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Find Santa Around Birmingham, 2013

Posted on by Angie

Santa and his Helpers are arriving in Birmingham and are ready to see what the Tiny Humans have on their wish lists. If you’re looking for pictures, parties or breakfast, we’ve got your run down on the when and where!

Colonial Brookwood Village

November 15th – December 24th

Santa’s hours are Monday – Saturday 10 AM – 8 PM
Santa takes a breaks from 1:30-2:15 and 5-5:30 daily

Sunday 12pm-6pm
Santa takes a break from 3-3:30pm
Photo packages start at $12.99

Riverchase Galleria

November 8th – December 24th

Santa Claus is coming to town! Bring your little ones to share their holiday wish list, and get your annual Santa photos.

Learn more about what they have to offer for:

Baby’s First Christmas
Pet Photos

The Riverchase Galleria will also be hosting a Pajama Party with Santa:

Tuesdays, November 19, 26, December 3, 10, 17
Starting at 6:00 PM

Start a new tradition and visit Santa in your pajamas. Bring your child’s favorite stuffed animal, blanket or book and capture a magical and memorable moment, sure to be remembered for years to come.

Bring a new unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots and create a memorable moment for a deserving child in our community too. And with a $3 donation for Toys for Tots, you can receive a customized email letter from Santa on Christmas Eve.

You can enter your photo for a chance to win a Most Memorable Santa Photo Contest to win a $500 Shop Etc. Mall Gift Card. Visit SantaPhotoContest.com to view your photos with Santa and enter!

Please note: Santa will be taking breaks throughout the day to feed the reindeer and check on toy production at the North Pole.

The Summit Shopping Center

Lights up at the Summit
November 22nd
Kick off the season in style with a festive parade from Barnes & Noble to Carmike Cinemas and watch as The Summit lights up with holiday spirit. The parade ends with Santa’s arrival and a grand fireworks show. Afterwards, visit Santa in his sleigh near Carmike Cinemas and get a professional photo.

Photos with Santa:

Meet Santa next to Pottery Barn Kids and get a professional photo and a special treat from Bud’s Best Cookies. Photo package prices vary. Nov. 29th: 9am- 7pm,  Nov. 30th: 10am – 4pm; Dec 1st: 1-5pm; Dec. 4th – Dec. 22nd: Wednesdays – Fridays: 2-7pm, Saturdays: 11am-4pm, Sunday, Dec. 8th: 1-5pm; Sundays Dec. 15th and 22nd, Noon – 5pm; Dec. 23rd & 24th: 9am-5pm

Outlet Shops of Grand River

Breakfast with Santa
Treat your children to one of the most beloved holiday traditions with Breakfast with Santa at The Outlet Shops of Grand River. Make their Christmas dreams come true & join us for a delicious breakfast; one-of-a-kind make-and-take arts and crafts, and a special holiday reading with Mrs. Claus.

Last but certainly not least, come and spend some quality time & have your commemorative photo made with Santa himself!

All of this, followed by spins, twirls and crazy-eights on our Grand Ice Rink. This is sure to be an experience that truly brings Christmas to life for any child.

* Breakfast is only provided for children. Complimentary coffee and beverages will be available for adults.
Tickets are $12.50 per child. Reservations are limited. Tickets are not refundable. All Sales are final.  Payment accepted by debit card, credit card and cash. Checks are not accepted. Purchase HERE

Jingle Bell Party
Join us for sweet treats, hot cocoa, one-of-a-kind make-and-take arts and crafts, cookie decorating, and a special holiday reading with Mrs. Claus. We will also have live reindeer! Tickets are $12.50 per child. Reservations are limited.

Tickets are not refundable. All Sales are final.  Payment accepted by debit card, credit card and cash. Checks are not accepted.  Purchase tickets HERE

Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops

Now thru December 24th

FREE Crafts:
Monday – Friday from 5:00 – 7:00
Saturday – Sunday from 12:00 – 5:00
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve Craft hours 3:00 – 5:00

FREE Picture made with Santa:
Monday – Friday, Hours of photos from November 10th to December 8th
Monday – Friday 3:00 – 8:00
Saturday 10:00 – 8:00
Sunday 12:00 – 5:00
*Thanksgiving Day photo hours 10:00 – 5:00
*Black Friday (Nov.29) photo hours 10:00 – 8:00

Hours of Photos December 9th – December 24th
Monday – Friday 10:00 – 8:00
Saturday 10:00 – 8:00
Sunday 10:00 – 5:00
Christmas Eve photo hours 10:00 – 5:00

FREE ACTIVITIES include driving remote controlled trucks, racing slot cars, controlling a battery powered train, shooting arcades, and carousel rides.

