Birmingham Parent Magazine April 2016 Issue

THE PREMIER PARENTING MAGAZINE FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA

APRIL 2016

FREE

MOTHERS MILK BANK of Alabama

GENDER REVEAL Parties: He or She?

birth storyTELLING YOUR BABY'S

EWWW!Dealing with your child’s gross behavior

Suddenly, you’re in a whole different state of fish tales.

getting hooked.

landing the big one.

The mild climate of the Alabama Gulf Coast means

great family-friendly fishing all year round. From

bay fishing to offshore deep-sea charters you’ll

find what you really catch is a pretty perfect day.

@alabamabeachesGulfShoresOrangeBeachOrangeBeach.com

877-475-1534

GSA364 Birmingham Parent April (Fam Fishing).indd 1 3/3/16 3:52 PM

Alabama Dance Academy’s Ballet Classique, Jazz and Lyrical Ensembles present

Oak Mountain High School � eatre Saturday, April 30 2:00 and 7:30pm

All Tickets are $14.00 . For tickets, call 205-978-6830 or www.alabamadanceacademy.com

See Snow White, Belle, Sleeping Beauty and other favorite princesses in this fun-fi lled, family dance performance.

Mention this ad to buy one ticket and get one 50 % off . Enter code PROMO50 at www.alabamadanceacademy.com or call 205-978-6830.

Oak Mountain Oak Mountain

DancingPrincesseswith

Alabama’s Premier Dance School3221 Old Columbiana Road, Hoover, AL 35226205-978-6830www.alabamadanceacademy.comfi nd us on Facebook: Alabama Dance Academy

SPONSORED BY

4 | birminghamparent | april 2016

editor’s note

3590-B Hwy. 31 S. #289 Pelham, AL 35124 205-987-7700 205-987-7600 FAX www.birminghamparent.com

editorial Publishers David & Carol Evans

Editor Carol Muse Evans

Associate Editor Lori Chandler Pruitt

Office Assistant Bethany Adams Hunley

Calendar Lori Chandler Pruitt

Contributors Dr. Vivian Friedman, Charles Ghigna, Becky J. Beall, Stephanie Rodda, Rachel Moshman, Marc Routman, MD, Petcoach.com

sales Account Executives Kayla Fricks, Brittani Ellison

Webmaster Digital Doo-Wop

art & production Art Director Hilary Moreno

Distribution T&P Deliveries

E-blasts Simple Southern Lace Designs

Legal Counsel Balch & Bingham LLP

BIRMINGHAM PARENT IS A PUBLI-CATION OF EVANS PUBLISHING, LLC. Publishers: Carol Muse Evans, David K. Evans Sr. Birmingham Parent (EIN20-0694149) is published monthly by Evans Publishing LLC. www.birming-hamparent.com or [email protected]. Birmingham Parent is © 2016 by Evans Publishing LLC. Family Connections Media ©2011 by Evans Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Edito-rial submissions are welcome. For back issues, please send a self-addressed 10” x 13” envelope with $4 for postage and handling.

Birmingham Parent Celebrates Babies This MonthEach month Birmingham Parent is all about children, from cradle to college, but this month we put a special emphasis on babies.

From telling your baby’s birth story in photographs, information about adoption through foster care, to pre-baby when you reveal the gender to family and friends, and afterwards when maybe you need a little help from the Mothers Milk Bank of Alabama, we’ve got great information for you this month in Birmingham Parent.

And don’t miss our Baby & Me Directory, full of great resources, from doctors to gifts and every-thing for baby and mom and dad. Our advertisers make this magazine possible and bring you all this great information. We’ll help you find them.

And it’s not JUST about babies this month. We’ll help you handle it when your child has, well, gross behavior! And if you are planning your spring or summer vacation, our destination guide may help you find some great ideas to create memories with your family this summer.

Is a pet part of the family? Check out the top 7 FREE apps for pet parents this month. It’s sure to have at least one app that you will find useful.

And of course, the April calendar of events is full of great fun for the whole family. Check out all the offerings here, and don’t forget our online calendar at www.birminghamparent.com where you will also find events that came to us too late to make the print calendar, but are definitely worthy of consideration.

Happy Spring!

Carol Muse Evans, Publisher/Editor [email protected]

GIVEAWAY: Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BirminghamParent

to win a FlyeBaby infant airplane seat for your family travel from

FlyeBaby and Birmingham Parent, valued at $49.95. Deadline to

enter is April 30, 2016, midnight. If you are the winner, your prize will

be shipped to you.

birminghamparent.com | 5

PHOTO BY: ARIK SOKOL

TRAIN WITH THE PROS!

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT

Alabama Ballet School

The OFFICIAL school

of the Alabama Ballet, the state’s PREMIER, professional ballet company.

*FALL REGISTRATION OPENS APRIL 1ST, 2016

WWW.ALABAMABALLET.ORG

School Ad-Bham Parent.indd 1 3/7/2016 3:25:05 PM

Comprehensive Pediatric Therapy Services

…we’re just for kids!

www.ChildsPlayTherapyCenter.com “Like” us on facebook!

OCCUPATIONAL/PHYSICALTHERAPY

TUTORINGSERVICES

SPEECHTHERAPY

HANDWRITINGHELP

MUSICTHERAPY

FEEDINGTHERAPY

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REGISTER NOW FOR OUR SUMMER

PROGRAMS!*

Little Sticky Fingers (�ne motor/sensory skills)

Kindergarten Kick-O� (kindergarten readiness)

Social Superheroes (social skills)

Friendship Factory (social skills)

Move ‘N Groove (rhythm and dance)

Printing Power (handwriting skills)

Focal Point (ADD/ADHD treatment)

NEW LOCATION! Chelsea: 205-618-8095Hoover: 205-978-9939

*Summer programs are o�ered in Hoover location only

DID YOU KNOW? In most cases, you can book an open party with just 7 guest s. Mention this ad when booking.

Lee Branch/Hoover . (205) 637-7777 . www.paintingwithatwist.com/birmingham-hoover

701 Doug Baker Blvd Suite #106 Birmingham, AL 35242www.facebook.com/pwathoover | twitter.com/pwatbirmingham


Birth Stories: How to Tell Your Child’s Birth Story

Mothers Milk Bank of Alabama

Answering the Adoption Questions

14 20 18

table of contents

THE PREMIER PARENTING MAGAZINE FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA

APRIL 2016

FREE

MOTHERS MILK BANK of Alabama

GENDER REVEAL Parties: He or She?

birth storyTELLING YOUR BABY'S

EW GROSS, Dealing with Your Child's Gross Behavior

departments

04 Editor’s Note Birmingham Parent Celebrates Babies This Month

07 Parenting with Dr. Friedman

08 Short Stuff

26 Ask the Specialist: Allergies in Children

41 April Calendar Highlights

42 April Calendar of Events

46 Poetry Party: Art Poems

ON THE COVER: Twins Adalynn Davis and Emory Louise, four months, of Shelby County. PHOTO BY KIM BRANTLEY PHO-

TOGRAPHY (www.kimbrantleyphotography.com) AND VISUAL ARTS BY JESSICA (www.facebook.com/VisualArtsbyJessica).

24

14

2022

features

24 HOW TO DEAL with Your Child’s Gross Behavior

28 PET PAGES Top 7 Apps and Websites for Pet Owners

32 DESTINATION GUIDE

24GENDER REVEAL PARTIES: He or She – What Will it Be?

10baby&me DIRECTORY 2016


Parenting with Dr. Friedman

parenting

Q: My son will leave soon for his freshman year in college. I am concerned that he won’t get up in time for class, won’t make

good judgements about friends and won’t eat sensibly. At home I take care of these responsibilities for him. What can a

mother do to keep her son on track while he is away?

The things you can do to make your son responsible begin many years before your child leaves for college. Now is the time to let go and let him try his wings. Some psycho-logical theorists feel that the child’s person-ality is formed by the age of 6. If you did your job when he was young, chances are he will continue on the right path. If he has been responsible all along, you can expect him to continue to be so. If he has been in trouble all his life, chances are he won’t reform now.

If he has been dependent upon you for a wake-up call and homework reminders, he just might begin to take responsibility into his own hands. That is what being away from home is all about. You are to be commended on your decision to let you son go away to school. He needs this opportunity to finish growing up.

While no school will make sure that your son gets up on time or eats well, some schools offer more shelter than others. If you child is immature, he may benefit from attending a smaller, more protected school rather than a larger, more impersonal one. Matching a college to the child’s needs is one thing a parent can do to help smooth the transition from home to independence.

On the other hand, your son may have no

problem at all. He may be looking forward to being out on his own. It may be you who is having trouble letting go of the role you have held for the last 18 years. Be careful that you don’t give the message that he must fail in order to meet your need to be needed.

Encourage his budding independence, even if you really wish that he would return home. When he calls complaining about the food or a roommate, don’t be too quick to jump in with an invitation home. Instead of offering a solution to his problem, listen and let him vent. Encourage him to work it out on his own.

But don’t hang up on him either. Ask questions to show your interest and to keep him talking. Encourage him to use campus resources – a dorm counselor, an upper-classman peer or the professional counseling center if he needs further help. Express you confidence in his ability. Show your interest

by asking him to get back to you and let you know how things worked out.

Don’t call him too often but do keep in touch. Give him the control. Encourage him to call home regularly. Tell him how much you enjoy his calls but don’t invade his space

with daily calls to him. Let him be apart from you knowing that his ability to separate is a sign that you have parented well.

Build your own life. If this is your last or only child, you will have many years ahead of you without children in the home. Create your own life so that you free your son of the guilt of being responsible for your happiness.

Vivian K. Friedman Ph. D. is a child and family psychologist at UAB, Department of Psychiatry. Send questions for response in this column to [email protected]. No personal replies are sent.

It may be you who is having trouble letting go of the role you have held

for the last 18 years. Be careful that you don’t give the message that he

must fail in order to meet your need to be needed.

April 30 — 10am to 8pmMay 1 — 11am to 5pm

Featuring artisans, boutique clothing and shoes, jewelry, and infomation booths

EVENT IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC!

We will be selling discount shopper cards—proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House

Southern BazaarAT THE BJCC


[email protected]

AdvertiseHere

NEXT MONTH

We are excited to announceour partnership with Christian

Service Mission, an organization dedicated to connectingresources with needs!

[email protected]

Let us help your business, organization, or group

host a diaper drive.#diaperneed

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April Child Abuse Prevention & Awareness Month

April is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month, a time to emphasize that our children deserve the leadership of the adults (parents, leaders, community) around them to ensure their health, wellness and safety.

Monday, April 25 is Parental Alienation Awareness Day, sponsored by Alabama Family Rights Association. Stop what you are doing at noon and blow soap bubbles for 10 minutes to show your support.

Car Tags for Ronald McDonald House Are Almost Reality

For the past year the Ronald McDonald House has been in the process of offering a specialty car tag made to support the program. The Ronald McDonald house also raises hun-dreds of thousands of dollars for other organizations each year.

To get a car tag into production in Alabama, according to RMH, you must have at least 1,000 individual cars com-mitted to the tag. It is now very close to that number.

To sign up, you only need your basic personal informa-tion and your car’s VIN number. And, the tag is FREE if you sign up as one of the first 1,000 for the first year. After that, you do not have to renew unless you desire to. Of each $50 specialty car tag sold, RMHCA will get $41.25.

If you are interested in the tag, visit www.RMHCA.org/cartag.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AFRA


short stuff

Lemonade Stands Raise Money for Brain Cancer Research

On May 7, the 3rd Annual Lucy & Ruby’s Brainy Day Fundraising Event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mountain Brook Community Church in support of brain cancer research.

Upon their dad’s diagnosis with glioblastoma brain cancer, two girls – Lucy and Ruby – wanted to provide help and hope for others affected by brain cancer. What started in 2013 as a lemonade-and-cookie stand has now raised more than $30,000 for Wheeling for Hope, a charity that benefits brain cancer research and patient support services at UAB and Children’s Hospital of Alabama.

