple... That doesn’t exist. Kind of like a dependable manufactures warranty or an iPhone with long battery life. Looks great on paper; not so great on process. What does exist is effort, understanding, acceptance, togetherness and of course, love. You owe it to your kids to not only love them, but each other. If you can teach them trigonometry, Latin or how to hit a 350yard drive, then more power to you. But, more and most importantly, teach them love. Lou Holtz, a good Christian man and former Razorback coach who knows he isn’t perfect, said it best. The most important thing you can do for kids is to love their mother. Amen, brother Lou. Now please tell that pastor I’m doin’ it right.

it was the place for me. The atmosphere and the experienced, knowledgeable staff made me feel right at home. The prenatal care I received there was amazing, and the midwives made me feel so at ease and cared for during the process.

Ready or not... Here She Comes! My name is Samantha, and I am the proud mother of two beautiful, outgoing, and incredibly sweet girls. We found out we were expecting our second child the day before Easter Sunday in 2013. We were excited and, to be honest, a little shocked that we were already pregnant after only one month of trying to conceive! I had a very easy pregnancy, which, after the stories I’d heard, was a total blessing. I was able to keep working until two days before my due date, miraculously, and even went to the gym daily. I had my first daughter in a hospital and was left feeling very unfulfilled by the experience. I felt I was not supported in my desire for a natural delivery, and I longed to experience the one-on-one care of a midwife. Thus, when I got pregnant with my second child three years later, we decided to explore the options available to us outside hospital walls. We were considering home birth until I happened upon some advertisements about the Birth Center of Northwest Arkansas. After my initial consultation there, I knew

32 February 2015

I was eager to experience a water birth. A water birth was what I had always wanted for my babies, and what I had failed to experience with my first daughter because water births weren’t covered by our insurance at the time. Water relieves a lot of the discomfort of giving birth, and I’d watched a lot of YouTube videos and had done Internet research confirming that the process was truly beneficial for both the mother and child. Because my interest became sparked by all the positive press, I decided this time I was going to follow my instincts. I was due December 1, 2013, and, when the day came, my family and I were eager to “get the show on the road!” I spent the day walking steep hills at my mother-in-law’s home in Bentonville. We headed home around 5pm, after not so much as a single contraction all day. Then, after working hard all day, at 9pm, the first contraction hit. My mother was visiting from Washington State awaiting the arrival of our second daughter. I told her I was having contractions and spent the next couple of hours walking up and down the street, taking baths, and rocking on my yoga ball to try to get the process going. The contractions were five minutes apart and were pain free. I texted my doula around 11pm and informed her that I was having contractions, but I thought they were “Braxton Hicks” because they were painless. I did not want to go to the birth center for a false alarm after all, and get everyone’s hopes up that tonight was the night if it wasn’t. I decided to call it a night and get some rest at 1am, texting my doula one last time to tell her things were not progressing, so I was going to sleep. My first delivery had taken 24 hours and was incredibly long with hard back labor, so this time I really wanted to stay home as long as possible. Once I’d gone to bed, I was immediately awakened out of a dead sleep at 1:45am with two very painful, backto-back contractions. I woke up my husband, told him it was time to go, and he tried to start a pot of coffee. At that, I said, “We need to go NOW--they have coffee at the birth center!” He put our sleeping three-yearold, Cheyenne, in the car, and my mom sat in the back as my husband drove. I was in a lot of pain and felt an intense amount of pressure. We could not get to the birth center fast enough because we had a 40 minute drive ahead of us due to living in Gravette, and the birth center was all the way in Rogers. It was the foggiest night I have ever seen in my life.

We could only see three feet in front of the car. We could only safely go 35 miles per hour, which only added to my stress. I was already in so much pain and going SLOWLY to the hospital really wasn’t helping. In fact, I did not know how I was going to have a natural delivery if this was going to be the pain I would experience for the next several hours. Not five minutes after we left home, I felt my body bearing down. I tried not to push, but my body had taken over, and it was then I realized my baby was crowning! Somehow, I blurted out through unbearable pain that, “Her head is almost out!” My husband, understandably shocked and terrified, just kept driving as fast as he safely could in the thick fog while my mom phoned 911, who instructed us to pull over. Cheyenne began to cry, as she thought she was going to be left out, having to go to her grandparents’ house instead of to the birth center with us. We tried to assure her that everything was fine--Mommy was just having a baby, right now! At this point, Dani’s head was completely out, and, after one push, her shoulders were delivered. I grabbed my precious baby girl and pulled her out. She was born with her water bag intact--which, as I learned, was said to be a sign of good luck--and my mom jumped out to help. We pulled the bag from around my baby, When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. -- John 16:21

and my mom grabbed a blanket, which I wrapped our beautiful roadside baby in. I immediately started “skin to skin” and checked that she was breathing. She was. I felt such an immediate relief after Dani was born-I didn’t even have to take as much as an ibuprofen. After both of my deliveries, the Bible verse of John 16:21 came to mind, which says, “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.” This rings so true with me, for I felt immediate relief and immense love as soon as my girls were delivered, and the pain that I’d endured was no more than a fading memory. I was amazed and so in love. Our sweet Danielle Alycia was born at 2:10am in Hiwassee, Arkansas, on the side of Highway 72, in our forest green Chevy Tahoe. Turn the page ...

Ready or not... Here She Comes! The 9-1-1 dispatcher could not tell us when the ambulance would arrive, so we made the decision to keep driving--Hiwassee is still 20 minutes from town, mind you. I held my baby skin to skin and tried to nurse her. Everything turned out perfectly, but, had I known that Dani was coming right then and there, I probably would have stayed home and delivered her in the tub using the water method I’d read about. The ambulance agreed to meet us at the Taco Bell on Walton, but when we arrived, they were nowhere to be seen. I was concerned about Dani’s breathing, so my husband decided to drive us to Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville himself. A medical team met us outside and wheeled us into the hospital. They checked our sweet baby’s heartbeat as she laid on my chest. We were both healthy and safe. They weighed her in at 6 pounds, 15 ounces, and measured her at 18 inches long. The nurses complimented us on the lovely shape of her head, which was a result of the intact water bag. Our family, surprised and sleepy, met us at the hospital to meet our precious baby girl, and Lauren Drees, my midwife, showed up to the hospital to check on us and give the hospital our records. My mother had called her and she had come right over to help us out! She truly went above and beyond and is such a caring and thoughtful midwife. We spent nine hours total at the hospital and were released early to go home with the approval of the on-call pediatrician. All in all, it was a scary, beautiful, empowering delivery. I still sometimes think of all the things we could have done differently, but she was born just as God intended. My first contraction to holding my baby in my arms was only a duration of five hours. I was waiting for the pain to hit to make my way out of the house, and by the time it had, Dani was ready to make her arrival, whether we were in the car or not. In fact, her birth certificate actually reads “Place of birth: the car,” which gave me a good laugh when it came in the mail! Dani is a healthy, happy, easygoing little girl. She’s named after all the gentlemen in my husband’s family, who are traditionally named Daniel. We had planned to name her Winter Grace, but Danielle Alycia just seemed to fit her more.

Help Your Child Build A Strong Foundation in Reading

earning to read and write are among the most important skills your child will ever learn. These skills are the foundation on which all other academic achievement is built. Starting early in a child’s development, is the key to fostering a child’s love of reading and learning. Kumon Instructors urge parents to believe in their children and give them every opportunity to excel. Each child has enormous, untapped potential regardless of their background or current ability, and with a little extra support, a child can gain life skills such as confidence, perseverance and motivation. Some literacy skills, however, should be taught long before a child enters the classroom for the first time. As the child’s first teacher, it is important for parents to begin exposing them to books at a young age. From this point children should develop the following skills:

Three of the ways parents can help children establish a strong foundation for learning to read include:

Reading aloud to your child. Reading aloud is the single best way to support literacy development. It exposes children to language, teaches them about books and helps them start identifying words and their sounds.

Book Knowledge

Children should understand how to hold a book, where the story begins and ends, that words are read from left to right, that stories are read front to back and that pages are turned one at a time.

Make reading fun. Point to words, animate your voice and ask children to predict what will happen next. If your child is interested, it aids in their understanding of the story.

P r i n t A w a r e n e ss

Children should understand that the words seen in print and the words heard and said are related and that there’s a difference between pictures and words.

Be a reading role model. Set an example by letting your child see you read. Children who are exposed to active and enthusiastic readers are likely to model this behavior themselves.

P h o n e m i c A w a r e n e ss

Children need to be able to identify the separate, small sounds called phonemes that make words and to associate the sounds with the written words. For example, the word “cat” is made up of three sounds /c/, /a/, /t/. Children who have phonemic awareness can take spoken words apart sound by sound and put together sounds to make words. This skill is required for learning to read.

Today more than four million children in 48 countries and regions around the world are currently studying in Kumon.