McWane Science Center

Breakfast in Santa’s Workshop
Date: December 14 & 21
Times: 8:30 am – 10:00 am
Cost: $20 Adults, $15 Kids (Members get $5 OFF)

Bring your little elves to have breakfast in Santa’s Workshop. Make holiday crafts, have breakfast together, explore the Winter Wonderland exhibit and visit with Santa! Be sure to bring your camera!

Reservations are required. Call (205) 714-8414 or click HERE for tickets.

                                                          Breakfast with Santa at the Birmingham Zoo

December 7, 14 & 21
Admission: Members – $14 for adults, $9 for children
Non-members – $19 for adults, $15 for children

Make your reservations now for this popular holiday event! Breakfast with Santa takes place in the Zoo’s Kudzoo Cafe and features a delicious breakfast (pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, and juice or milk) followed by a visit from Ole Saint Nick himself. Parents may take their own pictures, and each child will receive a special treat. Call 205.879.0409 to make your reservations today.

Birmingham Museum of Art

Winter Wonders Day
Saturday, December 7th
Join Bart and his friends for fun in his winter wonderland! Enjoy holiday scavenger hunts, crafts, storytelling, and more. Take a photo with Santa Claus and tell him your holiday wishes!

Special Events
8AM-10AM //  FREE McDonald’s biscuit breakfast! Fuel up for the day!
10AM, 11AM, and NOON // Sing-along storytelling : Join our storyteller in the galleries
9AM-NOON // Visit and take photos with Santa (take your own or purchase from the professional photographer)
10AM-NOON // Make festive paper stars and flowers with Dariana Dervis, our Bart’s ArtVenture guest artist!
11:30AM, 1:30PM // The Muppet Christmas Carol: Enjoy the movie in the auditorium!

8AM-3PM //Ongoing Events
Scavenger hunts – explore traditions and decorations from around the globe.
Art activities – create an ornament!

11AM-2PM // Museum Studio for Families

Sweet Design Gingerbread Houses // $25 per house ($20 for Bart’s Kids Club Members) // All ages are welcome!
We provide the house and decorations, you provide the creativity! Call the Musuem’s Education Department, 205.254.2571, to register.

Holiday Card Printmaking Studio // $5 for 4 cards (FREE for Bart’s Kids Club Members) // All ages are welcome!

Family Night with Santa’s Magical World – Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest
A light supper will be served from 6:00 – 6:30 pm, followed by a program featuring Santa and his winter wonderland. Children will have an opportunity for photos with Santa on his “throne” after the program. Shuttle service will be available if parking lot is full.
6pm
December 10th, 2013

Breakfast with Santa – North Shelby Library
Join us for a great time of food, fun, and pictures with Santa. Breakfast will be from 9:00 – 9:30. Pictures with Santa and a Christmas craft will be 9:30 – 10:30. Registration Required. $5.00 per person due at time of registration
All ages are welcome!
December 14th, 2013

The Santa Special at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Musuem

November 30th – December 21, 2013
Santa rides the train with you! Start your own family holiday tradition with a Christmas train ride. Tell Santa what you would like for Christmas and bring your camera for photos. Every child will receive a Christmas gift!

Please note: children who have not yet celebrated their second birthday are free, but you must reserve an INFANT ticket for them. Children under the age of two must be seated on your lap.

Click here to reserve your seat!

Know of a Santa Happening we didn’t cover on our list? Let us know!

Birmingham Events Calendar: November 17th – November 24th

Posted on by Angie

Lots of Christmas Lightings have been happening around town, if you haven’t been to one yet, you can still catch one this Friday night at the Summit, complete with parade and Santa’s arrival!

The Auto Show kicks off this week and there are some fun storytimes planned around town. If you’re headed to the Birmingham Zoo over the weekend, raid the pantry before you go and help with their canned food drive. It will save you 1/2 off on admission!

Have a great week!

It’s Not Our Fault if Your Kids are Bored!

Sunday November 17th:

Zamora Shrine Circus – Pelham Civic Complex
Come see the tigers, bears, amazing juggling acts, elephants, high flying acrobats, and everyone’s favorite the Zamora Clowns. Pre-performances start one hour before each show. Come ride elephants, take pictures with tigers & bears, and meet the clowns.
Adults $12
Children 12 and under $8
For VIP ticket information please call Zamora Shrine Center 205-956-3636
Noon, 4pm and 7:45

Elf on the Shelf Storytime Event – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us in November and December for The Elf on the Shelf: A Holiday Tradition, featuring Storytime, activities and an Adopt-an-Elf event. Come see if you can find the elf!
1pm

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Monday November 18th:

Monday Movie – Homewood Public Library
Join us for hot movie popcorn and a cool movie.
3:30

Tot Time with Ms Eve – Avondale Library
Storytime for 2-4-year-olds with a caregiver. Includes stories, songs, and craft. 24-hour advance registration required.
10:30am

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Tuesday November 19th:

Family Tours – Birmingham Museum of Art
FREE // Meet in the Main Lobby
Join us for an in-gallery family experience! Children aged 3 – 8 and their adult companions are invited to join Museum educators to explore our collection, discover activities that make looking at art fun and exciting, and create new family memories about art.