The annual event includes food, live music, silent auction, games, activities, prizes, free cookies and lem-onade. Individuals can also make donations in honor or memory of a loved one who has been affected.

“Brain cancer doesn’t get a lot of attention, so this event is a great way to help increase awareness in the community and give back. My daughters and I are excit-ed about being involved this year and partnering with Lucy and Ruby,” says Matt Ander-son, whose wife Gretchen passed away in July 2015 from brain cancer.

Anderson and his family are just a few of the families partnering in the cause this year. Rather than have the event completely focused on donations, Lucy, Ruby and their mom plan to increase awareness and provide outreach for others who are going through similar situations. In the end, not only will more money be raised for research, but individuals will gain a support group. For more information about the event, please visit http://lucyandru-by.com or on Facebook at Lucy & Ruby’s Brainy Day.

Disney May 2013 - Lisa, Scott, Lucy and Ruby Harris

Birthday Party issueBIGGER & BETTER THAN EVER!

BIRMINGHAM PARENT’S

June 2016

NOW IN DON'T MISS THE PARTY!

S P O N S O R E D B Y

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Don’t miss picking up this special issue or advertising in it.

Contact your account executive today or call 205-987-7700.

the most complete list of party information in BIRMINGHAM!

Lucy & Ruby making signs for the original stand in May 2013

baby&me DIRECTORY 2016

YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH

Angelica Rohner Pediatric Dentistry 2045 Brookwood Medical Center Dr., Suite 21Birmingham, AL 35209205-870-0892 [email protected] Dr. Rohner is a specialist of pedi-atric and adolescent dentistry. We love what we do and it shows in the care we provide!

Dr. Michael AnglinPediatric DentistryDr. Erin NelsonFamily Dentistry3825 Lorna Rd., Suite 206Hoover, AL 35244205-988-9800www.BirminghamKidsdentist.comDr. Michael Anglin has provided quality pediatric dentistry to the Hoover and surrounding commu-nities since 1993. With Dr. Nelson, they offer excellent care for chil-dren, adolescents & adults.

Children’s of Alabama1600 Seventh Ave. S.Birmingham, AL 35233205-638-9100www.childrensal.orgChildren’s of Alabama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children since 1911, offering inpatient, outpatient, and primary care services throughout Alabama.

Kasey Davis Dentistry 589 Shades Crest Rd. Birmingham, Alabama 35226 205-822-7277 www.kaseydavisdentistry.com Let us help you celebrate your smile! Proudly serving patients of all ages in the Bluff Park/Hoover area.

Grandview Medical CenterWomen’s and Children’s Center3690 Grandview Pkwy.Birmingham, AL 35243205-971-1000www.grandviewhealth.comWhether becoming a new parent or adding to your family - our ded-icated team at the new Grandview Medical Center will make your experience memorable.

McCalla Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry 4814 Bell Hill Rd. Bessemer, AL 35022 205-477-8004 [email protected] www.mccallasmiles.com Dentistry for children, adolescents and patients with disabilities. Ortho-dontics for children and adults. We offer traditional metal brackets as well as the clear Invisalign option.

Med Center HooverUrgent Care-Family Medicine1575 Montgomery Hwy.

Hoover, AL 35216205-822-1150www.medcenterurgentcare.com Serving patients in Hoover and surrounding area, our physicians are board-certified in emergency medicine & family medicine. Offer-ing care and treatment for non-life threatening illnesses & injuries.

Pediatric & Adolescent DentistryDr. Clark Thomas & Dr. Lauten Johnsonwww.alpediatricdentistry.com• Hoover Location1015 Brocks Gap Pkwy.Hoover, AL [email protected]• Birmingham Location3918 Montclair Rd., Suite 206Birmingham, AL [email protected] child’s path to optimum dental health starts here with our kid-friendly staff. Options for in-of-fice sedation or general anesthesia at Children’s Hospital.

MOM’S HEALTH

Brookwood Care Network 205-877-8800 BrookwoodCareNetwork.com The Brookwood Care Network is an extension of the Brookwood physician family, caring for patients in locations all over town – and backed by the resources of Brookwood Medical Cen-ter. Let our Family Care for Yours.

Grandview Medical Group OB/GYN3686 Grandview Pkwy. Suite 320Birmingham, AL 35243205-971-5499www.grandviewhealth.comOur board certified OB/GYNs are passionate about helping women achieve their goals and offer care that is compassionate and personal.

Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham3686 Grandview Pkwy. Suite 300Birmingham, AL 35243205-536-7676www.whsbham.comOur physicians have created an environment for women that is calm, respectful, and supportive. Visit whsbham.com for more information.

St. Vincent’s Health SystemSt. Vincent's BirminghamMonogram Maternity:(205) 212-MOMSSt. Vincent's EastMonogram Maternity:(205) 838-3278Work one-on-one with a birth de-signer to make important decisions about your birth experience. Visit stvhs.com/MM to learn more about M.M. and how you can decide where and how to have your baby.

PRESCHOOLS, DAYCARES & EDUCATION

Covenant Classical Schools and DaycareFour locations in Birmingham • Valleydale 25 Southlake LaneHoover, AL 35244 205-444-5437• Trace Crossings 5390 Magnolia TraceHoover, AL 35255 205-733-5437• Pelham 450 Huntley Pkwy.Pelham, AL 35124 205-620-2626• Homewood 151 Covenant WayHomewood, AL 35209 205-968-1255www.ccslion.com Prep school and Daycare with enrollment from 6 weeks-kindergar-ten. We instill in every child a love for Christ, a love for others, and a love for learning.

Joseph Bruno Montessori Academy 5509 Timber Hill Rd. Birmingham, AL 35242 205-995-8709 205-995-0517(fax) www.jbma.org For 30 years JBMA has equipped children with the essential skills and knowledge they need to thrive as a successful adult. Enrolling toddlers - 8th grade.

Odyssey Early Sch oolswww.odysseyearlyschool.com• Inverness Campus104 Heatherbrooke Park Dr.Birmingham, AL 35242205-991-0039• Trace Crossings Campus401 Emery Dr.Hoover, AL 35244205-988-8829Created by educators featuring state-of-the-art facilities , nurturing teachers with Education degrees, and compre-hensive curriculum that provides your child with age appropriate explora-tion into the world of learning.

Shops and ServicesApplause Dancewear 1629 Oxmoor Rd.Birmingham, AL 35209205-871-STEPwww.appausedancewear.netLargest selection of dancewear in the Southeast. Clothing, shoes and accessories for all types of dance to fit toddler to plus size, teams and individuals.

Becky’s GiftsBrookwood Village 205-414-8067 www.facebook.com/beckysgiftsal Come see the latest in trendy cloth-ing including tops and tunics, sum-mer must-haves, fun and fashion-

able jewelry and other accessories. Baby clothes and gifts!

Christy Pierce Photography, LLC 205-902-0385 [email protected] www.christypiercephotographyllc.com Studio/Onsite photographer cover-ing the entire State of Alabama and open to travel if needed. Specializ-ing in Newborn, Maternity, Family, Children and Wedding Photography.

Escape Day Spa 100 Broadway St. Birmingham, AL 35209 205-414-6062 theplacetoescape.com Come enjoy a Mommy-to-be Mas-sage and many more relaxing spa services at Escape Day Spa.

Kim Brantley Photography [email protected] facebook.com/kimlancasterbrantley www.kimbrantleyphotography.com

Visual Arts by Jessica www.visualartsbyjessica.com www.facebook.com/VisualArts-byJessicaFamily photography, newborn photography, birth stories, Fresh 48 and more.

PARTIES & ENTERTAINMENT

BirthdaysinBirmingham.com Since 1997, Birthdays in Birmingham has been Birmingham’s local birth-day party resource. It is a collection of businesses that provide a birthday party service for children’s parties.

Face Painting Fairy 205-527-2134 [email protected] www.facebook.com/thefacepaint-ingfairy Spreading joy one face at a time.

PERFORMING ARTS & CLASSES

The Academy of the Arts at Samford UniversitySouth Lakeshore Dr. Birmingham, AL 35229205-726-4049 205-726-2810 www.samford.edu/academy-of-the-arts Music for children & adults at Samford University in Homewood. Preschool piano; Kindermusik; private & group piano, voice and strings lessons.

Alabama Ballet 2726 First Ave. S. Birmingham, AL 35233 205-322-4300 [email protected] 1981, changing lives through dance by promoting and foster-ing the development of classical and contemporary ballet through


high-quality performances, dance education, and community outreach.

Alabama Dance Academy 3221 Old Columbiana Rd.Hoover, AL 35226205-978-6820www.aladance.comA state-of-the-art dance instruction fa-cility in the disciplines of ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical/contemporary and Pilates. Founded by professional ballet dancer Pamela Merkel in 1995. Pre-school classes offered.

BSC Conservatory of Fine and Performing Arts900 Arkadelphia Rd.Birmingham, AL [email protected]/academics/music205-226-4960Lessons in piano, voice, violin, band. Preschool classes available.

Dawson Music Academy1114 Oxmoor Rd.Birmingham, AL 35209205-871-7324kjones@dawsonchurch.orgwww.dawsonmusicacademy.orgDawson Music Academy pro-vides a Christian environment for students of all ages to learn about

music. Private music lessons for all instruments, Kindermusik and Music League group classes.

NS Dance Studio 1819 Grants Mill Rd. Birmingham, AL 35210 205-637-7675 nsdancestudio.com Specializing in Ballet/Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical/Contemporary, Tap, Clog-ging, Hip Hop, Dance Team and Pre-School combo classes. Ages begin at 2 years old.

Painting With A Twist Birmingham • Lee Branch/Hoover701 Doug Baker Blvd. Suite #106Birmingham, AL 35242205-637-7777www.paintingwithatwist.com/ birmingham-hoover/Invite your friends and enjoy step-by-step instruction with our experi-enced local artists. From birthday parties to date nights, we can help you celebrate anything!

ENTERTAINMENT & TRAVEL

Birmingham Museum of Art2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.Birmingham, Al 35203205.254.2565www.artsbma.org

Bart’s ArtVenture combines high tech art-making tools with hands-on creation stations to let kids and fam-ilies develop their art education in a creative, communal environment.

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 205-599-0500 www.flybirmingham.com Welcoming travelers to The Magic City and serving as Central Ala-bama’s gateway to the sky more than 80 years.

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism23685 Perdido Beach Blvd.Orange Beach, AL [email protected]/birmingham-parentFind your memorable family vaca-tion with time to relax, explore and enjoy our 32 miles of uncrowded white-sand beaches, variety of attractions/accommodations and great seafood.

McWane Science Center 200 19th St. N. Birmingham, AL 35203 205-714-8414

[email protected] www.mcwane.org Fun and learning never end at McWane Science Center, a nonprof-it, hands-on museum with aquarium and IMAX® Dome Theater. Four floors of interactive exhibits cele-brate science and wonder.

Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena500 Amphitheater Rd. Pelham, AL 35124 205.620.6448www.pelhamciviccomplex.comShelby County’s finest entertain-ment, conference and banquet facility. Two NHL-sized ice arenas, a skating school, birthday party rooms, and 7,000 sq.ft. of elegant banquet & conference space.

VOLUNTEER OPORTUNITIES/CHARITIES

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama1700 Fourth Ave. S.Birmingham, AL 35233 205-638-7263www.rmhca.orgOur House provides a supportive home away from home for families and their children who are receiving medical treatment at area hospitals.

2045 BROOKWOOD MEDICAL CENTER DRIVE, STE 21 • BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209 (205) 870-0892 • DR. ANGELICA R. ROHNER • WWW.DRROHNER.COM

Dental Insurance providers for: BCBS of Alabama, Southland, MetLife, Delta Dental, Guardian, and

United Concordia.


Working together as a team

to provide compassionate

& exceptional oral surgical

care to every patient who

walks through our doors.