For information or a free placement test contact the Kumon Center closest to you:

Kumon of Bentonville Anitha Yerneni 479-273-5866 kumon.com/Bentonville Kumon of Fayetteville Veronica Rueda 479-595-8765 kumon.com/Fayetteville-ar

36 February 2015

Kumon of Lowell Srividya Venkatasubramanya 479-770-0055 kumon.com/Lowell

CALENDAR

2015

February Weekly Activities: monday:

Little Gigggles Every Monday 10:30AM Enrichment Monday Class Free with admission: Ages 2+ Monthly themes and weekly subjects explored in an interactive, play-based learning environment.

tuesday: Little Giggles Every Tuesday 10:30AM and 3:45PM: “Little Artist” art class with Crafty Cottage $8 for the class, discounted entry into Little Giggles if you stay to play, $5.50 (+tax)A fun 45 minutes with 2-3 art projects completed, taught by Miss Gigi

wednesday: Preschool Art Class » Habitats Crystal Bridges 1-2:15pm Wednesdays, January 7, 14, 21 (For ages 3 to 5 with an adult.) Parents or caregivers participate with their preschoolers in gallery conversations and art-making activities each week to explore human and animal habitats in select artworks from State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now. Session includes three consecutive Wednesday classes. All materials are provided. $30 (24 for members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

thursday: Storytime Fun - Siloam Springs Public Library 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Preschool Program – Storytime with Ms. Laura

friday: Little Giggles Fridays (new!!!) Music with Ms. Megan!! 10:30am Free with admission!!! Singing, dance party and instrumental exploration!

saturday: Storytime at Barnes and Noble, Rogers and Fayetteville 11:00 AM

Library storytimes: Bentonville Public Library: bentonvillelibrary.org Fayetteville Public Library: faylib.org Springdale Public Library: springdalelibrary.org Rogers Public Library: rogerspubliclibrary.org

Special Events: Wednesday

Preschool Art Class at Crystal Bridges 1 to 2:15 pm - (For ages 3 to 5 with an adult.) Parents or caregivers participate with their preschoolers in gallery conversations and art-making activities each week to explore diverse presentations of people in works from the permanent collection. Session includes three consecutive Wednesday classes. All materials are provided. $30 (24 for Members) for 3 classes.

Friday

Kids’ Yoga Class - Fayetteville Public Library 10:30 am in the Walker Community Room Jennifer Creel of Terra Tots for Kids will introduce kids ages 2 to 8 and their parents to yoga. Please bring your own mats. No registration required. Valentine’s Party at Little Giggles Doors Open at 9:30am - all day pass includes free music class, crafts and activities. Mini photo sessions with Capture Me Photography from 9:30am to 1:30pm

Saturday

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Ms Frizzle Presents Wack Weather Springdale Public Library 2:00 PM

Sunday

Member Lounge at Family Sunday - Crystal Bridges 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Members and their families are invited to drop in the Member Lounge during Family Sunday. Members will enjoy the build-your-own hot chocolate bar and snacks in the Member Lounge. Free for Members, no registration required. Family Sunday » I Love Art - Crystal Bridges 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Get ready for Valentine’s day at our third annual I ♥ Art celebration with music, art-making and more! Sponsored by Rockline Industries. Member Lounge Members and their families are invited to drop in the Member Lounge during Family Sunday. Members will enjoy the build-your-own hot chocolate bar and snacks in the Member Lounge. Free for Members, no registration required.

Wednesday

Thursday

Preschool Playdate: Sweethearts - Crystal Bridges 11:30 am - 2:00 pm 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, and begin with a live performance in the Great Hall at 11:30 a.m. Free, no registration required.

Friday

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Tot Art with Leilani Law (Ages 4 and 5) - Fayetteville Public Library 10:30am - Register online at www.faylib.org Expose your little one to inspirational artworks with artist, Leilani Law. Your child will learn about

various cultures and beliefs while expressing their artistic side using a variety of tactile materials and methods. Parents are required to stay in the class! Family Workshop » “You Can Fly” Songwriting Workshop Crystal Bridges - 6:30 - 8:30 pm Bring the entire family to this collaborative songwriting workshop with a local singer-songwriter from the I’ll Fly Away Foundation. With the guidance of the musician instructor, participants will use a work from the Crystal Bridges collection as inspiration for writing a song together. $10 (free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. NWA Home & Tech Show February 13, 2015 - February 15, 2015 http://nwahomeshow.com/ NWA Home Builders Association and Waco Title present the 25th Annual Home & Tech Show. Come see the industries newest technology and trends for remodeling and building the home of your dreams. Find the Gnome to win prizes, bring the kids to Lowe’s Build and Grow, vote and visit one of our in house demonstrations. February 13, 14 and 15 at the Springdale Convention Center. Legally Blonde- Rogers Little Theater, Rogers 8pm -www.rogerslittletheater.org

Saturday

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Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Arkansas 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM www.specialolympicsarkansas.org Come out and be a part of the 16th annual Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Arkansas. Funds raised at this annual event help the over 850 athletes with intellectual disabilities in Northwest Arkansas train and compete in a variety of Olympics type sports, completely free of charge. www.specialolympicsarkansas.org Legally Blonde- Rogers Little Theater, Rogers 8pm -www.rogerslittletheater.org

Sunday

NWA Home & Tech Show February 13, 2015 - February 15, 2015 http://nwahomeshow.com/ NWA Home Builders Association and Waco Title present the 25th Annual Home & Tech Show. Come see the industries newest technology and trends for remodeling and building the home of your dreams. Find the Gnome to win prizes, bring the kids to Lowe’s Build and Grow, vote and visit one of our in house demonstrations. February 13, 14 and 15 at the Springdale Convention Center.

Monday

Summer Camp Registration Opens - Girl Scout Camp girlscoutdiamonds.org

Wednesday

includes three consecutive classes. $30 (24 for Members) for 3 classes. Open House at New Mustard Seed Children’s Academy 5:30-7:30 / 1400 E. Central Avenue, Bentonville www.mustardseedacademynwa.com

Thursday

La Leche League “South Meetings” 10:00AM - St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 224 N. East Ave in Fayetteville. Open House at New Mustard Seed Children’s Academy 5:30-7:30 / 1400 E. Central Avenue, Bentonville www.mustardseedacademynwa.com

Friday

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Saturday

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La Leche League “South Meetings” 11:00AM - St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 224 N. East Ave in Fayetteville. Princess for a Day Event Pagnozzi Charities - St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Fayetteville www.pagnozzicharities.org

Thursday

La Leche League - “North Meetings” 11:00AM -First United Methodist Church at 307 W Elm St. in Rogers.

Friday

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Art Experience benefitting Walnut Farm Montessori School 7-11pm - 1920s theme fun night out Avondale, Bentonville, AR

Saturday

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Rogers Historical Museum A Victorian Wedding theme tour of the Hawkins House begins Pitch Perfect Sing A Long Walton Arts Center 8pm La Leche League - “North Meetings” 2pm -First United Methodist Church at 307 W Elm St. in Rogers. Wig Out to Defeat Ovarian Cancer 7-10pm ; The Chancellor Hotel, Fayetteville www.giving.uams.edu/wigout

Ryder’s Story

n January of 2014, my twin 4-year-old sons, Rowe and Ryder, began to suffer severe coughing fits. I took them in to see their pediatrician, Dr. Susan Averitt, who asked us to make a follow-up appointment, as the initial findings were inconclusive. When we went back in, the team wanted to take the boys’ blood pressure. We were a bit surprised, as this was something relatively new to us but was something Dr. Averitt had just started doing with her patients. Rowe went first and then Ryder. Following their measurements, the nurse began to look a little concerned. I myself checked out the numbers, which were admittedly high, but not especially alarming to me. The nurse said, still with a crease of worry, “I bet Ryder was just moving around a little too much--we will take his pressure again at the end of your visit.” Dr. Averitt checked him after the nurse did and again remarked on Ryder’s high blood pressure. She asked us to bring him back in next week to follow up and see if his blood pressure remained the same. Honestly, I was just relieved my twins did not have the flu or pneumonia, so the blood pressure thing didn’t really cross my mind as a priority. The next week we had especially bad weather with lots of snow, so our appointment was canceled. The next week, however, I got a call from Dr. Averitt herself, saying “Please, could you bring Ryder in this week? I just want to confirm all is well with his blood pressure.” It was a typical cold day in