No reservations required. Family Tours are also available by appointment for groups of 10 or more children aged 3 – 8. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 205.254.2964.
10:30am

Storytime for All Ages – Homewood Public Library
Story Time
10:30am

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Wednesday November 20th:

After-School Special: B’ham Children’s Theater’s City Mouse, Country Mouse – Emmet O’ Neal Library
Birmingham Children’s Theater presents their version of the classic tale, City Mouse & Country Mouse. Wednesday, November 20, at 3:30 PM. Ages 3 and up. No registration required.

Storytime with Ms Karen – Clay Library
Join Ms. Karen for some “Turkey Trouble” and enjoy some Thanksgiving-themed stories and crafts. Geared toward toddlers through second graders. All ages are welcome! This month’s Wednesday program has been moved up a week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Programs last approximately 30 minutes.
10am

Family Story Time with Mr Mac – North Shelby Library
Storyteller Extraordinaire – Come join Mr Mac and his musical storytime complete with puppets! All Ages, no registration required.
10:45am

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
I know an old lady who swallowed a pie, a Thanksgiving pie, which was really too dry. Come find out what happened when the feast really began.
11am

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Thursday November 21st:

Alabama International Auto Show – BJCC
A dazzling spectacular featuring the 2014 model year domestic and import cars, light trucks, SUVs, Hybrid vehicles of all sizes, and vans. Over 400 vehicles from manufacturers all over the world covering two levels of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Manufacturer’s reps, product specialists, and your local Birmingham Automobile Dealers Association and financial institutions will be on hand to assist in product education, feature comparisons, safety standards and other consumer points of interest on hundreds of makes and models . . . all under one roof.
ADULT $8.00; CHILDREN 6-11 $4.00; CHILDREN 5 & UNDER FREE
Noon – 9pm

Christmas Parade and Holiday Street Party – Main Street Montevallo
Vendors along Main St. for the afternoon and the appearance of Santa Claus at the end of this annual day of holiday fun make the event a great way to start the season. Marching band, floats constructed by community organizations, and civic officials welcoming citizens are features of the parade. Following the parade children are invited to meet Santa for a photo with him at First Baptist Church in Montevallo. Street Party 3-6 pm; Parade 6 pm.

Mommy and Me Storytime – Homewood Public Library
Story Time for our younger patrons (birth to 30 mo.) and their lap partner.
10:30

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Friday November 22nd:

Alabama International Auto Show – BJCC
A dazzling spectacular featuring the 2014 model year domestic and import cars, light trucks, SUVs, Hybrid vehicles of all sizes, and vans. Over 400 vehicles from manufacturers all over the world covering two levels of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Manufacturer’s reps, product specialists, and your local Birmingham Automobile Dealers Association and financial institutions will be on hand to assist in product education, feature comparisons, safety standards and other consumer points of interest on hundreds of makes and models . . . all under one roof.
ADULT $8.00; CHILDREN 6-11 $4.00; CHILDREN 5 & UNDER FREE
10am – 9pm

Special Event – Barnes and Noble Summit
The Spirit Tree at Toomer’s Corner and Big Al’s Game Day Rules Author Signing
Mave Ellen Duke and Sherri Graves-Smith will be signing their Auburn and Alabama children’s books! Discover Member exclusives, incredible discounts and deals on Friday, November 22. Save on books, NOOK, toys, games, gifts, music, movies and more.
4pm

Lights Up at the Summit
Enjoy a festive parade from Barnes & Noble to Carmike Cinemas and watch as The Summit lights up with holiday spirit.  The parade ends with Santa’s arrival and a grand fireworks show.  Then, visit Santa at his sleigh near Carmike Cinemas and get your photo taken.

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Saturday November 23rd:

Alabama International Auto Show – BJCC
A dazzling spectacular featuring the 2014 model year domestic and import cars, light trucks, SUVs, Hybrid vehicles of all sizes, and vans. Over 400 vehicles from manufacturers all over the world covering two levels of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Manufacturer’s reps, product specialists, and your local Birmingham Automobile Dealers Association and financial institutions will be on hand to assist in product education, feature comparisons, safety standards and other consumer points of interest on hundreds of makes and models . . . all under one roof.
ADULT $8.00; CHILDREN 6-11 $4.00; CHILDREN 5 & UNDER FREE
10am – 9pm

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
This drop-in art program for kids and families features a different theme from our galleries and art activity each month. Stop by to make art with Bart! Portrait Project // Look at the people around you. Who do you see?
11am – 1pm

United Way Canned Food Drive – Birmingham Zoo
Help the Zoo give back to the community this fall with the annual United Way Food Drive! Bring any canned or non-perishable food item and receive half-price admission*. Get up-close and personal with the elephants at the Boma Encounter, visit the animals at the Children’s Zoo Barn, experience a pelican feeding and much more!.
*Limit one discounted ticket per guest.