Lisa L. Miller DMD, MDOne Inverness Center Pkwy

Suite 200, Birmingham, AL 35242www.lisamillerofs.com

205-789-5075

babybook

Dr . Angelica Rohner is a spe-cialist in the field of Pediatric and Adolescent Dentistry.

What’s so special? Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry, dedicated to the oral health of children, ranging from infants to teens.

Dr. Rohner and her highly trained staff work hard to make each child’s dental visit fun and exciting, resulting in a great at-titude toward dentistry and, ul-

timately, oral health. On a daily basis we hear our patients say, “I love the dentist!”

We take pride in great clin-ical and conversational expe-riences with our patients. We realize that taking care of our patient’s guardian is equally im-portant. Our office works with you to schedule appointments that work best for your child and their schedule. Our conve-nient location makes a trip to

the dentist easy. We also supply text, email and/or phone con-firmations and communication pathways.

It is an honor for our patients' parents to trust us with the well being of their children. This is never taken lightly and is evi-dent in the time that the doctor takes to speak with each par-ent at every dental visit. Let Dr. Rohner and her dental team take care of you and your child. 205-870-0892

www.drrohner.com

Angelica Rohner Pediatric Dentistry “Caring For Each Child Like Our Own”


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Since 1911, Children’s of Ala-bama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children. Ranked among the best pediatric medical centers in the nation by US News & World Report, Children’s pro-vided care for youngsters from every county in Alabama, 41 other states and eight foreign countries last year, represent-ing more than 677,000 out-patient visits and more than

15,000 inpatient admissions. With more than 2 million square feet, it is the third largest pedi-atric medical facility in the U.S.

Children’s offers inpatient and outpatient services across its Russell Campus on Birming-ham’s historic Southside with additional specialty services provided at Children’s South, Children’s on 3rd and in Hunts-ville and Montgomery. Primary care is provided at more than a

dozen medical offices in com-munities across central Ala-bama. Children’s of Alabama is the only medical center in Alabama dedicated solely to the care and treatment of chil-dren. It is a private, not-for-prof-it medical center that serves as the primary site of the Univer-sity of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) pediatric medicine, sur-gery, psychiatry, research and residency programs.

Children's of Alabama

1600 7th Ave. SouthBirmingham, AL 35233

205-638-9100www.ChildrensAL.org



it allbeginsbabieswith

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www.ccslion.comIt All Begins With Babies-Bham Parent.indd 1 3/7/2016 12:21:34 PM

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P Ribbon Cutting and Open HouseandWhen a patient goes in for a surgical procedure at

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l surgeons l anesthesiologists l nurse anesthetists l OR nurses l OR scrub technicians l respiratory therapists

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babybook

Reagin’s friend Anna Maple heard about Jack’s birth story, watched it over and over again and cried like a baby. “It was honestly the most beautiful, well-put-to-gether video showing the story of that day!” Maple says. “I remember showing my husband and saying, ‘I have to do this, I cannot imagine not being able to replay the day I give birth over and over again.’”

“Birth stories” are usually a photo-graphic accounting of the time before, during and after the birth of a child, and many photographers who do them put these photographs into a slide show, with captions, music and even some au-dio, that they can enjoy and relive later.

Jessica Marshall, the photographer who did both the Reagin and Maple birth stories (Palmer Kate Maple, 2014), says it is a way to capture a pivotal moment in life for a family really becoming a fam-ily. “It’s also an overwhelming moment in life that you may not really remember all the details of,” Marshall says. “This is something you will have later to enjoy and even show your child.”

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Birth StoriesHow to Tell Your Child’s “Birth Story”

By Carol Muse Evans

“Every child loves to hear about the day they were born,” says Jennifer

Reagin, who had Visual Arts by Jessica photograph the time before,

during and after the birth of her and her husband Chad’s son, Jack

Parker Reagin, in 2014. “I have something in real motion to show him

(Jack) and his future wife, and it will be another wonderful memory,”

Reagin adds.


How To Schedule A Birth Story For Your Child’s Birth Rachel Smith of Rachel Smith Photog-raphy, who specializes in birth stories and newborn/maternity photography says it is important to choose a cred-ible, experienced photographer – and one who fits your style and personality. “And as cliché as it sounds, you get what you pay for,” Smith says. “Cheap-er is rarely better in the photography world.”

Book as soon as you find out about your due date, Marshall adds. “Babies come when they come…you need a pho-tographer who will be on call for the en-tire month the baby is due – two weeks before and two weeks after.”

Keep your scheduled photographer updated on any changes to the due date or if you go into premature labor, says Christy Pierce of Christy Pierce Photography, who does birth stories, lifestyle, posed newborn and materni-ty photography. “Make sure your pho-tographer knows the plan, the hospi-tal, and if you are having a scheduled

C-section or natural birth.”Be sure to check with the hospital

for birth story and newborn photogra-phy permission, all the photographers stress. “It is becoming more common-place, so most will be fine with it,” Marshall says, “but be sure to clear it in advance.”

You can talk with your photogra-pher about what you want in your birth story, but typically you will find the hospital, the lobby, the date, the nurs-es, doctors, family waiting, dad in his many jobs during the birth and every-thing in the process from ice chips to pushing, to mom and dad holding the baby for the first time, the baby getting cleaned up and weighed, etc., Marshall says. “It’s like I’m a fly on the wall.”

This is one of the reasons you need

to be very comfortable with the photog-rapher, Marshall adds. “They are going to see and experience everything with you. Decide in advance what level of ‘intrusion’ you are comfortable with, get to know the photographer and look at their previous work. This is likely not for you if you are an extremely pri-vate person.”

Rates can vary greatly, so ask in ad-vance what the charges will be for ev-erything, and keep in mind you are hir-ing a photographer to both be on call and be there for the duration of labor and birth. Many start at $1,000, but it is a long-term investment in a lifetime memory, Marshall says. Check with your photographer for what his or her pricing is and what is included.

“Many photographers will work

“It’s an overwhelming moment in life that you may not really

remember all the details of. This is something you will have later

to enjoy and even show your child.” —Jessica Marshall, photographer

Jessica Marshall, photographer


babybook

with you on pricing and payments,” Pierce says. “Ask about this in advance. Many photographers will require a signed contract, which also details what they expect from you as the client and what you should expect from them in return.”

Pierce also suggests you pick a pro-fessional photographer who can give you full service from start to finish on this once-in-a-lifetime event. “It cannot be relived in order to get another shot at doing these pictures over,” Pierce adds.

The “Fresh 48”If the birth story is not for you, an-other option taking off in popularity, known as the “Fresh 48,” is basically a photographic memory of the first 48

hours of the baby’s life. “For a Fresh 48, the photographer comes to the hospital the day after the baby is born (less than 48 hours old) and does a photo session,” Marshall says.

“Some parents like this because the mom can do her hair and makeup, everyone is more relaxed,” Marshall says. “This is a way to capture these memories that have deep meaning to you – and it is candid, as well, like the birth story.”

“The Fresh 48 photos are normal-ly taken with the parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and anyone else that the parents want included,” Pierce says. “They include all the details from head to toe!” Typically, Fresh 48 ses-sions are less expensive than a birth story, the photographers say.

What About Maternity Photos and Newborn Photos?“As time goes on, photographs will be all that’s left of our special moments so it’s super important that we invest in them wisely,” Smith says.

While there are many photogra-phers in our area, Smith says each is special and unique in their own way, but it’s important to choose a photographer that fits your style and personality.

Don’t wait, Smith says. Many pho-tographers book a month or two in ad-vance. “Maternity pictures are best if captured between 27 to 37 weeks preg-nant,” Pierce says.

When it comes to newborn photos, ask the photographer about their ex-perience with newborn photography, Pierce adds. Make sure you see ex-amples of their work. Also ask: Is the photographer insured? Does the pho-tographer do composites when doing a “dangerous” pose (one that involves as-sistance because of a newborn’s inabil-ity to hold its head up)? How long are

“I remember showing my husband and saying, ‘I have to do this,

I cannot imagine not being able to replay the day I give birth over

and over again.’” — Anna Maple


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the sessions? Are breaks included in the time, and do you charge separately to include siblings or adults? These are all questions Pierce says you should ask in advance, as well as the turnaround time for pho-tographs.

“Typically parents do newborn photos, then pho-tos at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months in short sessions,” Mar-shall adds. Ask about booking in advance for these sessions and multiple session discounts.

“The more questions you ask, the better,” adds Smith. “Ask about session fees, minimum orders, what the package includes, etc. Get to know your photographer beforehand.”

I am beyond glad we did a birth story,” says Ma-ple. “I don’t remember anything that happened ex-cept when my water broke and they checked us into the hospital. With all the pain, emotions and excite-ment, there was just a lot going on, including the birth of a child! It was one of the best decisions we have ever made,” Maple says.

“My husband and I watch (our birth story of Jack) just about every time my son has a milestone,” Reagin adds. “It’s amazing to watch it and think how far he has come in such a short amount of time and how much we have grown as parents since that day.”

Carol Muse Evans is publisher of Birmingham Parent.


babybook

How much does it cost to adopt a child? Do I have to be married? Own my home?

Here’s answers to many misconceptions about adoption from someone who knows

By Stephanie Rodda

Answering the Adoption Questions:

Adoption is becoming more common and we are hearing more and more about it, which is good. Sometimes, however, what we hear may lead to many misconceptions. We hear the stories of celebrities who have adopted. We see where friends and friends of friends are having adoption fundrais-ers. We celebrate with people we know as they post photos on social media of trips overseas to meet their children for the first time.

We see all of this and soon we begin to conclude that adoption can be very expensive and even though we might have considered adoption ourselves, we may begin to systematically rule ourselves out. After all, many of us aren’t wealthy and we could never afford that. We don’t own our own home. We aren’t married. We aren’t the right age. We would surely never qualify.

Donna Brock, recruitment specialist for Alabama Pre/Post Adoption Con-nections (APAC) and Alabama State Department of Human Resources (DHR), says that the three most common misconceptions most people have about adoption qualifications are the cost of adoption, marital status and personal wealth.

Two of these three top misconceptions concern money. Many of the people who call the adoption information hotline Brock answers assume they must be in a position to invest a lot of money and therefore make a lot of money. For accurate answers and information you can rely on, you can call 1-866-425-5437. Often callers are concerned that they must meet criteria that doesn’t exist.


*Names were changed to protect privacy.

Stephanie Rodda is a freelance writer and author who resides in the Birmingham area with her husband and children. She and Henry were Alabama state licensed foster parents for fifteen years and adopted seven children by foster-adop-tion. In addition to writing articles, devotionals and blog-ging, Stephanie has recently published her first fictional novel, How Then Shall We Live? which can be purchased at Amazon.com.

How much does it cost to adopt? This is a question that is often asked and commonly misunderstood. In order to accurately answer this mon-ey matter, another matter must first be clarified. There are many adoption options and while some of them can be, not all of them are costly.

While all adoptions have common factors such as home studies and back-ground checks, they can vary greatly when it comes to cost. All adoptions are not the same and if money, or a lack of it, is what has kept you from following up on a desire to add a child to your family you may want to get the facts.

While a private or inter-national adoption can cost tens of thousands of dollars, an adoption through the state or county foster care system

can be practically cost free, according to Brock. While there is no right or wrong choice when it comes to this beautiful way of building a family, there is a question to consider. Which type of adoption is right for you?

My husband and I have adopted seven children. Out of seven adoptions, six were assisted by social workers and the Department of Hu-man Resources. Not only are subsidies available for financial assistance during the adoption process, but also possible subsidies to help with special needs, in-surance benefits, or other identified issues such as at-torney fees. Both state and federal programs participate in these subsidies and while the exact subsidy amount and details vary, most will continue until 18 years of age and according to special circumstances, possibly un-til 21.