44 February 2015

by: Casey Casteel Roark

February, and I picked the boys up from school, taking them straight to Dr. Averitt’s office. I told Ryder on the way there it was important for him to be really still when the nice folks tested him. We got there, settled in for our tests, and got the shock of our lives. My eyes almost popped out of my head at the number--it was around 178/98, and he was four years old. I knew those numbers were not normal. I suggested maybe something was wrong with the machine, and the nurse replied with the suggestion that we take the legs into account as well, so we’d see after that. The whole time I was just praying for good numbers. When she read the numbers from his legs, I was relieved, because they were really low. However, I noticed how tight the nurse’s face was, as she was not saying much, and she said she needed to call Dr. Averitt. At that, I had an uneasy feeling, but nothing would have ever prepared me for the call I was about to get. Within eight to ten minutes, Dr. Averitt was calling me, saying, “I think that, because Ryder’s pressure is so high in his arms, while being low in his legs, he could possibly have a coarctation of the aorta.” I almost passed out, not because I had any idea what that term meant, but because I knew the aorta had to do with the heart. She then explained what it was, and she said if it was not that, it had to be something with the kidneys. She told us that we were scheduled for an echocardiogram at 8:30 the next morning, in Lowell, at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital clinic. Roman was out of town for work,

and all I knew was I had to keep it together for both myself and the kids because I did not want the boys to sense anything. I told Ryder he would have to go have a test the next morning, and it would be very easy and nothing to worry about. The next day, I met my father-in-law and sister-in-law for the test. She is a pharmacist at Collier Drug and very knowledgeable in the medical field, so I knew she would be great at asking questions. The echocardiogram lasted about an hour and twenty minutes, and Ryder did a great job. The team told us at the beginning of the echocardiogram that we would get a call later in the day telling us about the results. We were surprised then, when they were finished, that they immediately said, “Wait just a moment...the cardiologist from Children’s in Little Rock is on the phone.” We knew the cardiologist was able to read the test in real time by computer while the lab technicians worked. I knew then something was definitely wrong. Within two minutes, our team walked in and told us Ryder definitely had a coarctation and a very severe one at that. Stunned, all I could say was, “Well, what is the next step for us?” They said they would have an appointment for us in Little Rock tomorrow to schedule surgery for Ryder. The technician team said it was fairly rare for a four-year-old to have this issue, so they wanted us to wait to get more information on his particular condition from the doctors at ACH in Little Rock. On February 14, 2014, Ryder, instead of going to pass out his Olaf Valentines he made for his friends at school, was being taken to discuss a possible heart surgery. His twin brother, Rowe, was so confused. He would continually ask his mommy and daddy, “What is wrong with Ryder?” All we could say, with honesty, was, “Rowe, your brother is going to be fine. We just have to get more information.” At that point in time, Ryder was not nervous at all about the surgery potentially looming in his future. Instead, he was distraught that he could not go to his Valentine party at school! We were happy he wasn’t that concerned about the hospital visit at least. That day, we met with a team of doctors and they explained to us that Ryder’s coarction or his “narrowing of his aorta” had created an almost 100% blockage. He had almost no pulses from his waist down. “Be so thankful,” they said, “that this condition was caught, because, if allowed to go undiagnosed, it could have been fatal.” They said 98 percent of coarctations are diagnosed at birth, instead of four years later, so most of those kids have time to be treated before it gets too terrible. The team started him on blood pressure medications immediately and scheduled his surgery for two weeks from that

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day. The team of doctors also explained they would not cut open his chest during the surgery but would instead go under his arm. Unfortunately, that procedure would more painful for our son. Over the next couple of weeks, I found out as much information as I could about Ryder’s condition, hoping we could somehow prepare for this journey. Roman and I sat down with Ryder and explained that he had something wrong with his heart, and it had to get fixed, but, once it was fixed, he would feel better and have such a cool scar. The community that came out to support us when we found out about Ryder’s diagnosis was unimaginable. People I had never met before offered their prayers, concerns, and personal contacts of people with similar stories. This support was our backbone as a family, and as parents it helped us and gave us such comfort. We knew God had a plan in all of this and he would see it through. We held on to that. February 25 was our testing day and the day our anxieties kicked in, full-gear. When you enter Arkansas Children’s Hospital, you see so, so very many sick children, you see mothers crying, fathers that look exhausted, and grandparents there for comfort and support but with so much fear on their faces. Testing day was long. Lots of tests, blood draws, echocardiograms, chest X-rays, and other tests, followed by a meeting with the cardiothorasic surgeon, Dr. Michi. He was very soft-spoken and very serious and gave us all the risks in order, with plenty of gravity. Still, after weeks of preparation, I was just like, “I am not hearing this. No way.” At this point, Ryder was getting nervous, too, the Valentine’s Day party a long-forgotten distraction. Of course, he loved flirting with all the nurses, but he was scared and, honestly, so were his mom and dad. That evening, Roman and I had to take some time by ourselves while the grandparents watched the boys. We cried together and prayed and questioned whether we were doing the right thing. We knew ACH was the best hospital in the area, but, as parents, you just want to make sure you have covered all your bases. You have to be responsible for your precious children. We were new to this kind of parenting, after all. I mean,

the month before, we were playing Bingo in the middle of the floor as a family and singing Frozen songs at the top of our lungs, and now we were preparing for heart surgery and trying to comprehend that our precious boy had no circulation in his legs for the last four years, without our knowledge. On February 26, 2014, bright and early at 5:30AM, we checked into ACH’s emergency room to get Ryder prepped for surgery. Our former pastor and dear friend, Britt Skarda, came to pray over Ryder and our family, and it was a beautiful moment. Of course, seconds later the surgery staff had to carry him back to the operating room. The day before, my biggest anxiety had been that Ry would be in that operating room all by himself, with no doctor or nurse knowing him or what to sing to him to make him feel better. Yes, I know that God is there and watching him, but this overwhelming fear just came over me. Later that day, Dr. Averitt texted to tell me that she was granted rights to scrub in for the surgery. Wow, then the tears just flowed...there are no words to explain that moment. Ryder wouldn’t be alone after all. Surgery lasted about two and a half hours and all was a success. We spent the next full seven days at ACH. The first time we saw Ryder, which was right after surgery, he did not even look like our Ryder with all that hospital tubing coming out of him. At one point, Ryder had 20 different tubes coming out of him at the same time. It was a major surgery, but Ry came through with flying colors. Our experience at ACH was incredible, and we have made lifelong friends there. The nurses and doctors are heaven-sent, no doubt about it! Today, Ryder is a rambunctious 5-year-old that loves wrestling with his brother, playing soccer, drawing, reading books, and singing. He is still on blood pressure medicine that he takes everyday, and he may have to have a balloon procedure soon, but, for right now he is doing great medically, and we are so grateful. Dr. Averitt saved his life, and the blood pressure machine that detected it saved his life. Ryder will be featured at this year’s Northwest Arkansas Heart Gala as the Survivor Child. We are beyond excited and definitely hope it will help raise more awareness for this condition, so we can help save the lives of more kids like our Ryder.

S t udi

Pottery Painting, Parties, & More

It’s party time! Imagine Studios loves hosting parties! We’ll take care of everything for you from set up to clean up, and your guests will have a great time getting in touch with their creative side. Kids and Adults both have a great time, so invite your friends for your next birthday celebration at Imagine Studios! We provide all of the supplies and instructions needed for each guest to create a work of art! Plus we provide invitations, tablecloths, cups, plates, napkins and plasticware. You are always welcome to bring your own snacks, cake, and ice cream. Reserve your date and time with us at least two weeks ahead.

Purses • T-Shirts • Picture Frames • Bulletin Boards • Flower Pots • Paint-Your-Own Pottery • Ooh La La Spa

Imagine Studios provides a wide range of unique services: Paint-Your-Own Pottery Studio Hours: Tuesday 12-6 Thursday 12-5 Fridays 10-7 Saturdays 10-4

Birthday parties Friday Fun Nights Team Building Bridal Showers Diva Nights

Art Camps Workshops Murals Custom Painted Furniture Canvas Wall Art Gifts

Call to book your private party today! 479-268-3190 or 479-619-6085 | 5212 Village Parkway, Suite 11 | Rogers, AR 72758

www.imagine-art-studio.com

A Story

From The Heart

by: Kim Lowe Photo by: House of Micaela Photography by Michelle Gonzalez

When most people look at me, they immediately draw the conclusion that I’m a young, healthy, happy mommy to my sweet five-year-old daughter, Reagan. What people can’t see, however, is someone who was fighting for her life just three years ago and who endures a daily struggle for stable health and a longer life. I may look “normal” and healthy on the outside, but unfortunately, I’m not. I’m 33 years old, and I’m currently experiencing heart failure. Honestly, knowing that, even just typing that, scares me to death. All I want is to be able to grow old with my amazing husband and best friend. All I want is to watch my beautiful Reagan grow up. Everyday I’m plagued with the fear I won’t get to experience that privilege. Let me take you back a few years in order to better understand what happened to me. First off, I was born with a hole in my heart. From the time I was two months old until I was 15, I had four open heart surgeries and multiple cardiac catheterizations. Thankfully, all of those procedures went as planned, and I grew up as normally as I could. On August 16, 2011, however, my life changed forever when what was supposed to be a minimally invasive valve replacement via a catheter and a one night hospitalization, led to an almost four month battle for my life. Complications during the heart procedure obstructed my left main coronary artery, resulting in the equivalent of a massive, devastating heart attack. That incident led to emergency open heart surgery, ECMO life support, a second open heart surgery with a delayed closure, ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) a mere 18 hours after an initial discharge from the hospital, a second round of ECMO life support (this time for two weeks), a tracheotomy, and a multitude of other things that went very, very wrong. When things were bad, they were incredibly, excruciatingly bad. There