Family Storytime – Emmet O’Neal Library
Bring the entire family and join Mr. Mac for stories and music each Saturday morning.
10:30 a.m.

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us for a reading of Thanksgiving Day Thanks, a heartwarming story about Sam the bear and his animal friends as Sam learns what he’s truly grateful for. Crafts and refreshments will follow!
11am

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Sunday November 24th:

Alabama International Auto Show – BJCC
A dazzling spectacular featuring the 2014 model year domestic and import cars, light trucks, SUVs, Hybrid vehicles of all sizes, and vans. Over 400 vehicles from manufacturers all over the world covering two levels of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Manufacturer’s reps, product specialists, and your local Birmingham Automobile Dealers Association and financial institutions will be on hand to assist in product education, feature comparisons, safety standards and other consumer points of interest on hundreds of makes and models . . . all under one roof.
10am – 6pm

St. Peter’s Christmas Bazaar
Please bring your family and come see the beautiful crafts and gift items from over 50 vendors. Santa will be there with a Workshop for the children!

The Bazaar will be in the Parish Hall and Lower Foyer from 9:00 am until 3:00 p.m. St. Peter’s Knights of Columbus will be serving a delicious breakfast – $4.00 for Adults and $3.00 for children. This will be a great opportunity for you to do some early Christmas shopping and at the same time help those in need.

United Way Canned Food Drive – Birmingham Zoo
Help the Zoo give back to the community this fall with the annual United Way Food Drive! Bring any canned or non-perishable food item and receive half-price admission*. Get up-close and personal with the elephants at the Boma Encounter, visit the animals at the Children’s Zoo Barn, experience a pelican feeding and much more!.
*Limit one discounted ticket per guest.

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

IMAX
McWane Science Center’s IMAX® Dome Theater puts you in the center of the action by projecting breathtaking quality images onto the 5-story-tall dome screen and delivering intense surround sound through almost 3 tons of speakers and subwoofers.
Now Showing: Flight of the Butterflies, Titans of the Ice Age

Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age – through December 31st, 2013
McWane Science Center is home to Alabama’s second largest natural history collection. Made up of over 500,000 specimens and objects pertaining to the natural history of the state, this important collection focuses on the preservation, education, and research of Alabama’s rich biodiversity and paleobiodiversity. One of the more significant subsets of the collection is Alabama’s largest collection of Late Pleistocene faunal remains – or Ice Age fossils.

Made up of nearly 10,000 cataloged specimens, the McWSC Pleistocene collection contains a unique diversity of fauna that not only includes those native to North America, but migrants to the state from both South America and the Old World. This collection includes mammals, both extant and extinct, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fishes, and botanical remains collected from both cave and stream localities in the state. Extinct mammals represented in the McWSC collection include mammoths, mastodons, giant beavers, saber-toothed cats, giant armadillos, tapirs, peccaries, and giant ground sloths.

This spring, visitors will have an opportunity to view some of the fossils in the collection with a new exhibit titled — “Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age.” This exhibit will not only highlight many of the Ice Age animals from the McWane Science Center Collection, but will highlight and dispel many of the common misconceptions surrounding the Ice Age in the state. The goal is for visitors to have a better understanding and appreciation for this time in Alabama. For example, guests might learn that Alabama was on average only five degrees colder than today, glaciers did not reach farther south than southern Illinois or that all the Ice Age animals did not go extinct at the end of the Ice Age. While the largest animals, such as mastodons, giant ground sloths, and saber-tooth cats died out, nearly all the animals that are living in Alabama today were also around in the Ice Age.

The Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age Alabama display is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum. It is included in the cost of admission to the museum and free to members.

Birmingham Zoo:

Lorikeet Aviary – Our Lorikeet Aviary has more birds than ever! Zoo guests can feed these exotic birds every day. You and your family will see these birds’ behavior as they eat nectar out of your hand.
Weekends 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

PELICAN FEEDING – A great way to see our pelicans in action is to witness them eating their favorite treats near the pelican boardwalk.