According to the govern-ment-published Child Wel-fare Information Gateway document Costs of Adoption, many public agencies waive home study costs, (and) reim-burse most or all expenses. See www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/s_costs.pdf for the full document.

Pamela* and her hus-band, now in the adoption process, discussed their op-tions and chose private do-mestic adoption as the route they would take. Having one son that they were still rais-ing in the home was a factor in their decision. They re-searched how the addition of a child into the home older than him might impact their family dynamics. The cost of private adoption was one they were comfortable with and although there was a several-year wait, they were able to adopt an infant and

fulfill their dream.Bethany* and her hus-

band, in also mid-adoption, decided to adopt after having one biological child and were inspired by Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman’s adoption of a daughter from China. The more they read and learned about the pro-cess of international adop-tion, the more convinced they were that this was the route they were to take. It wasn’t easy and it was cost-ly, but by drawing on their savings and supportive fam-ily members, they were able to adopt not once, but twice from China.

Diana* and her husband, now foster parents, have chosen to foster-adopt. They have not adopted yet but are well on their way as newly state trained and licensed foster parents for the state of Alabama. Cost was definite-ly a factor. Like many others who are seeking adoption,

they had attempted a num-ber of medical procedures for infertility treatments. Such an experience can be both emotionally and finan-cially exhausting. Their hearts were influenced by a strong faith and the answer seemed clear, they say. By be-coming foster-adoptive par-ents they could reach out to the children in need in their own area as well as have the opportunity to adopt a child when it was possible.

As you consider the adoption options before you, remember: You do not have to be wealthy, married, own your own home, have a college degree, be a stay-at-home parent or necessarily spend a lot of money to adopt a child.

There are other resourc-es other than DHR. One of the most helpful we have found is the Children’s Aid Society in Birmingham. It has a number of supports in place for both pre-adop-tive and post-adoptive fami-lies. We have benefited from counseling services, an extensive adoption library and adoption-related events. They have listings of Ala-bama’s waiting children as well as many other helpful resources for those consid-ering adoption or waiting for that placement call. More information can be found at childrensaid.org or by call-ing the adoption hotline pro-vided above.

If being affluent were a requirement for adopting a child, many of us, including myself and my husband, would not qualify. Thank-fully, while adoption does require home studies, pa-tience, training, screening and effort, it does not neces-sarily require large amounts of money. I’m thankful that is the case. My life has been made richer because of our children whom we have adopted. I’m so glad fos-ter-adoption was an option we could not only afford but was the best choice for build-ing our family.

My life has been made richer because of our children whom we have adopted.

— Stephanie Rodda

Photos courtesy of Stephanie Rodda

HELPFUL LINKS:

www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adopt-assistance/

www.fosterparentjournal.org/book/adoptionsubsidies


babybook

Many new mothers who would like to provide breast milk for their babies, but can’t because of hers or the ba-by’s medical issues have a resource in Birmingham – Mothers Milk Bank of Alabama.

The milk bank is the first non-prof-it milk bank in the state. It collects, processes and distributes excess hu-man breast milk to provide necessary nutrients to babies in need and sick or premature infants, or to help moms

who can’t supply their own milk be-cause of stress, medications or other complications.

The bank only sells directly to hos-pitals, or on an outpatient basis with a doctor’s prescription, says Katherine Wood, milk bank program director.

Breast milk is especially needed in hospitals to help boost the health of ba-bies who suffer from several complica-tions, such as renal failure, premature infants born with less than 32 weeks gestation, allergies or infective diseas-es, infants with formula intolerance or metabolism errors, immunity deficien-cy, intestinal malformations and more. And, once home, some babies have feed-ing intolerance or failure to thrive, and can benefit from breast milk.

“There are some situations where the mother cannot provide milk, or the supply is not enough to feed the baby,” Wood says. “Some babies are born pre-mature and the mother’s milk has not come in. We are able to provide based on medical need.”

The bank is housed in the Commu-nity Food Bank of Central Alabama,

where it began accepting donations as a collection depot for the Mothers Milk Bank of North Texas. After a year, it now screens and collects breast milk donations from Birmingham and great-er Alabama mothers, and in November 2015, it sent out the first breast milk pasteurized in Alabama. It is a member of the Human Milk Banking Associa-tion of North America.

The bank currently has more than 60 donors. Moms who want to donate excess breast milk can contact the milk bank for a health history and blood work – tests that the bank pays for, Wood says. Then, moms deliver the milk to the bank, where it is tested, pas-teurized and stored in a freezer until it is delivered.

Moms who do donate breast milk usually do so because they have extra milk to donate, have lost a baby and may want to donate milk, or have a baby who will not take breast milk from a bottle, Wood says.

For more information, call Wood at 205-942-8911 x117, email her at [email protected] or go to www.mmbal.org.

Mothers Milk Bank of Alabama Provides Donated Breast Milk for Babies in NeedBy Lori Chandler Pruitt



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Today’s generation of parents-to-be have a new way of celebrating that is trending to be as popular as baby show-ers, but without the gifts! Gender reveal parties are all the rage with a myriad of Pinterest-inspired themes and ideas centered on revealing the unborn baby’s gender in a party-like setting with fami-ly and friends.

Recently, my family experienced this new generation frenzy first hand when we planned a gender reveal party for our first grandchild. Following an ul-trasound where the technician printed out a picture with GIRL written across the bottom, and handed to me safely in a sealed envelope, the planning began. I have been to countless baby showers, but gender reveal? Nope, I had no idea what to do, so I Googled it!

The Internet proved to be an in-

valuable tool, particularly Pinterest. It offered ideas for themes with slogans, games, foods and reveal options. There were so many choices and it didn’t take long for me to become overwhelmed. With paper and pen in hand, I set out to plan the ultimate gender reveal.

First things first…The first thing to realize is that this is a celebration for the parents because they do not know the gender! In some cases, the parents-to-be are the ones throwing the party, and in other cases (like ours) it was the grandparents-to-be (on both sides – his and hers). Carrying out the wishes of the expecting parents is par-amount to a successful party, and with that in mind, we all sat down and picked out the centerpiece for which the event would be planned around first and fore-

most…the cake! We decided to choose a themed cake (elephant) and have the baker use a colored batter to reveal the gender of the baby (pink or blue respec-tively). When the cake is cut and the gender is revealed, this is the focal point of the party…the first point in which the parents and all the guests share in excitement surrounding the new life! Below are more ideas for the reveal:

✱ Pink or blue helium balloons placed in a wrapped box, opened by the parents or a sibling.

✱ If the couple has decided on a name, a banner bearing the gender-specific name may be revealed at some point during the party or placed in an incon-spicuous place as a reveal.

✱ Piñatas are a fun way to reveal, espe-cially if there are lots of younger kids attending the party. Fill the piñata with pink or blue candies and when it breaks, the secret is also spilled!

✱ Fortune cookies that all say some-thing like THINK PINK or SNIPS AND SNAILS are a cute reveal as well.

Gender Reveal Parties:He or She – What Will It Be?By Becky J. Beall


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Details, details…After choosing the reveal and the theme, the rest seems to fall into place and delegating begins, much in the same way as a baby shower would. The cake, of course, would be the center-piece of the table and we had equal amounts of pink, blue and white balloons filled with helium as the main source of decora-tion in the room with one of each color placed on the mailbox for added anticipation. We rolled up plastic-ware in pink nap-kins tied with blue ribbon for table decoration and added a blue plush elephant for additional theme reference and color.

Party foods…The decision to have heavier foods proved to be a good choice due to the evening timing for the party. Chicken salad on cres-cent rolls, fruit and veggies with dip all filled beautiful platters as well as bellies! Rounding out the tablescape was the most fun part…the sweet treats in full baby theme! Below are some fun choices (thanks again to Pinterest):

✱ Oreo cookies with half the cookie dipped in white chocolate, then sprinkled with pink or blue little baby-themed sprinkles.

✱ Baby Hershey candy bars with blue or pink ribbon tied around them, or using Sharpies, color the HE part of Hershey with blue and the SHE part with pink.

✱ Candy molds with baby feet, booties and other themes are relatively inexpensive and are great for filling glass bowls with sweet little themed treats.

✱ Glass jars filled with pink and blue candies respectively add a pretty touch to the table as well as a fun treat for the kids (big kids included)!

✱ Pink lemonade is a great punch in keeping with the theme.

Games…While we opted not to play games, there are lots of options! Wooden clothespins painted blue or pink are always fun. Place in a bucket by the door and offer each guest to wear the color that corresponds with what they believe the gender will be. Ev-eryone wearing the correct color at the time of the reveal may be rewarded with a small prize.

If someone is videoing the event, have them film different guests offering their thoughts on what the gender will be, keep-ing in mind that even the smallest of guests have the cutest com-ments. Take lots of pictures for the baby book. Also, this is a good venue in which to give small gifts to siblings of the new baby, but it is not a baby shower, so no baby gifts are expected.

In the end…While gender reveals are a new way of celebrating, these ideas are only the tip of the iceberg. Check out Pinterest (type in gen-der reveal party) and don’t discount your own creativity for put-ting a different spin on something specific that you love. Choose foods and themes that you love and include folks that are near and dear to you and the new baby to help roll out a celebration to remember.

Becky Beall is a local travel writer and host of “The Travel Voice By Becky.”


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There’s always at least one kid nose picking on stage during the holiday recital. You either breathe a sigh of relief because it’s not your kid, or wave frantically for him or her to cut it out because it is.

Inappropriate social behaviors are something all kids embarrass parents with from time to time – and often it’s in a situation where the humiliation factor will be extra strong. Children do what feels good and seems natural at the time. It takes time to learn about boundaries and social expectations.

Some of the most common behaviors that make parents cringe include nose picking, spitting, putting fingers in the mouth, licking things, lifting

up a shirt, “adjusting” clothing, picking scabs and touching other peo-ple. Dr. Serena Paterson, Ph.D., psychologist and author of “Hunter,

Faith and the Ancestors,” says it’s important to deal with these issues quietly and without shaming the child.

She suggests giving the child a reminder. “Some parents have a visual signal, such as mom pulling her own ear, for when speaking about the behavior aloud would draw further attention,” Paterson says.

Early childhood expert Colleen Payne is the director of Montes-sori Country Day School and has seen about every possible inappro-priate social behavior many times in over a decade of working with

young children. “When children are learning social norms, gentle reminders that do not call undue attention to the issue are best,” she

says. “For most children, overreacting is unnecessary and can cause them to repeat the behavior to seek attention.”

Some of the clear phrases payne suggests include:

“Please let you shirt cover your body to keep it safe.”

“We use a tissue to clean our nose. Let me get you one.”

“Food needs to stay inside our mouths while we are eating.”

“Hands may go in pockets, but not in our underwear.”

“Please stay in your chair right now.”

Sometimes children struggle with appropriate social behavior longer than expected. When a child is not learning social cues, not responding to redirection, or is unmanageable at home and at school despite consistent reinforcement, it may be time to talk to your pediatrician about your con-cerns, Payne says. She suggests documenting examples from home, school and other settings to help your child’s doctor direct you to the right kind of specialist if necessary.

Paterson recommends parents try to determine if the child is continu-ing the undesirable behavior because they can’t stop or because they don’t want to stop. If the child is under six, he or she just might need more time to catch up to their peers socially. Payne recommends seeing a pediatrician if the child is six or over and still seems unable to suppress unacceptable behaviors in public. However, she adds, “If the child seems to have control and refuses to stop the behavior anyway, a counselor can help, even if the child is under 6.” If you aren’t sure if the behavior is intentional, consult your pediatrician.

Children outgrow most gross habits like nose picking with time and redirection. In the meantime, know you aren’t alone in being embarrassed by your sweet little darlings. Just think, you’ll have funny stories to tell for decades after they grow up.

Rachel Moshman is a freelance writer.