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were many days and nights in the hospital where I just wanted to close my eyes and not wake up. I was tired of hurting emotionally and physically and tired of being in the hospital. I didn’t want to burden my family anymore. I didn’t want to bear the thought of not being able to see our daughter one more minute. I just wanted to be back at home living a normal life and enjoying everyday routines with Reagan and Zak. Well, I did finally make it home but just for a short time. Less than two months after being home, I was back in the hospital with a sternal infection that required surgery. I had three sternal infections in 2012, with two requiring surgery. After roughly nine weeks of daily hyperbaric oxygenation therapy, along with long term antibiotic therapy, my sternal infections seem to finally be held at bay. Complications from the initial hospitalization also meant I couldn’t drive throughout 2012. That meant I needed lots of help from family to drive me to cardiac rehab, physical therapy, hyperbaric oxygenation therapy, and Reagan’s activities. It wasn’t easy for any of us. My life, and that of my family, has changed forever, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I am not reminded of everything that has taken place. I am reminded of it every time I take one of the 30 pills now necessary to keep me alive, every time I have to write down each sip of my fluid intake so I can stay under my fluid restriction, each time I have to make the “smart, low sodium” meal choice instead of what I may be craving at the moment, and each time I have to check my daily weight to make sure I’m not starting to retain fluid. I have to be extra careful to avoid sick people, since the smallest cold can now veer me dangerously towards pneumonia, and a stomach bug can easily land me in the hospital. I have experienced the darkest days of my life with all that has happened, but it’s the darkest times that often help one recognize the most

precious of blessings. The love and support from my family has been incredible of course, but I still had a difficult time adjusting to my new reality. I began going to counseling in late 2013, and it has helped tremendously. That being said, I am incredibly blessed and forever grateful for all my family and friends have sacrificed to help me heal. I’m alive, I did survive, and I’m blessed to be able to experience everyday life with my precious family as much as I can. It’s not always easy, and there are many days that I just want to stay in bed and pull the covers over my head...but I don’t. I was given a second chance at life, and I’m going to take advantage of that because I’m not sure how much longer I have--as none of us do.

Hug your family tight. Tell them you love them. Cherish each day. Laugh... Laugh a lot. Without the help from family, especially my husband, I wouldn’t have survived. We have wonderful church friends that have helped us in more ways than one, and I am eternally grateful for a Heavenly Father who makes it possible for my family to be together forever, no matter what challenges occur during my time here. Finally, I’m thankful for every day I have here with my family. None of us know exactly what our future holds, but now I really appreciate how important it is to cherish each and every day because no one is promised tomorrow.

birthday party guide Imagine Studios 5212 Village Parkway Suite 11, Rogers 479-619-6085 imagine-art-studio.com Imagine Studios loves hosting parties! They’ll take care of everything for you from set up to clean up, and your guests will have a great time getting in touch with their creative side. Imagine Studios provides all of the supplies and instructions needed for each guest to create a work of art plus we provide invitations, tablecloths, cups, plates, napkins and plasticware. You are always welcome to bring your own snacks, cake, and ice cream. Party options include: Canvas, Purses, T-Shirts, Picture Frames, Bulletin Boards, Flower Pots, Paint-Your-Own Pottery, and Ooh La La Spa.

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

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

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!

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!

Happy Feet

Starlight Skatium

(479) 553-8810 NWAHappyFeet.com

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!

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 hokeypokey played in your child’s honor.

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

Party like an “It” girl! Dressup, make-up, hair and photo shoot! Fun for girls of all ages. Great for birthdays or just a fun girl afternoon out!

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

Princess Party Creations (479) 799-6133 www.princesspartycreations.com

Make your child’s dreams come true by giving them a party by Princess Party Creations! Your little princess will have a magical experience meeting their favorite princess characters played by professionally trained entertainers from some of the nation’s top performing arts schools. Their entertainers have over five years of party planning experience and over 10 years of professional acting, theme park, and musical theater experience.

birthday party guide Vino van Gogh www.vinogogh.com Testimony: We had a sister birthday party for our 1 and 6 year old. So we went with the Frozen sister theme and had Anna and Elsa from Princess Party Creations join us!! It was a complete surprise, my oldest has speech and oral apraxia so she cant really talk but loves to try to sing, so having Anna and Elsa singing at her party was a BIG hit!! All the kids loved it and enjoyed when they read a story. - Amy

Simply provide a venue with tables and chairs; and Vino Gogh will provide all the art supplies. They do all the art setup and clean up, making it easy for you.

Mommy & Me Nail Spa (479) 903-7033 Pinnacle Hills Promenade Mall Rogers Mommy & Me is a truly unique, fully customized nail spa for your event enjoyment. Great for your child’s birthday party in the private children’s pedicure section!

s e g a P s Reader’ ea m! I Sc ream fo r Ic e -Cr Julie Beaman

here’s not much we love more than throwing a unique theme party, so when we came up with the idea for an ice cream food fight for my daughter’s 10th birthday, we were so excited! As friends arrived, they signed the guest book. We made a variety of colors of cardstock “scoops”, and guests were able to choose whichever one they liked, sign it, and add it to the cone. The finished “guest book” still hangs on her bedroom wall and almost goes from her floor to ceiling. We eased into the promised “wet and messy” with a water balloon fight and followed that with Mentos-and-Coke fountains. Since each guest had their own 2-liter of soda, it quickly turned into more of a sticky soda fight. Much messier than planned, but messier is better at this party! After enjoying all the sweets they cared to eat, we let the guests have the gifts we made for them - personalized buckets with shovels - and announced that we had one more game to play.... an ice cream food fight! The buffet was attacked and cleared, buckets were loaded and ready, and on the count of three - nope, two! my daughter launched the first shovel full of ooey, gooey, awesomeness at her best friend, and IT. WAS. ON! We couldn’t send friends home messy, so the finale was all my husband’s idea and invention. He built a foam cannon and showered the kids in billions of soapy clouds!!!

ival Ca rn - Whitney Balentine I had such a fun time planning my son, Beckham’s, first birthday party. The theme was “Carnival” with popcorn, cotton candy, corn dogs, and outdoor games including ring toss, Pluck a Duck, temporary tattoo station, and a photo booth. We also had a visit from Jack’s Ice Cream truck. The invites were created by MJNDoodles, themed cookies, by he Green Apron, cake and cupcakes from Rick’s Bakery.

Su rp ri se Gu est - Cindy Bailey For my granddaughter Amberlee’s 7th birthday, we surprised her with Elsa at her party. Her and all her friends were super excited to sing and play with Elsa. And, when Elsa crowned her princess, she was over-the-moon excited. Princess Party Creations did an awesome job. Elsa was amazing!

birthday party guide Highrise 4699 S Dixieland Rd Rogers, Arkansas (479) 802-0140 www.highrise.us

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

Have a martial arts-themed party for kids interested in Karate and Taekwondo. Let your child kick, jump, tumble and celebrate their birthday all at the same time! ATA’s team of instructors will create an unforgettable experience for your child.

Throw your child the best party they could imagine at HighRise in Rogers! Your kids and their friends will experience the WOW of jumping, flying and flipping on the wall-to-wall trampoline courts. Jumping at HighRise is a fun & fit activity for just about any age, shape or ability. Everyone loves a giant trampoline so birthday boys and girls have the option to make it a family affair! Enjoy wall-to-wall trampolines, giant trampoline foam pits, trampoline dodgeball, or slam dunking a basketball from a trampoline! Private party room also available.

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

Chuck E Cheese’s 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.

2006 Promenade Blvd, Rogers 2999 N. College Ave, Fayetteville Rogers: (479) 986- 9852 Fayetteville: (479) 443-7733

When planning your child’s party, Chuck E Cheese’s has you covered. Packages starting at $12.99 per child and now offering super hero and princess parties. When you have a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese’s, you always party like a star. Celebrate with a special birthday show with Chuck E. himself. Plus, all your guests will eat pizza, play games, and take home great souvenirs. Book a party and mention Peekaboo and receive 5 free tokens per child in the party! www.peekaboonwa.com

Changing lives for the better – one child at a time

Teen’s words reveal Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter impact on kids in crisis Numbers can tell a story. But sometimes, it takes a testimony to give true meaning to a tally.

At the time, I had lost all hope in someone actually caring for me.

For example, Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter has cared for more than 7,500 abused and neglected children and teens in its 21-year history. Amazingly, that’s roughly equivalent to one child in crisis showing up on your doorstep every day, without fail, for the past two decades.