RHINO ENCOUNTER – Embark on an African adventure and experience one of the world’s most extraordinary animals, the Southern White Rhino. Watch from only feet away as our zookeepers engage in hands-on interaction with the animals inside their African-themed exhibit. Don’t miss this exciting encounter with one of the largest mammals on the planet!
Weekdays: 3pm – 3:30pm
Weekends: 11:30am – Noon & 3pm – 3:30 pm

GIRAFFE FEEDING – This up close and personal animal encounter is a memory you and your family will have for a lifetime.
Weekday: 11am – Noon
Weekends: 10am – 11am  & 2pm – 3pm

Vulcan Park and Museum:

Vulcan is the world’s largest cast iron statue; made of 100,000 pounds of iron and 56 feet tall, he stands at the top of Red Mountain overlooking the city of Birmingham. But, Vulcan is more than a statue. Vulcan Park and Museum features spectacular views of Birmingham, an interactive history museum that examines Vulcan and Birmingham’s story, and a beautiful public park for visitors and locals to enjoy. With an official information center that is operated by the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Vulcan Park and Museum serves as the first stop for visitors to the Birmingham area!

Railroad Park:

Railroad Park is a 19 acre green space in downtown Birmingham that celebrates the industrial and artistic heritage of our great city. Situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets, the park is a joint effort between the City of Birmingham and the Railroad Park Foundation. Hailed as “Birmingham’s Living Room,” Railroad Park provides a historically rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events, while connecting Birmingham’s downtown area with Southside and UAB’s campus.

Southern Museum of Flight:

Earn Your Wings – Bring your little pilot and soar above the clouds in our little pilots room. Kids enjoy building aircrafts, flying kites, and more.
Museum Open Tuesday – Thursday
9:30am – 4:30pm

Do you have or know of an event you would like to have added to our weekly calendar? Please email us at contact@birminghammommy.com, subject line “Events Calendar” – We would love to hear from you!

** All information listed on our calendar is subject to change without notice to us or you… We do our best to keep the information accurate and will always update as soon as we learn that something has changed. It’s always best to double check with the event via their website or a quick call,  especially when weather can impact the event.

Understanding Infertility

Posted on by Angie

If you’ve been trying to conceive and those two little pink lines still elude you, know that you are not alone. While it takes most couples an average up to one year to become pregnant, one in six couples experiences infertility issues.

Here are five of the most common infertility diagnoses, along with example treatment solutions. Keep in mind that each person, diagnosis and situation is different, and only after a medical evaluation can a tailored treatment plan can be prescribed.

But first, what is the definition of infertility?

For women under 35, infertility is defined as trying to conceive for one year without a pregnancy. For women over 35, infertility is defined as trying for six months without a pregnancy.

While the causes of infertility can vary greatly, there are five common diagnoses to be aware of:

1.    Ovulatory Disorders:

Ovulatory disorders are a leading cause of female infertility. Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from the ovary.  This is a condition which occurs when a woman does not ovulate regularly or has ceased ovulation. For most women with ovulatory disorders, periods are irregular or absent.  The causes of ovulatory dysfunction can be broad and thus important to be evaluated. At least 75 percent of women that receive treatment for an ovulatory disorder will become pregnant.

Treatment Solutions:

Solutions will vary patient to patient, but it is important to maintain a healthy weight, decrease stress, and eat healthy. Exercise and proper nutrition can help normalize ovulation. For patients with hormone, thyroid, insulin or other endocrine imbalances, medication can aid in restoring ovulation.

2.    Male Infertility:

Women and men experience infertility equally, making this another common diagnosis. When sperm are low in number, misshapen, or immobile, this can make conception difficult. Male infertility can be caused by a number of reasons, such as injury, illness, health problems and lifestyle choices.

Treatment Solutions:

Exercise, proper nutrition, and abstaining from drugs, cigarettes and excessive alcohol consumption can transform male fertility. For some cases of male factor infertility, semen can undergo a semen wash, where the most viable semen are collected. Sperm can then be injected directly into the uterus in an intrauterine insemination (IUI). An additional option is in vitro fertilization (IVF), where the highest quality sperm can be selected and injected into eggs.

3.    Poor Ovarian Reserve:

Women are born with six to seven million eggs, which is reduced to 300,000-400,000 at the onset of puberty. Over the next 40 years, approximately, 400-500 eggs will ovulate. Ovarian reserve declines as a woman ages, with egg supply taking a rapid decline in the late 20s and again in a women’s 30s. A low ovarian reserve or poor quality eggs can make conception and a healthy pregnancy difficult to achieve.

Treatment Solutions:

Treatment protocol for poor ovarian reserve can vary greatly based upon age and quality of egg supply. Options can include intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, and donor egg. Couples and individuals now are able to use both fresh and frozen donor eggs as a treatment option.