How to Deal With Your Child’s Gross Behavior

Ewww GROSS! By Rachael Moshman


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Allergies have the ability to trigger sev-eral symptoms within children. Inher-ited from one or both parents, children commonly experience symptoms of allergic rhinitis … affecting about 20-25% of all children. These symptoms can include nasal congestion, itchy nose and/or eyes, sneezing, wheezing and cough, and ear infections or fluid.

While these are mainly nuisance problems, symptoms can severely hamper quality of life and cause many missed school days and, therefore, missed work days for parents. They can affect the ability of the children to get restful sleep at night making them tired and grumpy the next day. Your child could even develop problems with teeth and facial growth if nasal congestion results in mouth breathing.

Allergies can be seasonal or year round. Seasonal allergies usually develop in the spring and/or fall and are caused by pollen in the air. This includes the malady known as “hay fever” in the fall caused by ragweed pollen. However, fever does not exist amongst the symptoms but rather na-sal congestion, running, and sneezing. The spring season triggers mostly tree pollen allergies, and during the sum-mer children can be exposed to grass pollen. Year around allergies are usu-ally caused by dust, dust mites, molds, and animals. The symptoms are simi-lar to what is felt during allergy season, but are more persistent.

Food allergies, on the other hand, generally lead to nausea, cramps, diar-rhea, or hives and eczema.

But whatever type of allergy your child is suspect to, it’s important to note that allergies do not cause fever. This is what separates an allergy attack from a virus or infection.

Treatment for allergies include over-the-counter antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays. These can be tried by parents without a doctor’s advice; however a physician should be consulted if you don’t see success within a few days. Other medications are available by prescription from your pediatrician, allergist, or otolar-yngologist (ENT). In addition, allergy tests can be performed to see what your child is allergic to and sometimes allergy desensitization (shots) may be needed.

Although not yet FDA approved (nor covered by insurance), there is ongoing research to prove the efficacy of allergy drops under the tongue. It is available in our community by sev-eral ENT allergy doctors and is a very promising treatment.

While allergic rhinitis causes many adverse symptoms on your child’s quality of life, early identifica-tion of childhood allergies can greatly improve your child’s well-being. Many treatments are efficacious and easy, and parents should seek help from a physician who is knowledgeable about allergies.

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Best for Finding a Great Dog Sitter DogVacayDogVacay connects pet owners with pet sitters across the country. Once you’ve downloaded the app, put in your zip code in order to select from pet sitters in your area, who have been pre-screened by the folks at DogVacay. While you’re gone your pet is covered by pet insurance, should he become ill or injured, and you have access to a customer support hotline 24/7. You’ll

TOP 7 APPS AND WEBSITES FOR PET OWNERSFollowing are the top seven best apps

and websites for pet owners, according

to PetCoach. These free apps provide

fantastic services, from help in finding a

lost pet to health concerns:

pet pages

also receive daily updates about how your pet is doing, including pictures.Cost: FREEPlatforms: Website, iPhone and AndroidMore info: http://dogvacay.com

Best for Finding a Forever Friend PetFinderPetfinder makes it easy to search for the perfect for-ever friend. They work with rescues and shelters in your area to show you pets that fit your criteria. You can specify what species and breed you’re inter-ested in – even purebreds that are up for adoption! After that, narrow your search even further to zero in on the size and age of pet you want. Depending on the organization that’s posting the pet, you can learn all kinds of information about adoptable pets, including whether they’re good with children. Cost: FREEPlatforms: Website, iPhone and AndroidMore info: http://petfinder.com continued on page 30


CLIENT: Mars PedigreePRODUCT: Pedigree Chihuahua JOB#: 716469-1SPACE: Full Page 4/CBLEED: 8.75” x 11.25”TRIM: 8.25” x 10.75”SAFETY: 7.25” x 9.75”GUTTER: NonePUBS: Birmingham ParentISSUE: AprilTRAFFIC: Al HadjukART BUYER: NoneACCOUNT: Elizabeth KelbergRETOUCH: NonePRODUCTION: Len RappaportART DIRECTOR: Banks NoelCOPYWRITER: None

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Best for Getting Professional Pet AdvicePetCoachPetCoach gives you access to experts from all animal-related fields, including veterinarians, behaviorists, and trainers. You can ask short questions for free, and receive short answers back. If your concern is more complicated, you can engage in a private chat or phone call with an expert. And you can browse more than 100,000 answered questions to see if other pet owners have already inquired about the very thing you’re interested in.Cost: FREEPlatforms: Website, iPhone and AndroidMore info: http://PetCoach.co

Best for Getting Pet Insurance Quotes PetInsuranceQuotes.comJust like any shopping that involves insurance, it can be confusing to compare plans and benefits. PetInsuranceQuotes.com makes it simple to look at the offerings of 12 different

pet insurance companies. You can compare coverage details as well as monthly premiums. You can also learn all the ins and outs of the specific coverage you’re interested in, includ-ing deductibles, copayments and coverage for pre-existing conditions.Cost: FREEPlatforms: Website onlyMore info: http://PetInsuranceQuotes.com

Best for Taking Purrrfect Pet PhotosBarkCamBarkCam is a simple app that plays an atten-tion-grabbing sound when you hit the shutter button, just before it snaps a picture. You’ve got options ranging from “wailing siren” to “squeaking mouse” to “howling dog” to “moo-ing cow,” allowing you to select the sound that brings out your pet’s inner supermodel. And BarkCam makes it easy to share your pet’s photos on social media, after adding fun ef-fects like hats and monocles, of course.

Cost: FREEPlatforms: iPhone and AndroidMore info: http://barkpost.com/barkcam/

Best Repository of Valuable Pet Information PetMD.comPetMD is a web-based repository of valuable information on a wide range of topics interest-ing to pet owners. There’s information about specific breeds of pets, information about how to care for pets, and more. There are fun fea-tures such as lists of most popular cat names, as well as articles authored by veterinarians on many different diseases and treatments. The app allows you to put in the symptoms you’re seeing in your pet, and it tells you the possible diseases that could be causing them.Cost: FREEPlatforms: Website onlyMore info: http://petMD.com Courtesy of PetCoach.com

pet pages continued from page 28


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DESTINATIONGUIDE

Check Out the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores May 20-22

Due to its enviable lineup and dream-like, oceanside set-ting, The Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores is recog-nized as one of the top live music events in the country.

The May 20-22 lineup was announced early to feature headliners like Florence and the Machine, The Alabama Shakes, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding, alongside recent Grammy nominees Jason Isbell, Leon Bridges, and The Weekend. Last year’s festival sold out, set attendance re-cords, and infused over $31 million into the local economy.

Attendees travel from across the country to expe-rience a top-notch festival where no detail or luxurious comfort is spared – from towering art installations to breezy shaded lounges and poolside stages. For more in-formation on tickets, accommodations and more, www.hangoutmusicfest.com.

If you and your family are planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains soon, consider staying at Wilderness at the Smokies in Sevierville, just a short drive to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and many attractions.

Wilderness at the Smokies might be a parent’s dream, as there is so much to enter-tain the whole family that is included in the accommodations’ price. Three water parks – one indoor (during rainy or cold weather) and two outdoor mean you can have fun in the water no matter when you visit.

Be sure to check out the Adventure For-est dry, family adventure center. Featuring a three-story ropes course, multi-level laser

tag, black light mini-golf, mega arcade and much more. There’s plenty of fun here for grownups, too.

You can go off site to dine, or try one of the eating establishments on the property. For each adult breakfast or dinner buffet purchase, receive a children’s (age 11 and younger) breakfast or dinner buffet FREE. This is only for Wilderness guests. And if the buffet is not available, the promotion applies to children’s “off the menu” items. Try the Hidden Trail Bar & Grill, offering “off the menu” items for breakfast, lunch (seasonal) and dinner, as well as an excellent selection of beverage choices at the bar. There’s also

the Thirsty Miner Restaurant offering family breakfast and dinner buffets, as well as “off the menu” items for breakfast, lunch (season-al) and dinner.

There’s also a market and deli on site for you to have items in your room, and numer-ous snack bars around the water parks for a quick bite to eat without ever leaving the fun.

Accommodations include a studio suite (a basic “hotel” room, but with mini fridge and microwave) one and two bedroom suites and handicapped accommodations, too. For more information and specials, visit www.wildernessatthesmokies.com. For more about Sevierville, visit http://visitsevierville.com.

Photo courtesy of Polished Pig Media

Photo by Carol Muse Evans

Waterparks and More for the Whole Family at Wilderness at the Smokies


IT’S ALL HERE...Everything you need to

keep the family entertained

• 36 vacation-rental houses with lake views and two-six bedrooms

• Nine-hole putt-putt golf course

• Zip line• Beach with 120-foot

water slide

• Two pools• Boat ramp & docks with

� sh-cleaning facilities• Two volleyball courts• Tennis & basketball court• Outdoor movie theater• Playground

Chesnut Bay Resort | chesnutbayresort.com | 256.526.77784480 County Road 44 | Leesburg, AL 35983

Airplane Travel Activities for Kids

By Kerrie McLoughlin

My husband finds himself on an airplane for work travel often. Having five kids himself, he is always very understanding of loud kids, energetic kids, meltdowns, kids kicking his seat and more. But we all know he is a rare kind of airplane traveler, so when you find yourself on a plane, here are some ideas for keeping your own kids occupied so they don’t disturb others (or minimally, anyway!)

Help your child pack a bag of fun stuff to do while on the plane. Drawstring backpacks are becoming very popular with kids and can hold just the right amount of coloring books, books, crayons and small toys. “I Spy” books are perfect for the pre-reading set. Crayola’s Color Wonder line is amazing and does not leave a mark anywhere but on the special paper!

Even if you never do this, now would be a good time to try the old parental bribe (or call it a “reward” if you are more comfortable with that). For instance, for every five minutes your child is reasonably quiet (we aren’t looking for com-plete silence or non-movement here), she gets a few fruit snacks or a piece of sugarless gum which you have packed in your own small carry-on bag or purse. If it’s a long flight, maybe you whip out a new dollar store toy for every half hour he is behaving well.

Consider travel-sized games like magnetic checkers, bin-go or tic-tac-toe. Lacing cards, Colorforms (those flat plastic pieces that go on a flat board, www.Colorforms.com), card games, stickers and workbooks all also work to keep kids en-tertained during a flight.

Depending on the age of your child, consider books of mazes, word searches, crossword puzzles or other fun games on paper. You can print out tons of great things from the In-ternet for free also.

When everything else has lost its shine, of course you are allowed to break out the handheld video games or a portable DVD player with headphones. “Whatever works” is the mot-to for getting through an airplane trip – long or short – with kids.

Kerrie McLoughlin (TheKerrieShow.com) was last on a plane when her oldest son was only one year old, and thankfully it was a short flight!


DESTINATIONGUIDE

Great Low or No-Cost Activities in Gatlinburg, TN

If you are planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains this spring/sum-mer, here are some great activities that are very inexpensive or no cost, a must for every family outing.

Gatlinburg Community Center (www.gatlinburg.com) has indoor swimming pool, racquetball, basketball and bowling alley for a small fee.

Walk the Parkway with a self-guided Gatlinburg history tour, win-dow shop, visit the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts community, and enjoy Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales free street entertainment and visit Arrowmont Galleries.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of Gatlinburg with the City Trolley System for a small fee.

Bundle Tickets for attractions. Look online for bundling and cou-pons to get the best discounts.

Ober Gatlinburg (www.obergatlinburg.com) offers attractions a la carte or in economical wristbands.

Located on the banks of the beautiful 30,200 acre Weiss Lake, Alabama, Chesnut Bay Resort is an all-seasons resort offering guests an easy-paced vacation and surrounded by lush forest lands, cloaked by beautiful starry nights.

We provide comfortable lake houses and poolside villas, each outfitted to create “a home away from home” atmosphere. Ranging from 2-6 bedrooms, our vacation rentals can fit any travel budget.