When I was in the hospital, I was there for a week, and my mom only visited me once. When she came to the hospital, the nurses saw that she was under the influence of multiple drugs. On my discharge date, my mom never showed up to pick me up, so the hospital called DHS (the Arkansas Department of Human Services) to come pick me up.

That’s impressive. So is the fact that it takes a staff of nearly 100 caring professionals and an annual budget of nearly $3.4 million to carry out the mission of providing a safe haven, high-quality care and hope for the future to about 500 abandoned, abused and neglected children each year. Another impactful number is the 8,600 or so valid cases of child abuse and neglect that are reported in Arkansas each year, including totals in Benton and Washington counties that are among the highest in the entire state. But if one focuses solely on those big numbers, it might be easy to forget that the Children’s Shelter achieves its mission by assessing and addressing the unique physical, emotional, academic and developmental needs of each child in its care – supplying 24-hour adult supervision and guidance, food, clothing, personal items, and schooling… along with liberal amounts of affection, affirmation and fun. It is a proven process that has produced amazing, lifechanging transformations and revelations time and time again. But this positive impact is perhaps best seen in the story of a single child. Meet Palmer. Palmer was 16 years old when she arrived at the Children’s Shelter. The following letter, which she wrote to the staff when she departed for a traditional foster home after just 30 days, shows what a profound impression her time at the Children’s Shelter made on her outlook on life. “My experience here at the Children’s Shelter has been outstanding and such a privilege to me. Before I came to the Children’s Shelter, I was neglected, abused and unstable as a whole. I never had enough food to eat; I was medically neglected and finally ended up in the hospital at a near-fatal state from starvation and dehydration.

When DHS came to get me, I was scared, weak and confused. They told me that I was going to a children’s shelter, and I thought I’d end up in a torn-down orphanage-type building, because I had no idea what I was about to experience. When we pulled up to Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter, I was extremely surprised at how high-quality everything looked. When I walked into the Teen Wing, I would have never expected the staff members to be so nice and caring toward me. I was also surprised at how beautifully decorated the rooms were. During my time here at the Children’s Shelter, I have fully experienced what it feels like to be in a stable and healthy environment 24/7. I have been shown the care and love that I had wished for every day when I was with my Mom. The staff members have always helped me through rough times, given me a shoulder to cry on and cheered me up when I was feeling down. I am extremely thankful that I was able to experience having such amazing people and true stability in my life. The Children’s Shelter has truly given hope to pursue my life to the fullest, out my past behind me and move on to bigger and better things in life. The staff members (who I think of as family to me) have brought me to realize that I am valuable, strong and able to conquer anything I set my mind on. I want to thank everyone at the Children’s Shelter for being so kind to me and showing me genuine happiness. Love you all.” Palmer is a perfect embodiment of the reason for the Children’s Shelter’s existence. She gives a voice and a face to the Children’s Shelter’s numbers … and meaning to its daily work.

My Child Has ADHD. What Can We Do About It? see ad next page..

(479) 444.1400

Do we have to take medication? Do dietary supplements or dietary restrictions work? Can we just work on behavior management? Those are all important questions. Dietary supplements and restrictions to treat ADHD usually are supported mostly by anecdotal experiences. Most studies and most experts agree that behavior management and medical management together are the best treatment for ADHD. This article will review some behavioral management strategies that have proven to be effective and the principals that make them work. Managing the Environment The key to keeping the ADHD child on task is feedback. Every strategy that helps to provide immediate and continuous feedback will have a positive effect on increasing attention and will help reduce the negative affects of ADHD. Think about the variety and degree of sensory feedback that video games provide. When you touch the button you see the results on the screen and you hear the success or failure immediately. As long as you continue to play the game it will continue to tell you (feedback) how you are doing. These games engage three of our five senses. Now imagine a video game in which nothing happens for 30 seconds when you touch the control button. Imagine that the game responds once every 10 minutes with a progress report. How boring would that be? How long would you continue to play? Unfortunately that is often the “immediacy” of feedback that students receive in real life or a classroom. An occasional “Good job!”, “Do you need help?”, or quarterly report card are not enough feedback for many ADHD children, to stay focused on the task at hand. Now imagine that you provide your ADHD child with continuous and immediate feedback. Like when you sit at the table doing work one-on-one and say, “Great job!” “Now go on to the next problem”. Most parents report that with immediate and continuous

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feedback their child can perform well. However, if the parent stops to fix dinner, that ten minute assignment becomes a two-hour struggle. Consider these practical applications that arise from the concept of continuous and immediate feedback. Let’s discuss three that are simple and effective: Preferential Seating: Front and center is the preferred place for ADHD children to receive frequent feedback. When the child sits near the instructions the distractions are behind and out of the line of sight of the learner. Communication is Key: Why do pitchers and catchers signal to each other before the pitcher throws the ball? Answer: It is not just to try to get the ball past the batter, but the catcher knows where to place his glove so the ball doesn’t get past him. In the game of homework, (projects and tests) the teacher is the pitcher and the parent must know what is coming to prevent the child from striking out. Communication is the key. Daily planners and assignment books fail when they depend on the ADHD child for success. If the communication between teacher and parent passes through the ADHD child, late or incomplete assignments, lower grades and even zeros are often the result. Breaking the assignments into small tasks: Make it easy on your child’s brain when they study. A technique called “Chunking” can help a child to recall and remember a vast amount of information. If your were ask to hold in your memory a string of 10 numbers it would be difficult. But, if you grouped the numbers, (like for a phone number). A second technique is creating small tasks. If we can break the assignment in to small tasks- say about five to ten minutes, we create a less overwhelming size task and we create more beginnings and ends. The teacher can circle a few math problems and say, “Do what is in the circle and come show it to me.” This creates a beginning and end. At home a child can work for a short time on a small group of spelling words, take a break (1 minute) then do another short group of spelling words. REMEMBER!...FEEDBACK IS THE KEY TO KEEPING YOUR CHILD’S ATTENTION.

I Have Cancer

Story by: Danielle Hoeme P h o t o b y : J e ss i c a R i t c h i e P h o t o g r a ph y

“

I have cancer, I’m bald, I’m wearing a wig, I’ve been married twice and I can’t have children.

”

“I have cancer, I’m bald and wearing a wig, I’ve been married twice, and I can’t have children,” were the words I said to my husband on our very first date and, to my surprise, he didn’t run. I realize now I said those words to him because I thought I was truly defined by those things. I lived for a long time truly believing that. Now, however, I know I am defined by one, and only ONE, thing: I am a child of God, and, in turn, His son Jesus Christ died for all my sins so I didn’t have to carry all of that around with me every day of my life. I’ve learned through my circumstances that God wants me to use my trials as a light for His glory. In the early spring of 2007, I went to the doctor with severe lower back pain which I thought was the result of a kidney infection. After several tests, my doctor set up an appointment for the following week with a gynecologist because he said the pain I was feeling was actually originating in my ovaries. I never made it to that appointment, however, because I was taken by ambulance that weekend to the emergency room when my ovary ruptured. After several scans, the doctors determined I had a severe case of endometriosis, a painful disorder where

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the tissue that normally grows inside the uterus begins to grow outside of it, and has no way to escape. I had laparoscopic surgery to remove it and was put on a series of medicines to keep it from returning, one of which put me into a “pseudo menopause” for six months. After six months, I had an ultrasound to check the progress, only to find out these various methods hadn’t worked. Another surgery was scheduled, and another round of medicine was to follow. After the second laparoscopy to remove, hopefully, all the endometriosis, my doctor called with the news that would change my life. He said he had routinely sent biopsies of my cells to the lab, and the technicians there had found what is known as “clear cell carcinoma” in one of my ovaries...a very rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer. The next few days were kind of a blur of activity and emotions, with doctors’ appointments being made, scans being done, and another surgery being scheduled. I was immediately placed under the care of Dr. Randall Hightower, a gynecological oncologist. We scheduled a partial hysterectomy for the beginning of December. I was 31 years old and had never had children, so he thought a good plan of action would be to only take what we needed to at the time in case children were to be a future option. I was given the designation of being at stage 1A before the surgery and was told how extremely lucky I was that it had been caught so early. It’s very uncommon for ovarian cancer to be detected so early--so much so that it is