4.    Endometriosis:

Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects at least 6.3 million women in the U.S. and millions across the globe. Approximately 35 to 50 percent of women with infertility also have endometriosis. Each month when women menstruate, they shed the endometrial lining found in their uterus. When the endometrial tissue normally found in the uterus grows outside the uterus and in other places of the body, it is known as endometriosis.

Treatment Solutions:

Scar tissue can form as a result of endometriosis, making surgical treatment to remove excess scar tissue a viable treatment solution. Should more extensive treatment be required, patients can also pursue in vitro fertilization.

5.    Tubal Factor:

When fallopian tubes are blocked or damaged, eggs cannot travel down the tubes to meet sperm and become fertilized. Tubal damage can be caused by scar tissue, which can occur as a result of endometriosis, prior surgery, or numerous other factors. Blockage can also occur as a result of tubal ligation or from infection, such as a sexually transmitted disease.

Treatment Solutions:

Surgical treatment can remove scar tissue or repair damaged tubes, allowing eggs to travel properly down the fallopian tubes. Tubal ligation can also be reversed through surgery. When surgical treatment is not an option, patients have experienced great success with in vitro fertilization.

Author Bio:

Dr. Jennifer Hirshfeld-Cytron is a reproductive endocrinologist with Fertility Centers of Illinois. Dr. Hirshfeld-Cytron is well published in the areas of fertility preservation and cost analysis of fertility therapies. Her professional interests include fertility preservation for cancer patients and social reasons. www.fcionline.com

Parenting with a PhD: Gratitude Revisited.

Posted on by Angie

By Kristen Berthiaume:

It’s that time again – time for your FB newsfeed to be filled with daily postings of what people are thankful for! By Black Friday, you’ll probably be thankful for a return to the usual fare of crazy political rants and random YouTube videos. If public displays of gratitude aren’t your thing, you can still get into the Thanksgiving spirit. Here are some of our favorite ideas from the past few years about ways to show gratitude and to instill it in your kids. You can find the full articles with these and other ideas here  and here. Enjoy!

Check your own sense of gratitude. Do you thank strangers who hold the door or treat them like door stoppers? Do you mention to your spouse/partner when you appreciate something he or she did? Do you tell your kids, “Thank you!” when they cooperate? If you act entitled, so will your kids.

Say, “Thank you.” Seems like a no-brainer but it doesn’t happen nearly as much as it should. Coach your child before big events like birthday parties and holidays that he should say thank you for gifts. All gifts. Even socks. Afterward, enlist your child in age-appropriate ways when you’re writing thank you notes (you were planning to do that, right?). Younger kids can place stamps and early writers can sign their names. Older kids can manage fill-in-the-blank thank yous until they’re able to take on the whole task.

Stop hoarding toys. It’s hard to be grateful when you get everything you want. There’s no need to appreciate things that can easily be replaced if lost or broken, or when a better version comes out. We learn to appreciate things when we understand their value: be it a favor someone has done, something we see in nature, or a gift we’ve been given. If your child gets what she asks for without delay or effort on her part, items and experiences seem cheap and easy. Appreciation can come from having to work to earn something, be it through physical labor, having to wait, or positive behavioral effort. Make a plan for when your child will receive privileges and toys, and stick to it. You can tie small rewards in with completing chores or putting forth good effort on homework and save bigger items for special occasions. Consider putting away some of your child’s toys for a while and rotating what’s available. She’ll be more appreciative of what she has when there is less to keep track of. Later, it will feel like toys are brand new and she’ll be thrilled to rediscover them. This is a particularly good tip for those of you with relatives who supply your kids with a steady stream of new toys. When big events roll around, think about non-traditional gifts like savings bonds, experiences (e.g., a camping trip), or memberships for family friendly activities. Organizations like Heifer Project allow you to purchase an animal to help provide food and labor for a family in a developing country. Your child gets a special card telling him about “his” animal and how the family will benefit.

Continue to teach sharing. Sharing does not come easily, even to many adults, but this shouldn’t be a lesson we leave behind in kindergarten. Sharing with others calls our attention to how much we have for which to be grateful. Consider putting aside some of the money your child earns or is given to be shared. Discuss with him the ways he’d like to use that money to help others – be it a friend or family member or someone he’s never met. Also, get your children involved in donating their time. Giving them exposure to others who have few material resources can go a long way toward helping your kids appreciate all that they have. Donate toys your child no longer plays with so they can find new life (use Toy Story 3 as an inspiration – the toys want to be played with!).