Chesnut Bay’s full service resort amenities include deep water lake access, swimming pools, a lake water slide and

beach activities, walking trails, playgrounds, put-put golf, tennis and covered picnic areas. Highly ranked for its year round fishing and known as the “Crappie Capital of the World”, Weiss Lake offers strong crappie, striper, catfish and bass fishing opportunities. Chesnut Bay has all of the lakeside amenities that help make your fishing trips comfortable, productive and most of all, fun!

Whether planning a yearly fishing trip, a family summer vacation or just a quiet weekend away, Chesnut Bay has what you need for a truly memorable experience!

Chesnut Bay Resort | chesnutbayresort.com | 256.526.7778

4480 County Road 44 | Leesburg, AL 35983

The Flight of a Lifetime Awaits You in Sevierville

A highlight to a trip to Sevierville is an old-fashioned biplane ride with Sky High Tours at the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport (www.skyhighairtours.com). You can experience the romance and adventure of flying in an open cockpit biplane for a bit of sight-seeing above Sevierville and Pigeon Forge in an authentic 1927 Waco Model 10 Straight wing, pronounced “Wah-Co” like taco. There are 36 Waco Model 10’s registered in the US and maybe a dozen are still flying, so you will be taking a ride in a true piece of American history, according to pilot Marc Hightower. This aircraft is an authentic vintage biplane, not a replica and has been lovingly restored to “like new” condition.

Children as young as two up to adults can experience what it is like to fly with the wind in your hair in a plane from yesteryear, while seeing a bird’s eye view of the Smoky Mountains. Great photo opportunities here. Headsets are provided so you can com-municate with the pilot in flight (it’s noisy!), and goggles and silk scarves are optional. Hightower will make you feel safe and secure and give you a tourist’s view of the area while in flight. Hightower can also tell you all about the actual plane and the history of the biplane. Pricing starts at $99.

For more information on flights and pricing, visit the website or call 865-742-2359.

Photo courtesy of Carol Muse Evans

TRAVELVOICE

the

BY BECKY

Catch The Travel Voice by Becky on Saturday’s in Shelby County on FM 99.9 APH Radio at 11 a.m. and anytime on iHeart Radio!Great travel information, special deals, awesome guests, spectacular on location LIVE events and amazing giveaways!

The only voice in travel that MATTERS!

For more information, visit thetravelvoicebybecky.com


DESTINATIONGUIDE

The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Point Clear, on beautiful Mobile Bay, is consistently ranked one of the top Marriott resorts for guest satisfaction, spas, pools, dining and golf. There are 405 large guest rooms in five buildings on 550 acres, seven restaurants and lounges, and has been named one of Travel + Leisure’s Top 500 Hotels in the World.

Enjoy friendly, helpful staff, fantastic accommodations, a large family pool complex, a pri-vate adult pool (with pool butlers), the beauty of the bay, a world-class, full-service spa, gift shop, fitness center, beautiful grounds, two beaches on the bay, tennis, golf, dining, kids’ activ-ities and more.

Seven restaurants offer fine and casual dining options. There is fresh seafood from Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico; the Grand Steakhouse offers great selections along with spectac-ular views, and received the AAA Four-Diamond Award. Restaurants and lounges also are available poolside, and there is a coffeehouse, too.

The hotel underwent a $50 million major renovation in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina, and rooms were renovated in 2010. The Grand is part of the Renaissance hotels group, and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

For more to enjoy, there is a 37-slip marina at the resort that includes boat charters for guests. Or, drive the short distance along the bay to the picturesque city of Fairhope, known for unique, one-of-kind shops and cafes/restaurants; it’s easy to park and walk. Shops offer cloth-ing, gifts, art, home décor, toys, antiques and much more. There’s also a small grocery store for anything you might have forgotten.

By the way, the Grand also is well-known for its family-friendly atmosphere and kids’ activ-ities. The Grand Fun Camp is available for two sessions daily, from 10am to 2pm, and 6-10pm. Games, fishing, duck feeding, croquet and horseshoes, along with a Fun Camp Room with air hockey, video games and arts and crafts, are available. Counselors are there daily to lead the fun. For more information, go to www.marriottgrand.com. Ph

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The historic “Grand” is the “Queen of Southern Resorts” on Mobile Bay By Lori Chandler Pruitt

Family amenitieswith you in mind


BIRMINGHAM PARENT'S SUMMER CAMP 2016

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FUN-FILLED SUMMERS START HERE

JUNE 6-AUGUST 5ENTERING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 8TH GRADE

Enroll in Birmingham-Southern College’s

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Music and Theatre Camp 2016

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Dawson Family of Faith • Dawson Memorial Baptist Church1114 Oxmoor Road . Birmingham, Alabama 35209

871-7324www.dawsonmusicacademy.org

For more information contact:

Summer Music Camp:June 20-24, 2016

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HIGH FLYINGSUMMER CAMPSAviation Adventure CampJune 15-19, Ages 6-10July 13-17 Ages 10 & up9 a.m. - 3 p.m. (Early drop off and late pick up available)30 Junior Aviators per class

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BIRMINGHAM PARENT'S SUMMER CAMP 2016

Recognized as one of the South’s favorite Christian summer camps for girls!

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Cast your vote online through April 14www.birminghamparent.com

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LAST MONTH TO ENTER!

Cost: $250.00 per week • Ages: 5-12 • 8am-4pm• 12 Hours of skating time, 2 ½ hours of off-ice workout• 5 hours of Arts & Crafts, 1 PG- rated movie a day• Camp T-shirt• 1 Pizza Party and Tons of Fun!• 1 On-Ice Exhibition of tricks learned for mom & dad

Pelham Skate School

Summer IceSkating Camps

LEARN TO SKATE / LEARN TO PLAY HOCKEY CAMPWeek 1: June 20-24 / Princess / Super Hero Week

Week 2: July 18-22 / Star Wars Week

Week 3: Aug 1-5 / Beach Week

Please register in advance by calling our Pro Shop at 205-620-6448 ext.261

Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena500 Amphitheater Road, Pelham Alabama 35124


M A R K E T P L A C E

Loved by Parents since 1997

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Your local birthday party resource

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Places to Go EntertainmentParty Supplies & Rentals Facilities Coupons

[email protected]/Thefacepaintingfairy

205-527-2134

a ladies boutique with stylish and

aff ordable fashion

$10 OFF a purchase of $50 or more. One coupon/person. Does not apply to previous purchases, sale or clearance items. Expires 4.30.16.

Come see the latest in trendy clothing including tops and tunics, summer must-haves, fun and fashionable jewelry and other accessories.

Becky’s at Brookwood Villagewww.facebook.com/BeckysGiftsAL • 205-414-8067

Check out our baby clothes & gifts!

Learn about the weather withCharles Ghigna’s new board books!

www.capstoneyoungreaders.com

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205-902-0385www.ChristyPiercePhotographyLLC.com

ONLINE!Deadline is the 12th of each month preceding the birthday month. May enter for later months, too.

Visit www.birminghamparent.com/content/ birmingham-parents-birthday-kids.html

NOW ENTER ONLINE AND SEE THE MONTHLY WINNER!


calendar highlightsCalendar sponsored by

Enjoy a free, FUN FAMILY FEST AT VETERANS PARK IN

ALABASTER courtesy of The Owens House, Shelby County

Child Advocacy Center from 10am-2pm. The festival features live music,

dancing, Hand in Paw puppies, child safety information, cupcake walk,

catered finger foods, games, obstacle course, crafts and more. April is

National Child Abuse Prevention Month, so speakers also will share their

experiences with abuse. Learn how to keep kids safe, and prevent child

abuse in your community. 205-669-3333.

9

Spring is a great time of year! Outdoor activities abound, from

community festivals to easygoing hikes for the whole family to

enjoy. Farmer’s markets are opening up. Take a look at all the fun

things to do, and start a new family tradition.

22-23

THE GARDENDALE

MAGNOLIA FESTIVAL

is two days of family

fun at the Gardendale

Civic Center! Three

stages of entertainment,

kid zone, free parking

and free admission.

5-10 on Friday and 9-5

on Saturday. www.

magnoliafestival.org.

Birmingham Parent is a

sponsor.

26THE ALBERT L. SCOTT LIBRARY’S PETE THE CAT BOOK CLUB

will have a special guest from the Audubon Society who will talk

about birds and bird watching. Sign up at 205-664-6822.

The Birmingham Zoo’s newest exhibit is DINO DISCOVERY! It features 12

life-sized, North America-native animatronic dinosaurs at heights of nearly

20 feet, weighing almost seven tons and measuring 85 feet in length!

Explore a trail filled with these magnificent creatures. Through July 31.

PHOTO COURTESY ALBERT L. SCOTT LIBRARY

28THE OAK

MOUNTAIN

SPRING STATE

FAIR is coming with

lots of fun for the

whole family! Held

April 28 to May 8 at

the Oak Mountain

Amphitheatre, enjoy

attractions, rides,

games, live music,

entertainment, food

and more. Information,

hours, www.

oakmountainstatefair.

com.


1 FRIDAY Trussville Spring Carnival Magnolia Mall, Trussville. Popular family event runs through April 3. Information, 205-655-7535, www.trussvillechamber.com.

Ride the Mega Zip Line at Night! 7:30pm, Red Mountain Park. Experience the 80-foot Kaul Ad-venture Tower! Walk into the park at dusk, gear up by the campfire as night falls and enjoy two zips down the 1,000-foot Mega Zip Line. Zip side by side with a friend! $50 per person. Register, 205-202-6043, www.redmoun-tainreservations.org.

2 SATURDAY Hikes for Tykes 10am, Birmingham Botanical Gardens. A hands-on program for preschool children and their fam-ilies. Join Fresh Air Family’s Miss Annie on a magical tour. Look for bugs, tadpoles and a rainbow of flowers. www.freshairfamily.org. FREE.

Birmingham Homeschool FairNoon-5pm, Cahaba Grand Conference Center. Area organi-zations/co-ops/schools/classes to share local resources and information for homeschool fami-lies. Curriculum share area, used curriculum sale for those who want to buy and sell gently-used materials and more. 205-201-0327, http://birminghamhomes-choolfair.com. FREE.

4 MONDAY UAB Music Jazz Ensemble 7-8:30pm, Alys Stephens Center. Directed by Steve Roberts. 205-934-7376, www.uab.edu/cas/music. FREE.

5 TUESDAY Sentimental Journey: The Res-toration of the Lyric Theatre2pm, Hoover Public Library. Photographer and photo blogger Virginia Jones presents a photo talk on the restored Lyric Theatre, built in 1914 and once the finest performing arts theatre in Bir-mingham. 205-444-7840. FREE. Lego League

6-6:45pm, Albert L. Scott Library, Alabaster. Kids of all ages can play with blocks of all sizes.

Birmingham Barons 6:30pm, Regions Field. Exhibition game vs. Miles College. www.barons.com.

8 FRIDAY Spring Book and Bake Sale Preview5-7pm, Albert L. Scott Library, Alabaster. It’s the first night of the library’s three-day book sale and this preview is for Friends of the Albert L. Scott Library members only. But join the Friends for as little as $10 and attend the preview for the best selection! Home-baked brownies and cookies for sale. Proceeds benefit the library’s programs. 205-620-1224.

Alabama Ballet presents Coppelia and the Toymaker 7:30pm, Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, Alabama School of Fine Arts. Tickets, www.alabamaballet.org.

UAB Music Choirs in Concert 7:30-9pm, Alys Stephens Center. Conducted by Brian Kittredge. 205-934-7376, www.edu/cas/music. FREE.

9 SATURDAY Pepper Place Market 7am-noon, 2829 2nd Ave. South. Fresh produce, vendors and more. Rain or shine. www.pep-perplacemarket.com.

Fresh Air Family Fossil Hunt 9am, 1pm, Sumiton. An act of Congress preserved this former strip mine because it is one of the top three Coal Age sites in the world. Keep what you find unless it is a museum quality piece, which has been found before. Two sessions. $10/members $20 non-members. Space limited; register at www.freshairfamily.org under special events.