nicknamed “the silent killer.” Most women never even ground level.” Finally, the moment came when I was know they have symptoms until they are already into able to ring the “end of chemo” bell in front of so many the much later stages. Because of the occurrence of my friends and family on that special day in June of 2008. endometriosis and the multiple procedures to remove I knew in some way I had to use those trials for His it, mine was caught very early...a very odd blessing glory. My husband and I married in the fall of 2009 in disguise. A week after the surgery, I went for my and planned to sign up to be foster parents as soon as follow-up visit, and Dr. Hightower told me the cancer we could. At that time, the state wanted couples to be had spread outside my ovary. I was then changed from married for at least a year before going through the stage 1A to 1C. He told me I would need 6 months foster care training--which is understandable. Thus, of chemotherapy and needed to decide whether to we waited patiently for the year mark to come. In the summer of 2010, we were scheduled to pursue the complete hysterectomy. Cancer is life meet a birth mom who wanted to give After a trip to MD Anderson in her baby up for adoption. Houston for a second opinion, we changing. It decided I would go ahead and have the changes the way The birth mom never made it to that surgery, with chemotherapy to follow. to see yourself, meeting, and we felt sure she must have Throughout the next few months, I the way you changed her mind. Two weeks later continued teaching first grade when I could--I know those little faces I was see others and she contacted us again, and on July 17, a date that just so happens to be able to return to helped so much with hopefully gives 2010, my birthday, we met her. We spent a lot my recovery. I also have an amazing you a purpose. of time with her and her two children family and friends who were by my side every step of the way. It has taught me over the next couple of weeks. Then, on August 11, 2010, our daughter, Sutton, to forgive and was born. Her birth mom allowed us to This was especially difficult, as I had always wanted to be a mom. Through ask forgiveness, be in the delivery room, and, as soon as to walk humbly she was born, the nurse asked who to all of this, though, I knew God had a hand her to. My heart stopped. plan for my life. Psalm 143:10 says, and to love “Teach me to do your will, for you are unconditionally. my God. Let your spirit lead me on Turn the page ...

I Have Cancer Her birth mom said, without hesitation, “Hand her to her mother.” I will never forget that moment for the rest of my life. The emotion I felt while holding this baby and knowing her birth mom did the most selfless thing a person can ever do is just proof of God’s amazing grace. She also wanted us to have the whole experience, so she told us to have our family and friends come back to the room, just as you do after the birth of any child. So there we all sat, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, birth mom, adoptive parents, and this tiny child we were all in love with. Eternally grateful doesn’t do justice to the feelings I still have for that woman. In the spring of 2011, we proceeded with our original plan to become foster parents. It took many months and, in the process, we moved to Little Rock. So, by the end of the year, we were very close to having an open foster home. We had our first placement right away, with a newborn boy who only stayed three days before going to live with his grandmother. We had several sibling sets that stayed a few days here and there before they left to go to a family member’s home. Our longest stays were two baby girls, both newborns, that stayed for 4 or 5 months. Being a foster mom is by far one of the most amazing journeys on which God has ever sent me. The emotions I felt for not only the children but

also for their mothers and families was overwhelming at times. We knew our last baby girl was being adopted by an aunt from out of state when we came across the “heart gallery” at our church in Little Rock. It was “Orphan Sunday” in November of 2012, and I was looking at all the pictures of the children in central Arkansas whose parents’ parental rights had been terminated. Project Zero was helping the state find adoptive homes for them. There was a picture of three young children that took my breath away. I took a picture on my phone and sent it to my husband who was working out of town. I thought his reply would be something like, “Are you serious? Three young kids? You have to be crazy!” ...but that wasn’t at all what he said. His reply was, “Let’s do it!” That was all I needed to hear, and so, for the next three months, I was in hot pursuit to learn about their situation and talk to anyone I could to see how we could adopt these children. There was a lot of waiting, but, finally, on Valentine’s Day of 2013, we got the call we had been waiting for. We had been chosen as this sibling group’s forever family...and in March of 2013, Mimi, Luke, and Hays came home! We are now a family of six and couldn’t be more blessed. We plan to reopen our home to foster more kids at the end of this year. The story God has written for my life is so much different than the one I would have written, but I’m so glad I decided to let Him lead me because

I would have never known joy like this. Cancer is life changing. It changes the way you see yourself, the way you see others, and, hopefully, it gives you a purpose. Cancer has taught me to forgive, to walk humbly, and to love unconditionally. The wonderful late Stuart Scott said, “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.” I believe no truer words can be spoken. From Jo Ann Johnson on the upcoming Wig Out to Defeat Ovarian Cancer Fundraiser: It is amazing how many wonderful and interesting people I’ve met while working on the fundraising events for Wig Out to Defeat Ovarian Cancer. The story you’ve just read is about one of those people. Danielle is so blessed to have found her ovarian cancer so early. Her story is phenomenal and so inspiring. I’m sorry to say that this is not usually the outcome for someone diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It is a silent killer that usually does not produce symptoms until it is too late for a cure. That is exactly WHY we keep on raising money for ovarian cancer research. More research is needed to find better treatment and even a cure for this dreadful disease. Our goal is to

promote awareness along with raising funds for more research. We have made great strides toward this goal. An organization known as the Ovarian Cancer Teen Council has been established at Fayetteville High School. They help promote awareness among their peers and have raised money they contributed to the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at UAMS in Little Rock. I invite you to come out on February 28, 2015 to the Chancellor Hotel to enjoy an evening of fun. We will be having Boom Kinetic band play throughout the evening, a live and silent auction, and as usual, a lot of good food and drinks. Hope to see you there from 7:00 to 10:00pm.

In the News In the News: Garrett B. Sanford, M.D., F.A.C.C., non-invasive cardiologist, recently joined the active medical staff of Northwest Health System, practicing at Northwest Cardiology - Bentonville. Dr. Sanford is board certified in cardiovascular disease, internal medicine and general pediatrics. He also has board certifications in adult comprehensive echocardiography from the National Board of Echocardiography and nuclear cardiology from the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology.

“We are pleased that Dr. Sanford is bringing his medical expertise to our organization,” said Sharif Omar, CEO of Northwest Health System. “We are committed to providing the community of northwest Arkansas access to quality healthcare which includes providers in key specialty areas.” Dr. Sanford received his medical education at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. He also completed his internal medicine and pediatric residencies at UAMS. Dr. Sanford then completed a cardiology fellowship at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in North Carolina. Northwest Cardiology - Bentonville is located at 2900 Medical Center Parkway, Suite 240B in Bentonville, and Dr. Sanford is currently accepting new patients.

Lisa A. Bearden, M.D., Obstetrics and Gynecology Physician joins Northwest Health System Staff Lisa A. Bearden, M.D., board certified obstetrician and gynecologist, recently joined the active medical staff of Northwest Health System. She joins Drs. Amy Sarver and Amber Sills, established obstetricians and gynecologists, practicing at Women’s Health Associates. Dr. Bearden provides complete women’s health care including minimally invasive ablation and sterilization procedures in-office. She received her medical education and obstetrics and gynecology residency at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. She completed her Bachelor of Science in biology at University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas. Women’s Health Associates is located on the third floor of the Northwest Medical Center – Bentonville Medical Office Building at 2900 Medical Center Parkway, Suite 370, in Bentonville, and she is currently accepting new patients.

For more information, call (479) 553-2200 www.nw-physicians.com

Northwest health System

2015 Heart Association Survivor Story

Ashley Goett Ashley Whiteley was a typical healthy, happy teenager without a care or concern in the world. All of that changed on March 16, 2007. She went to the emergency department of Northwest Medical Center - Springdale complaining of a sinus infection, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. Doctors ran a series of tests including an X-ray, echocardiogram, and an EKG to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. The results were staggering--Ashley’s heart was only pumping at ten percent heart function. Upon this diagnosis, Ashley was taken by helicopter to a hospital in

68 February 2015

central Arkansas and kept under surveillance for three weeks, during which she underwent regular cardiac catheterizations. It was confirmed that Ashley had dilated cardiomyopathy. This condition is one in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged. As a result, the heart cannot pump enough blood to the rest of the body. In conjunction with the heart condition, Ashley’s doctors believed she was also going into renal failure.

MD, FACC of Northwest, felt it would be best for Ashley to have a pacemaker and a defibrillator implanted. While implanting these devices requires surgery, they can give people with weak or irregular heartbeats greater freedom.

Ashley was transferred to another hospital and worked with a team of medical professionals to create a treatment regimen that would work for her. In addition to developing a plan to manage her heart condition, doctors were able to perform a series of tests to ensure her kidneys were working properly. Once it was determined that her kidneys were healthy and she had a plan for her heart condition, she was finally able to return home, six long weeks after the harrowing endeavor began.

Since the implant and surgery, Ashley says she is able to lead a full and productive life. “Before my treatment I didn’t feel like getting out and doing things. After receiving my pacemaker and defibrillator, I felt like myself. I wanted to spend time with friends again.” Ashley was married in the fall of 2014 and says her husband has always been incredibly supportive, making their bond even stronger. Ashley says without God, family, friends, and her amazing medical teams she wouldn’t be able to live the life she has today.

In an effort to regularly monitor her health, Ashley continues to see her primary physician on a monthly basis. After a case of pneumonia required Ashley to have a lung scrape, her cardiologist, Michael Green,

The Emergency Department doctors and staff and the cardiac catheterization lab clinical team led by Dr. Green at Northwest Medical Center are pleased to have helped Ashley as they do other patients everyday!