Count your blessings. You might use dinner as a time to complain about your most annoying co-worker – it’s understandable after a long day. But, do you also tell your family about who made you smile today? Do you talk about how you helped others? Letting each family member tell about the best thing that happened that day not only gets everyone sharing but also increases focus on positives. This, in turn, leads to thankfulness. Prime your child to feel gratitude all day by having everyone name something he or she is grateful for over breakfast. Consider writing down what is said on scraps of colorful paper and keeping them in a jar so it’s obvious how much you have to be thankful for. Looking through those blessings later is a great antidote when someone is feeling down-in-the-dumps. There are lots of other visual ways to track what you appreciate. Start a gratefulness chain. Cut strips of construction paper with each family member getting a different color. Daily, everyone writes down one thing he or she is grateful for. Staple the strips together to form rings and link each ring to the one you made the day before.  Use the gratefulness chains to decorate for Thanksgiving or for a Christmas tree garland that’s much more meaningful than tinsel.  Start a new chain with a new color next year around this same time.  Connect the chains from year-to-year and reflect back on how the things you’re grateful for have changed over time. Search pinterest.com for other fun options and check the BirminghamMommy Pinterest page to get started.

Be grateful when you’re not.  It’s easier to be grateful when everything’s going your way but there’s value in finding the proverbial “silver lining” in frustrating situations.  Ask your older kids to think of a person or situation that they are definitely not grateful for and share one yourself.  Maybe it’s an annoying co-worker for you or a boring piano lesson for your daughter. Then, challenge everyone to think of something about that person or situation that they are grateful for. You might be grateful that the co-worker is conscientious, even if he’s hard to interact with. Your daughter might be glad she can read music, even though the lessons seem to last forever. After you’ve practiced this skill, look for opportunities when someone is griping to encourage him or her to find a positive – be it a “life lesson” or a chance to improve. This isn’t an easy task but can improve everyone’s mood and ability to overcome obstacles. That’s definitely something to be grateful for!

About this column: Send your parenting- and kid-related questions my way and I’ll tell you what I can: parentingwithaphd@gmail.com Please be aware that email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information so it’s best to keep your questions general. If your question is featured, your name and email will not be published. Submitting a question does not constitute a professional relationship in any way and this column is not meant to substitute for face-to-face therapy. If you feel you’re doing the best you can and still need help, it may be time to bring in a professional. Start by talking with your child’s pediatrician to get a referral.

Kristen Berthiaume, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist with Grayson and Associates. She obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Kentucky. She completed a predoctoral internship in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a post- doctoral fellowship in the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) Program at Duke University Medical Center. She specializes in providing assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families dealing with the following issues: ADHD, learning disorders, social skill deficits, organizational problems, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, and depression. She generally focuses on behavioral and cognitive- behavioral techniques, but maintains a flexible approach to therapy. Her other day job is as mom to her six-year-old and newborn daughters and three-year-old son.

Birmingham Events Calendar: November 10th – November 17th

Posted on by Angie

BIG Week for BirminghamMommy as we offer the yearly McWane Membership Discount! If you’ve been thinking about becoming a Member of one of Birmingham’s Best Children’s Attractions, now’s your chance! We’ll be out all week accepting forms, you can find all of the details here.

If you’re enjoying a long weekend, take the kids down to the Veteran’s Day Parade. The Outlet Shops of Grand River will be opening the new ice skating rink and having their Grand Holiday Spectacular this week.

Later in the week look for the Zamora Shrine Circus at the Pelham Civic Complex.

Have a great week!

It’s Not Our Fault if Your Kids are Bored!

Sunday November 10th:

Disney on Ice – Princesses and Heroes
Enter a world of wonder where heroes and hearts prevail. Join Ariel as she yearns to explore the world above the waves and Prince Eric breaks Ursula’s slithering spell to reclaim his one true love. See Price Philip defeat the evil Maleficent as she transforms herself into a fire-breathing dragon in a race against time to rescue Sleeping Beauty’s Aurora. Be there to discover a whole new world with Jasmine and Aladdin. And, watch in awe as the dreams of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Tiana all come true. High flying jumps, daring acrobatics, breathtaking skating and loveable Disney friends are just a wish away! There’s even a special appearance by Disney’s newest princess, Rapunzel.
1pm and 5pm

Homestead Hollow Arts and Crafts Festival –
Homestead Hollow festivals feature fine arts, unique – one of a kind – hand made crafts, pioneer demonstrations of the old time days. See wood carving, ironwork, blacksmithing, smoke house cooking, gardening, quilting, whiskey making at our original working still, and tour original cabins as they were built by the early settlers. Relax by one of our many streams and listen to live local entertainment all day. Enjoy our great food that makes your mouth scream for more.