Spring Book and Bake Sale 9am-3pm, Albert L. Scott Library, Alabaster. Beef up your home library with paperback and chil-dren’s books for 50 cents each

and all other hardback books for $1. Home baked cookies and brownies for sale. Proceeds sup-port the programs and services the library provides the communi-ty. 205-620-1224.

Hikes for Tykes 10am, Birmingham Botanical Gar-dens. For preschool children and their families. Talk about the func-tions of flowers, fruit and seeds, make bean seed necklaces, look for seedlings, buds and flowers. www.freshairfamily.org. FREE.

Family Fun Fest – Be One with Courage 10am-2pm, Veterans Park, Ala-baster. Live music, dancing, Hand in Paw puppies, child safety in-formation, cupcake walk, catered finger foods, games, obstacle course, crafts and more. The Owens House, Shelby County Child Advocacy Center, presents this community event as part of National Child Abuse Preven-tion Month. Speakers will share their experience with abuse. Learn how to keep kids safe, and prevent child abuse in your com-munity. 205-669-3333. FREE.

Health Fair 11am-2pm, McWane Science Cen-ter. McWane and UAB present this health fair with free health screenings and demonstra-tions. Vision screenings, blood pressure tests, exercise demos, Zumba and more! 205-714-8300, www.mcwane.org.

Alabama Ballet presents Coppelia and the Toymaker 7:30pm, Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, Alabama School of Fine Arts. Tickets, 205-202-8142, www.alabamaballet.org.

10 SUNDAY Southeastern Outings Dayhike 1pm, Oak Mountain State Park. This moderate 4-mile walk has ups and downs but will be hiked at a more leisurely pace. Well-be-haved, properly supervised children age 8 and up welcome. Bring a drink. Depart at 1pm from the park office parking lot. Park admission: $5 per person, $2 se-niors. Ed McGurk, 205-245-7894.

Spring Book and Bake Sale 1-3pm, Albert L. Scott Library, Al-abaster. The last day of the book sale is “Fill a Bag Day” with cus-tomers able to fill a brown paper bag with books for only $6.

Alabama Ballet presents Coppelia and the Toymaker 2:30pm, Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, Alabama School of Fine Arts. Tickets, www.alabamaballet.org.

UAB Gospel Choir Spring Concert7-9pm, Alys Stephens Center. Di-rected by Kevin P. Turner. Tickets, 205-975-2787, www.uab.edu/cas/music.

12 TUESDAYFamily Fun Night: Skins & Skulls6pm, Albert L. Scott Library, Ala-baster. Experts from Alabama 4-H presents this program with real animal skins and skulls from sev-eral different species of wildlife native to Alabama. Families with kids in elementary school and above can sign up. All kids must be with an adult. 205-664-6822.

Birmingham Barons 7:05pm, Regions Field. Barons vs. the Tennessee Smokies. Jake the Diamond Dog, magnetic sched-ule giveaway, social media night theme. www.barons.com.

13 WEDNESDAY Birmingham Barons 7:05pm, Regions Field. Barons vs. Tennessee Smokies. Jake the Di-amond Dog, magnetic schedule giveaway. www.barons.com.

14 THURSDAY Birmingham Barons 7:05pm, Regions Field. Barons vs. Tennessee Smokies. Thirsty Thursday, concert series. www.barons.com.

15 FRIDAY Spring Plant Sale 9am-7pm, Brookwood Village. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens presents this three-day popular sale that features more than 100,000 plants. Get expert help! Proceeds benefit educa-tional programs. www.bbgardens.org. Free admission.

PLEASE NOTE: Events may change after publication deadline; please phone ahead to confirm important information. The deadline for submitting calendar items for the May 2016 print issue is April 5. Mail calendar items to: Calendar, Birmingham Parent, 3590B Hwy 31 S #289, Pelham, AL 35124; fax to 987-7600; e-mail to [email protected]; or enter directly to the online calendar at www.birminghamparent.com. Entries added online after the print deadline will not appear in the print version. Information cannot be accepted over the phone. Birmingham Parent publishes a calendar 11 times a year. January events are included in the December issue. Guidelines: Birmingham Parent’s calendar is intended to be a resource and service to the community and our readers. Events which are open to the public, fundraisers, free classes, etc., are events that may be included in our monthly calendar. We reserve the right to reject any event or listing due to rules or space restrictions. For questions regarding calendar entries, call 987-7700 or e-mail [email protected].

Calendar sponsored bycalendar


Birmingham Barons 7:05pm, Regions Field. Barons vs. Tennessee Smokies. Barons wear special Jackie Robinson Day theme jerseys, Friday Night Fireworks. www.barons.com.

Flashdance the Musical 8pm, BJCC Concert Hall. Bir-mingham in Broadway Series. Tickets, 205-458-1022, www.theaterleague.com.

16 SATURDAY Montevallo Arts Festival10am-5pm, Orr Park, Montevallo. Celebrating its 10th year with more than 70 artists, music, food, great for the entire family. Birmingham Parent is a sponsor. www.montevalloartscouncil.org.

Pepper Place Market 7am-noon, 2829 2nd Ave. South, see April 9.

Miracles in Motion 7am registration opens; 8am 5K run/walk; 1-mile run/walk/roll, 9am; Magnolia Mall in Trussville. The Miracle League of Moody special needs baseball league is raising funds for field replace-ment. Registration, information, Mary Chambliss, 615-300-3047, [email protected].

Spring Plant Sale 9am-5pm, Brookwood Village, see April 15.

35th Annual Art in the Village 9am-4pm, Crestline Field, 32 Vine St. The Mountain Brook Art Association’s annual spring art show has been voted the city’s best event. Family-friend-ly show features more than 85 gifted, local artists. Free admis-sion. www.mountainbrookartas-sociation.com.

Hikes for Tykes 10am, Birmingham Botanical Gardens. A hands-on program for preschool children and their families. Join Fresh Air Family storyteller Verna Gates for this legendary tour. Be on the look-out for fairies and dragons! FREE.

Farm Day Birmingham Zoo. Take a look at Alabama’s agricultural heritage with a fun and educational peek into daily farm life! Watch horseshoe making, create rural-themed arts and crafts, examine antique tractors and farm equipment, watch a goat show and more! www.birming-hamzoo.com.

Cornhole Classic Noon-6pm, Good People Brewery, 114 14th St. S. Check in by 12:30pm; play begins at 1pm. This event benefits The Bell Center, which provides therapy for infants and toddlers at risk for developmental delay. Family and pet friendly event. Prizes and more. No charge to watch teams compete. Teams can register at http://www.alabamacornhole.com/bellcen-tercornhole.html.

Flashdance the Musical 2pm, 8pm, BJCC Concert Hall. Birmingham in Broadway Series. Tickets, 205-458-1022, www.theaterleague.com.

Birmingham Barons 7:05pm, Regions Field. Barons vs. Tennessee Smokies. Birdzerk! www.barons.com.

17 SUNDAY Spring Plant Sale 11am-3pm, Brookwood Village, see April 15.

Friends of Red Mountain Park Hike Series 2pm, Red Mountain Park, 2011 Frankfurt Drive. Guided trail hikes at the park; all ages and abilities encouraged, as well as leashed dogs! Meet at the trailhead at 2pm. FREE.

19 TUESDAY Science Café 6-8pm, John’s City Diner. Ex-citing presentation, discussion and trivia. Topic: Advances in Living Organ Donation and Transplantation, presented by Dr. Jayme Locke and Dr. Derek DuBay, UAB Division of Trans-plantation Surgery. FREE. www.mcwane.org.

20 WEDNESDAY UAB Percussion Ensemble in Concert7-8:30pm, Alys Stephens Center. Directed by Gene Fambrough. 205-934-7376, www.uab.edu/cas/music.

21 THURSDAY JCA Invitational Golf Tournament 8am shotgun start, (7:30am check-in), Castle Pines Country Club, 1600 Quail Ridge, Gar-dendale. Jefferson Chris-tian Academy’s annual golf tournament helps raise money for the school’s educational programs. Four-man scramble format, lunch served afterward. Registration deadline is April

Calendar sponsored by

www.magnoliafestival.org

The Total Family

ExperienceCelebratingCelebrating

ANNIVERSARY

CELEBRATINGFAMILIESFORFORFOR

The Total Family

ExperienceCelebratingCelebrating

ANNIVERSARY

The Total Family Experience

ApRil 22 & 23

An original play about how Gardendale

got its name.APRIL 22 & 23

Magnolia Festival Super Friends 5K

APRIL 23 @ 7amSPONSORED BY:

Miss GardendaleMagnolia Festival

PageantJULY 23

FishingTournament

MAY 14

midwaycarnival

free kid zoneCAR SHOW

3 STAGES OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

OLD FASHIONED ARTISANDEMONSTRATIONS

hayridesPOOCH PARADE

cookie eating contestfish for live catfish

150+ VENDOR BOOTHS

The Nix Agency

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Calendar sponsored bycalendar

15. Contact Wendy Burrows, 205-956-9111 or [email protected].

Southeastern Outings Dayhike 9am, Horse Creek Trail, Dora/Sumiton. Easy 3.2 mile walk near Jasper. Wide, level and paved trail. Depart 9am from Kmart Green Springs or meet at 9:30am in the lobby inside the left entrance of Walmart in Sumiton. Dan Freder-ick, 205-631-4680, [email protected].

Bargain Bash5-11pm, 2467 John Hawkins Parkway, Hoover. Join the Junior League of Birmingham for an evening of exclusive access to all the merchandise that will be sold at Bargain Carousel on April 23-24. Fabulous food and tasty beverages from local business-es, incredible auction items and private shopping at bargain prices. Proceeds go to Junior League community programs. http://bar-gaincarousel.net/. Little Library on the Prairie 6:30-7:30pm, Homewood Public Library. Try the pioneer lifestyle channeling Laura Ingalls Wilder and Ma and Pa for a night of family fun on the prairie. 205-332-6619. FREE.

22 FRIDAY

Earth Day: Shred, Recycle, Celebrate!10am-2pm, Homewood Public Library, back parking lot. Games and activities to help celebrate Earth Day. Secure Destruction’s shredding truck will be on hand, as well as Protec Recycling to take old electronics, batteries, appliances, ink cartridges and other items (no TVs or monitors). Information, Heather Cover, 205-332-6621, [email protected]. FREE.

American Girls Club 4pm, Albert L. Scott Library. Ham it up with the 4-H Club! Learn how to communicate with others, develop empathy, public speaking and effective listening. Girls 7 and older can sign up and come with or without doll. 205-664-6822.

Gardendale Magnolia Festival 5-10pm, Gardendale Civic Center. Two days of family fun! Three stages of entertainment, kid zone, free parking and free admission. Birmingham Parent is a sponsor. www.magnoliafestival.org. Singin’ in the Rain, Jr.7-8:30pm, Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School. The “Greatest

Movie Musical of All Time” is faithfully and lovingly adapted by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green from their original award-winning screenplay. Tickets, 205-991-5963, http://www.olvbirmingham.com. Alabama Symphony Orchestra with Boyz II Men8pm, BJCC Concert Hall. Boyz II Men redefined R&B music in the 1990s with their sweet harmonies and stirring ballads. Christopher Confessore, conductor. Tickets, information, 205-975-2787, www.alabamasymphonyorchestra.org.

23 SATURDAY

Pepper Place Market 7am-noon, 2829 2nd Ave. S., see April 9.

Bargain Carousel 8am-5pm, 2467 John Hawkins Parkway, Hoover. A two-day, 1,000-family garage sale! The Junior League of Birmingham presents this sale of quality items to benefit area families and the league’s community projects. Tick-ets, information, 205-879-9861, www.bargaincarousel.net.

Gardendale Magnolia Festival 9am-5pm, Gardendale Civic Cen-ter, see April 22.