The Dalai Mama

Deep thoughts (well not that deep) on life as a mom, wife, and transplant in NWA by: Kristin Hvizda

My Friend Campaign

Making Friends in a New City

never really considered myself a “good” friend, until recently. Not only was I the friend who never remembered your birthday, but I rarely made time for the people I loved or appreciated the place they had in my life. That was until I moved across the country and they weren’t there anymore. Suddenly, I found myself in a city full of strangers and with a heart full of regret. I decided at that moment I was going to make a change. My mission: to make some friends and learn how to be a good one in the process. So it began five years ago, when I moved from Philadelphia to Minneapolis. I made amends to those I had taken for granted and set out to make new friends in my unfamiliar city. I tried to adopt an outgoing approach, which was pretty uncomfortable for this former wallflower. I joined groups, had “blind dates” with friends of friends, and accepted every invitation I received. I’m happy to say, after that epiphany, I did make some really GREAT friends. The kind of friends you don’t have to clean the house for or put on real pants (you know with a zipper). Most of us met when we were pregnant or had just become new mothers. We saw the good, the bad, and the ugly. For the first time, I felt like I had learned what it meant to be a “good” friend (although I still can’t promise I’ll remember your birthday). 1. GET INVOLVED. As a stay-at-home mom, I don’t have the luxury of meeting friends at work. That’s where organizations come in handy. Join a meet up group, an exercise class, church group, POA, anything to get involved! You aren’t going to make

I figured Minneapolis was it for me. It felt like home. I felt like I was a better version of myself. I thought my family and I would live there forever, yet in August 2014 we decided to make the move to NWA. Many of you know the drill. You weigh the pros and cons, muster your inner strength, and do what you think is right for your family. So here I am, the second time in my adulthood I’ve picked up and moved across the country, but this time with two toddlers in tow. You’d think by now I’d feel more confident in my ability to make friends, but I often feel like an awkward teenager. Add kids to the mix and it gets complicated. It’s hard enough to find another woman to connect with on a personal level without the added complication of kid life. Parenting style, kid personalities, nap schedules, school schedules-it can get pretty complex to even find free time to foster a friendship, let alone finding a compatible prospective friend. Although I’m still struggling to navigate through this process, I have been able to devise a few basic guidelines that seem to help…

friends sitting in your house. Get out there and be sociable. Sure it might not necessarily be your thing normally, but these aren’t “normal” circumstances. You need to network like you’re a college senior looking for a job. Everyone’s a potential friend.

2. BE FRIENDLY. I definitely fall into the category of social introvert. In some situations I can be the life of the party (particularly when alcohol’s involved) but 9:30AM on a weekday after a rough night of sleep training, I’m definitely not at my best. Regardless, you better make

that trip to Starbucks, slap on some lip gloss, and work it at Little Gym. Say hi to everyone there, strike up conversations with strangers, and be genuinely interested in the people around you. Ask questions and try to be a good listener (in between chasing your little one around).

3. BE FORWARD. If you find someone that you connect with, get her digits! There’s no use in playing coy. Yes it may feel unnatural to be so forward, but how else are you

going to become BFF’s? You have to put yourself out there because someone has to make the first move and why shouldn’t it be you?

4. GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD. Sure, it’s easy to revert to your high school teenager mentality of feeling insecure and weird in this completely vulnerable situation, but it’s not useful. Break down your walls, be your real self, and own who you are. Lay it out there. If you connect, cool, if not keep it moving.

Yes, sometimes looking for new girlfriends can feel like you’re back in the dating scene. You’re searching the park for someone you might have something in common with, trying to meet her eye, determining the right time to say hello and introduce yourself. You exchange numbers and then wonder when to call or text, what to say, how to say it without seeming desperate. It totally sucks! The good thing about NWA though, is there are a lot of transplants and most of them are interested in building friendships, too. I’ve found people to be a little more outgoing in general which helps break the ice, and I’m happy to say I have a couple friendships in the works. Fingers crossed they will turn into those “great” friendships, like I had up north.

5. MAKE TIME. When you do find a potential friend, it can be difficult to find time to cultivate the friendship with such busy schedules and mom duties, but it’s crucial. Find innovative ways to hang out. Have a girl’s night, host a lunch at your place, have a family date night--anything that allows you to spend some quality time together. (If the kids and spouses get along too, then lock that friendship down!)

Sure, making new friends can be stressful and nerve racking, but it can also be exciting, fun, and a learning process (not just about the people you’re meeting but about yourself). At the end of the day, remember the universe will put the people in your life that you need to foster your growth and fulfill your journey. Try not to put pressure on yourself or those around you. Relax, let things develop naturally, and have fun! “The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your action will be.” – Dalai Lama Namaste.

by: Sami Cannon

y someday-to-be husband Josh and I met in October of 2008 and instantly fell in love. I met his son, Malachi, who was four at the time, soon after. We were married seven months later, and we finally had our happy family of three. Hoping to grow our family even more, we tried several months for a baby with no luck. I visited a gynecologist and was given the sobering, horrible news that I would probably not be able to have children. It was so hard seeing friends and family get pregnant while I just had to watch. Josh was very supportive and kept me from losing hope. Our friends and family knew and they all said if anyone was born to be a mother it was me. However, we didn’t give up, but we did stop trying so hard, hoping for the best. Our Tiny Baby

Started giving us a hard time. He Wanted to meet us -- Like, Right NOw.

We did end up getting pregnant in 2010, but it ended in a miscarriage after 8 weeks. I know they say wait 12 weeks, but we were too excited and told everyone as soon as the test was positive. We were heartbroken but still a little excited, because we know knew this meant that pregnancy was a possibility. A year or so passed and still no luck. I went to the doctor because I was having symptoms of a severe urinary tract infection. The doctor came back in to let us know what the test said, and we both literally yelled in excitement at the news...I was pregnant! This time we did wait 12 weeks just to be sure. We were worried it wasn’t going to “stick”.

At our big ultrasound to find out the sex -- it’s a boy! -we saw I had a placental abruption. Luckily, that healed itself by the next ultrasound. Malachi was extremely excited to have a baby brother. It was a pretty normal pregnancy until I was 20 weeks. After that, our tiny baby started giving us a hard time. Apparently, he really wanted to meet us--like, right now. I had to go in multiple times to have them stop my contractions because it was way too early for our son to come into

72 February 2015

the world. I was so worried. I knew if he came now there would be complications because he would have been so tiny. They gave me steroids to help his lungs mature faster and put me on bedrest after 28 weeks. I was the only one working in our home due to my husband getting laid off from his job of three years the week before, so we turned in our 30 day notice to the landlord and moved from our home in Kansas to live with Josh’s parents in Arkansas. The morning we were to get the U-Haul and move; however, my water broke. I woke up feeling like I had wet myself a little. I woke Josh and he said to give it a minute and then go see if it would leak again. Sure enough, every time I wiped there was more. I ate some breakfast, packed our bags, called our parents, and

then left. We literally lived right beside the hospital. By the time we got there, I was dilated three centimeters and fully effaced. I received my epidural, and they put me on a light amount of Pitocin. Three hours later, I was a whopping ten centimeters dilated and, without any warning, ready to push. The room was full of doctors and nurses, as well as a NICU team since he was a preemie. His heart rate was dropping fast, and they decided to use a vacuum to get him out. After grand total of three pushes, he was here! Aizen (I-Zen) Bain Cannon was born on July 25, 2012 at 35 weeks, weighing 5 pounds and 13 ounces and was beautifully healthy! We were so in love. We did skin to skin, they ran their tests, gave him a bath, and then moved us into our room. No NICU team was needed after all! We had a good night’s sleep, and he slept like a champion. I was a first time mom and didn’t think anything of it. Plus, nurses came in to check on me and never said anything about him sleeping. The next morning, we woke him to try to get him to latch. He wasn’t eating, and his temperature was very low. The nurses and I tried multiple things to get his temperature up but no luck. My husband and his parents were moving things out of our house, and my parents weren’t coming up until later. I was completely alone and totally freaking out. I had no idea what was wrong with him or what was going to happen. I was basically in shock. They moved Aizen to the NICU to get his temperature up. Once they were finally able to elevate his temperature, we thought we were in the clear. My parents and grandparents came up to see him and we were allowed to take them in the room to take pictures and hold his hand. My mom and I sat together, holding him and loving on him... until a nurse changed his diaper and found blood in his stool. I once again had no idea what was going on. All I saw were nurses running around calling people. I just sat there holding and talking to my boy. It would be the last time I got to hold him for a week. He had necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC for short), which is the most common and serious intestinal disease among preemies. It happens when tissue in the small or large intestine gets injured, which in turn causes the intestine to develop a hole. The doctor told me they would stop feedings, do X-rays twice a day, give IV fluids, and an antibiotic to our son. It would be at least 14 days before we knew anything. NEC would either heal on its own, or he would need surgery, or it could cause death. As soon as she said that, my heart broke. I have never been so sad in my life. Aizen had an IV in his head and a tube down his throat to suck out all of the fluid from his stomach and intestines. It’s so hard seeing your baby hooked up to all those wires with tubes running down his throat. Since all of our things were on the way to Arkansas, and we no longer had a place to live, we stayed at the Ronald McDonald house. Every day

we were at the hospital we made sure we were there for every diaper change, stayed until we got tired, then went home, slept, and came back. He also developed Apnea and Bradycardia while there. He actually had to be brought back to life once. He had stopped breathing during an Apnea “attack,” so they had to use the paddles to bring him back. We were at the Ronald McDonald house getting some rest when we got the phone call telling us what had happened. We hurried over and I cried the entire ride back to the hospital. When we got there, he was all smiles like nothing had even happened. The IV in his head wasn’t staying in, so they had to put him under in order to do a “pic line,” which is where a small incision is made on the neck and another small incision is behind the ear. Everyday there was something new. It seemed like we would get great news immediately followed by bad news. He was still gaining weight in spite of everything, and all of the NICU nurses couldn’t believe he was really sick.