Hikes for Tykes 10am, Birmingham Botanical Gardens. A hands-on program for preschool children and their fam-ilies. Stroll through the gardens to see leaves, bugs and trees. A gardens educator will guide. www.freshairfamily.org. FREE.

Touch a Truck 10am-1pm, Vestavia Hills Baptist Church. Climb, discover and explore all kinds of big trucks! Live music, food trucks, play area, crafts and more. Free admission. 205-979-5920.

Alabama 4-H Day10am-6pm, McWane Science Center. Join Alabama 4-H for a fun-filled day, with programs related to STEM programming, gardening, natural resources and more. Check out the movie Robots in IMAX sponsored by the Nation-al 4-H Council. 4-H groups and in-dividual members receive special discounts. For group rates, contact 205-714-8414; individual members will receive $4 off admission price. www.mcwane.org.

Gumbo Gala 11am-3pm, Regions Field. Bene-fitting the residents of Episcopal

Place, a housing community for low-income seniors and adults with disabilities. Cook teams will compete for 15 awards and cash prizes. Live music, artisans, craftsmen, a kid zone and more. $12 in advance, $15 at the gate, and free for children 12 and under. Information, 205-939-0085, www.gumbogala.com.

Party for the PlanetBirmingham Zoo. Celebrate the Association of Zoos and Aquari-ums’ signature event and largest combined Earth Day in North America! Special activities, animal demonstrations, Schaeffer Eye Center Wildlife Shows and local business booths promoting the care and conservation of the plan-et. www.birminghamzoo.com.

Singin’ in the Rain, Jr.5:30-7pm, Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School, see April 22.

24 SUNDAY

Bargain Carousel 1-5pm, 467 John Hawkins Park-way, Hoover, see April 23.

Singin’ in the Rain, Jr.2-3:30pm, Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School, see April 22.

Baby Bird Season: What to Know1:30pm, refreshments; 2pm, Ala-bama Wildlife Center/Oak Moun-tain Interpretative Center. What do you do if you find a baby bird? Is it injured or orphaned? Is it okay to touch it or put it back in the nest? Get the answers. Pay Oak Mountain State Park admission; program is free. 205-663-7930, www.awrc.org.

26 TUESDAY

Pete the Cat Book Club4pm, Albert L. Scott Library, Ala-baster. Besides the regular cool cat fun, a friendly expert from the Audubon Society will talk about birds and bird watching. Kids 5 and older can sign up; children age 6 and younger must be with an adult. 205-664-6822.

28 THURSDAY

Neuroscience Café6:30-7:30pm, Homewood Public Library. Topic: Mechanisms of Addiction. FREE.

Oak Mountain Spring State Fair Oak Mountain Amphitheatre. Lots of fun for the whole family! Attrac-tions, rides, games, live music, en-tertainment, food and more. April 28 to May 8. Information, hours, www.oakmountainstatefair.com.

Birmingham Barons 7:05pm, Regions Field. Barons vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Thirsty Thursday, Mardi Gras in April, crawfish boil. www.barons.com.

29 FRIDAY

Tails in the Trails Birmingham Zoo. Live music, appetizers, drinks and animal encounters at the zoo Junior Board’s annual event. Buy a ticket to support the zoo and enjoy an evening of fun! Must be 21 years old or older to attend. www.birminghamzoo.com.

Birmingham Barons 7:05pm, Regions Field. Barons vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Friday Night Fireworks, superheroes night, three-time Daytona 500 winner Bobby Allison, tornado safety awareness night. www.barons.com.

30 SATURDAY

Pepper Place Market 7am-noon, 2829 2nd Ave. South, see April 9.

Weatherfest 9am-2pm, McWane Science Center. Join the FOX6 Storm Warn team and some special guests on the plaza to learn about severe weather safety! Weather fans will have the chance to see vehicles and tools used by atmospheric scientists to detect and study severe weather. 205-714-8300, www.mcwane.org.

Hikes for Tykes 10am, Birmingham Botanical Gar-dens. A hands-on program for pre-school children and their families. Join Fresh Air Family storyteller Verna Gates for this legendary tour. Be on the lookout for fairies and dragons! FREE.

Feast of Saint Mark Italian Festival 3:30-10pm, Saint Mark the Evan-gelist Catholic Church. This pop-ular event raises money for the church and the charities it works with. Enjoy authentic, high-quality Italian culture and food with deli-cious traditional dishes, high-en-ergy music and live entertainment. On-site pizza baking, bocce ball games and feast souvenirs. Fun activities and rides for children! Tickets, information, http://feastof-stmark.com/tickets.

Birmingham Barons 6:30pm, Regions Field. Barons vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Kids batting helmet giveaway. www.barons.com.


events & attractions

ALDRIDGE BOTANICAL GARDENS 3530 Lorna Road, Hoover. 205-682-8019, www.aldridgegardens.com

ALABAMA JAZZ HALL OF FAME1631 Fourth Ave. N., Birmingham. 205-254-2731, www.jazzhall.com

ALABAMA SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS1800 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd.

ALABAMA SPORTS HALL OF FAME2150 Richard Arrington Blvd. N., Birmingham. 323-6665, www.ashof.org

ALABAMA WILDLIFE CENTER100 Terrace Drive, Pelham. 205-663-7930. www.awrc.org

ALBERT L SCOTT ALABASTER PUBLIC LIBRARYStory Times: Tunes & Tales: Wednesdays at 3:30pm in Library Meeting Room, all ages Toddler Tales: Fridays at 10:30am in the Library Meeting Room, 2 and 3 year olds 100 9th Street NW, Alabaster, AL, 35007. 205-664-6822, www.cityo-falabaster.com/departments/library

AMERICAN VILLAGEHighway 119, Montevallo. 205-665-3535, www.americanvillage.org

BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK6040 Barber Motorsports Parkway, Leeds. 205-298-9040, www.barbermotorsports.com

BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENSWhen visiting the Gardens, be sure to download the treasure map to take with you. www.bbgardens.org/documents/treasuremapforweb.pdf2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham. 205-414-3900, www.bbgardens.org

BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN’S THEATRE1001 19th St. North, Birmingham, AL, 35203, 205-458-8181, www.bct123.org

BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE16th St. N., Birmingham. 205-328-9696, www.bcri.org

BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART Bart’s Art Cart! Free drop-in art program for kids and families features a different theme from gal-leries and art activity each month. Saturdays from 11am-1pm. Bart’s Books. A storytelling pro-

gram for children ages 4-7. 11am-noon, April 16. April’s book: Mud by Mary Lynne Ray. FREE.Haitian Flags. An exhibition of Hai-tian flags made for Vodou religious ceremonies.2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., Birmingham. 205-254-2565, www.artsbma.org

BIRMINGHAM ZOODino Discovery! The zoo’s newest exhibit features 12 life-sized, North America-native animatronic dinosaurs at heights of nearly 20 feet, weighing almost seven tons and measuring 85 feet in length! Explore a trail filled with these magnificent creatures. Additional fees apply. Through July 31.In-park Special Attractions: Giraffe Feeding & Keeper Chat, Saturday & Sunday 11am-12pm & 2-3pm, $3. Sea Lion Training, Daily 10am & 2pm Predator Zone, Saturday & Sunday 11:30am & 3:30pm 2630 Cahaba Road, Birmingham. 205-879-0409, www.birming-hamzoo.com

HEART OF DIXIE RAILROAD MUSEUMDay Out with Thomas! Thomas the Tank Engine™ is back for a limited time. Rides available April 8-10 and April 16-17. Enjoy Thomas-themed activities at the Imagination Station, including temporary tattoos and hands-on arts and crafts. Have your photo taken with Sir Topham Hatt and enjoy storytelling, inflat-able bounce house, carpet golf, exclusive Thomas merchandise, live music and more. Tickets, information, www.hodrrm.org. 1919 Ninth St., Calera. 205-668-3435, www.hodrrm.org

MCWANE SCIENCE CENTERItty Bitty Magic City. This 10,000-square-foot area allows infants to kindergarten to learn in a fun and playful environment.

Body Worlds Rx. The institute for Plastination – organizers of the renowned Body Worlds anatomical and health exhibitions, presents this unforgettable educational exhibition. This public health experience features a collection of authentic human specimens including whole-body plastinates, organs, translucent body slices and body configurations that show complexity of the human body and its vulnerability to illness and diseases. Through May 1.

Spring Break at McWane Science Center! Spring has sprung and McWane Science Center is gearing up for the most exciting Spring Break week ever! Include a visit to McWane Science Center in your

Spring Break plans during the week of March 28-April 2. Join us for exciting educational programs, exhibits, and more!

Member Mondays. Every Monday, McWane Science Center mem-bers receive extra perks while visiting! Includes a special gift for kids when checking in, 30 percent discount on gift shop purchases, $1 small popcorn at IMAX concession stand and a free members-only evening event each month. Also, on the second Monday of each month, McWane opens its doors from 5-8pm for its members.

IMAX Movies:Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This epic adventure continues with Episode VII, directed by J.J. Adams. Wild Africa. Come on a spectac-ular ride across, over and through the magical realms of the most dramatic continent on earth. Robots. Today’s robots are nothing short of astonishing. Get a sneak peek into the future. Through September 30.200 19th St. N., Birmingham. 205-714-8300, www.mcwane.org.

MOSS ROCK PRESERVEPreserve Parkway, Hoover. 205-739-7141, www.hooveral.org.

OAK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK 200 Terrace Drive, Pelham. 205-620-2520, www.alapark.com.

RUFFNER MOUNTAIN NATURE CENTER 1214 81st St. S., Birmingham. 205-833-8264, www.ruffnermoun-tain.org.

SOUTHERN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT4343 73rd St. N., Birmingham. 205-833-8226, www.southernmu-seumofflight.org

TANNEHILL IRONWORKS HIS-TORICAL STATE PARK12632 Confederate Parkway, McCalla. 205-477-5711, www.tannehill.org

VULCAN PARK Darkness into Life: Alabama’s Holocaust Survivors through Photography and Art. Vulcan Park and Museum, partnering with the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center, presents this sensitive exhibit of photography by Becky Seitel and art by Mitzi J. Levin. The paintings and photographs accom-panied by educational narratives. Through May 16. 1701 Valley View Drive, Birmingham. 205-933-1409, www.vulcanpark.org

Alabama Ballet presents “Coppelia and the Toymaker” with shows April 8-10 at the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, Alabama School of Fine Arts. The ballet tells the story of Dr. Coppelius, an inventor who has made a life-size dancing doll. Tickets,205-202-8142, or www.alabamaballet.org.


by Charles Ghignapoetry party

For more poetry activities, visit the Father Goose website at FatherGoose.com.

Want to submit YOUR poems for publication? Parents, here are some magazines

that publish poems written by children: http://www.ckmagazine.org • http://www.

magicdragonmagazine.com, http://www.cricketmag.com

Choose a subject to write about.Once you get started it’s hard to stop!

You may want to make a book of them!

NOW YOU TRY IT!

ArtArt is undefinable,A mystery of creationInspired by a pigmentOf your imagination!

Heart ArtThe hand and eye must do the workThat earns the name of Art.They take the viewer’s hand and eyeAnd lead them to the artist’s heart.

A Poem is a PaintingA poem is a painting,A masterpiece you’ll findHanging on display insideThe gallery of your mind.

ArtPoemsApril is such an inspiring month!

It makes us want to go outside and look at Nature.

It also makes us want to make Art and Poetry!

Art Show in the ParkThe park is full of faces,Some canvas and some real;The landscape’s full of landscapesWhere eyes can almost feel.

A microcosm skylight worldWhere portraits hang from trees,Where shadows brushed by tips of timeAre painting memories.

Choice ArtThe answer to the artistComes quicker than a blinkThough initial inspirationIs not what you might think.

The Muse is full of magic,Though her vision’s sometimes dim;The artist does not choose the work,It is the work that chooses him!

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Birmingham Parent Magazine April 2016 Issue

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Transcript of Birmingham Parent Magazine April 2016 Issue