I knew he was a strong boy and we would get through this.

I knew he was a strong boy and kept the faith we would get through this. Fourteen whole days came and went, and we were once again saddened by news from the doctors. The NEC still hadn’t healed completely, so they wanted to keep him off food and needed us to stay longer. We were discouraged, but not for long...three weeks in and one week later, it was healed! We were finally able to feed him some breast milk. They wanted us to start slow and only give small amounts at first, and he chugged it down without any problems. I had been pumping the entire time, so I had a huge supply. That was one of the best days of our lives.

At four weeks old, Aizen was sent home on an Apnea machine to monitor his breathing. He was only on it for two weeks, and afterwards we got the all-clear to take him off of it. He did great in the car to Arkansas. Malachi was so excited to finally hold his little brother that he wouldn’t even let us have him back. From that moment on, he has grown beautifully and is such a smart boy. He’s a huge cuddler. Plus, when he was three months old, I found out I was pregnant again! He now has a baby sister! We named her Kaelix Grey Cannon. She was 7lbs and is so beautiful. She was brought out with forceps, so she was a little bruised. They are 11 months apart, and he loves her so much. He is now two-and-a-half, weighs 36 pounds, and measures 35 inches tall. He counts all the way up to twelve, knows most of his colors, says his ABCs, has a huge vocabulary of words, and is completely potty trained! Our family of five is full of health and happiness, and we couldn’t be more blessed. A big thank you to the NICU team at Wesley Hospital in Wichita.

At a Glance ARTS and MUSIC

At a Glance

BANKS

DERMATOLOGY

Crystal Bridges (Pg. 15) (479) 418-5700 crystalbridges.org Imagine Studios (Pg. 49) (479) 619-6085 imagine-studios.com Trike Theatre (Pg.35) (479) 464-5084 triketheatre.org The Walton Arts Center (Pg. 43) (479) 443-5600

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Kumon (Pg. 80) (479) 595-8765 kumon.com The New School (Pg. 13) thenewschool.org Shiloh Christian School (Pg. 39) (479) 756-1140 Walnut Farm Montessori (Pg. 79) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

First Security (Pg. 51) www.fsbank.com; www.onlyinark.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES

FAMILY FUN / ENTERTAINMENT

ABC Happy Kids (Pg. 65) (479) 202-5691 abchappykids.com Better Beginnings (Pg. 75) (800) 445-3316 arbetterbeginnings.com Bright Haven (Pg. 56) (479) 717-2344 The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 51) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 29) (479) 273-1011 Mustard Seed Children’s Academy (Pg. 25) www.mustardseedacademynwa.com Seeking Sitters (Pg. 64) (501) 203-3097 www.seekingsitters.com

CLOTHES

Belle Boutique (Pg. 19) (479) 966-4646 shopbelleboutique.com

Unitarian Universalist (Pg. 33) www.uubcar.com

Brick by Brick (Pg. 53) (479) 582-5346 razorbricks.com Fast Lane Entertainment (Pg. 31) (479) 659-0999 www.fastlanebowl.com GirlScouts (Pg. 41) (800) 632-6894 girlscoutsdiamonds.org Happy Feet (Pg. 67) (479) 553-8810 nwalegendssoccer.com Little Giggles (Pg. 21) (479) 268-4949 Panther Valley Ranch (Pg. 27) (501) 623-5556 Starlight Skatium (Pg. 47) (479) 444-STAR The Walton Arts Center (Pg. 43) (479) 443-5600

Chuck E. Cheese (Pg. 34) (479) 443-7733 TCBY (Pg. 3) (479) 636-8229 (TCBY)

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

DANCE/CHEER/TUMBLE/STRETCH

Ginn Foot & Ankle (Pg. 58) (479) 254-1975 nwafoot.com Northwest Primary Care (Pg. 11) nw-physicians.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 33, 77) (479) 271-6511 www.tatehealthcare.com

The Little Gym (Pg. 56) (479) 636-5566 tlgrogersar.com

DENTIST

FOOD / DRINK

CHURCHES

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

Smile Shoppe Pediatric Dentistry (Pg. 12) (479) 631-6377

JEWELRY AND GIFTS

David Adams (Pg. 69) davidadams.com

LEARNING CENTER

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 65) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Aloha of Bentonville (Pg. 23) (479) 426-3419 alohamindmath.com

MARTIAL ARTS ATA (Pg. 37)

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

OPTOMETRIST

Pediatric Vision Development Center (Pg. 23) nwavisiontherapy.com (479) 795-1411

PEDIATRICIAN

Best Start Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 45) (479) 575-9359 Bentonville Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 48) (479) 273-5437 The Children’s Clinic at Springdale (Pg. 9) (479) 751-2522 Harvey Pediatrics (Pg. 55) (479) 254-1100 harveypediatrics.com MANA NWA Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 38) (479) 443-3471

PHYSICAL THERAPY (CHILDREN’S THERAPY)

Imagine Pediatric Therapy (Pg. 77) (479) 795-1260 imaginepediatrics.com

PLASTIC SURGEON

Laser Partners (Pg. 35) laserpartnersnwa.com NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 www.nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

PRESCHOOL/ PRE-K

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 65) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Ozark Montessori Academy (Pg. 4) (479) 935-9992 ozarkcca.org The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 51) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 29) (479) 273-1011 Mustard Seed Children’s Academy (Pg. 25) www.mustardseedacademynwa.com The New School (Pg. 13) thenewschool.org Walnut Farm Montessori (Pg. 79) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

TALENT

N.C.K. Talent Academy (Pg. 74) (479) 445-6000 thenck.com

THERAPY

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 65) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Dr. Thomas Terry Lawson (Pg. 61) (479) 444-1400 www.terrylawson.com Sweet Emotions Counseling (Pg. 17) (479) 770-4673 se-counseling.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 33, 77) (479) 271-6511

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Birth Center NWA (Pg. 78) (479) 372-4560 bcnwa.com Life Spring Women’s Health (Pg. 71) (479) 271-0005 lifespringhealthcare.com Northwest Primary Care of Springdale (Pg. 11) (479) 927-2100 Northwest Women’s Health Associates (Pg. 7) (479) 503-2525 Northwest Willow Creek Women’s Hospital (Pg. 5) (479) 684-3000 Parkhill Clinic for Women (Pg. 63) (479) 521-4433 Siloam Springs Women’s Center (Pg. 30) (479) 524-9312 siloamwomenscenter.com

www.imaginepediatrics.com

A safe place to learn and play!

• Occupational Therapy • Speech therapy • Physical therapy

We are committed to helping your child realize his/ her extraordinary possibilities Join us in helping kids in NWA. We are currently accepting donations for a Sensory Playground. To help, please call 479-795-1260, or come to one of our fundraising events: Golf Tournament (Spring) Bike Race (Summer) Gala Dinner (Fall)

Experience. Discover. Grow.

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Walnut Farm Montessori School Building a Foundation for Growth

Montessori Toddler Program 18 months-3 years old Walnut Farm offers flexible 2, 3, and 5 day toddler programs available in half day and full day options.

• Well prepared, peaceful environments that support learning and development • Dedicated, nurturing, trained teachers • Developmentally appropriate curriculum that fosters cognitive development, speech and language development, fine and gross motor skill enhancement • Nutritious meals prepared onsite daily for full day students • Before and after school programs offered Walnut Farm Montessori School is the first and only school accredited by the American Montessori Society in the State of Arkansas and the first school to offer a natural playscape environment for exercise and exploration. Our school provides an authentic Montessori education for children ages 18 months to 12 years.

Enrolling Now Contact us today to schedule your tour of our enriching toddler program 479-271-9424 • info@walnutfarm.org