Children’s activities: ride the ponies, circle in our wagon ride or jump in the moon walk. Visit and talk with our Herbalist and find out more about grandma’s remedies or those nature produces naturally.
Adults – $7
Ages 3 to 12 – $3
Ages 2 and under – Free.
Groups of 20 or more – $6 each.
Free Parking. NO PETS ALLOWED. NO COOLERS ALLOWED.
9am – 4pm

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Monday November 11th:

*McWane Membership Drive  Location-  Come see us at the Carmike Summit from 10:00 until 12:30

Veterans Day Parade –
PARADE ROUTE
Start on 8th Ave North & 19th Street
South on 19th Street to 5th Ave North
East on 5th Ave North to 22nd Street
South on 22nd Street to 2nd Ave North
West on 2nd Ave North to 18th Street
North on 18th Street to 6th Ave North

Parade begins at 1:30

Tot Time with Ms Eve – Avondale Library
Storytime for 2-4-year-olds with a caregiver. Includes stories, songs, and craft. 24-hour advance registration required.
10:30am

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Tuesday November 12th:

*McWane Membership Drive Location – Hart and Soul Coffee Shop in Homewood 10am – Noon

Family Night with Skin and Bones – Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest
Join us for dinner and a show! This month, enjoy quesadillas from Sol Azteca and the hilarious comedy of husband and wife clown/animal act Skin and Bones! Must call to register. All ages welcome.

Dinner served from 6:00 – 6:30 pm; show begins promptly at 6:30 pm.

Family Tours – Birmingham Museum of Art
FREE // Meet in the Main Lobby
Join us for an in-gallery family experience! Children aged 3 – 8 and their adult companions are invited to join Museum educators to explore our collection, discover activities that make looking at art fun and exciting, and create new family memories about art.

No reservations required. Family Tours are also available by appointment for groups of 10 or more children aged 3 – 8. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 205.254.2964.
10:30am

Storytime for All Ages – Homewood Public Library
Story Time
10:30am

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Wednesday November 13th:

*McWane Membership Drive Location – Starbucks Vestavia 9am – 11am

Family Story Time with Mr Mac – North Shelby Library
Storyteller Extraordinaire – Come join Mr Mac and his musical storytime complete with puppets! All Ages, no registration required.
10:45am

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
It’s bedtime in the woods of Burrow Down, and all the animals are ready for their bedtime story. But books are mysteriously disappearing. Join us as we find out where all the bedtime stories have gone.
11am

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Thursday November 14th:

Grand Holiday Spectacular – Outlet Shops of Grand River
The Outlet Shops of Grand River is hosting an enchanted evening to kick off the holiday season at the Grand Holiday Spectacular. Excitement will chill the air with the grand opening of Grand River on Ice presented by Diet Coke, a 3,500 square foot ice skating rink. This magical celebration will bring your family together with the 4th annual lighting of the magnificent 23-foot Christmas Tree along with live entertainment from Red Mountain Theater, Alabama Symphony Orchestra Choir, Alabama Ballet and more! The twinkling stars of Birmingham have just gotten a little more magical as your family kicks off the Holiday Season with The Outlet Shops of Grand River.

** Stop by and see us to sign up for the Big McWane Membership

Grand Holiday Spectacular Schedule

  • 4:00 pm: Opening of Grand River on Ice with skating demonstrations and entertainment.
  • 6:00 pm: Family entertainment with face painting, cooking decorating, holiday crafts and more.
  • 6:30 pm: Holiday Celebration hosted by Magic 96.5’s Rob and Dana with live performances from Red Mountain Theatre, The Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Leeds Children of Joy Choir, Alabama Ballet and more.
  • 7:15 pm: Arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus.
  • 7:20 pm: Lighting of the Christmas Tree.
  • 7:25 pm: Visits with Santa, holiday activities and shopping.

NOTE: Schedule is subject to change.

Mommy and Me Storytime – Homewood Public Library
Story Time for our younger patrons (birth to 30 mo.) and their lap partner.
10:30

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Friday November 15th:

McWane Membership Drive Location – Hoover Starbucks, Hwy 31 Noon – 2pm

Mr. P’s – Hoover Public Library
Come to the library to create your own marble art masterpiece.  Grades 1-3. Registration required.
4pm – 5pm

Zamora Shrine Circus – Pelham Civic Complex
Come see the tigers, bears, amazing juggling acts, elephants, high flying acrobats, and everyone’s favorite the Zamora Clowns. Pre-performances start one hour before each show. Come ride elephants, take pictures with tigers & bears, and meet the clowns.
Adults $12
Children 12 and under $8
For VIP ticket information please call Zamora Shrine Center 205-956-3636
4:30 and 7:45

 

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Saturday November 16th:

If You Give a Pig a Party – Hoover Library
Join Pig, Moose and Mouse for a party that will appeal to your sweet tooth and funny bone.  All ages
10:30

Zamora Shrine Circus – Pelham Civic Complex
Come see the tigers, bears, amazing juggling acts, elephants, high flying acrobats, and everyone’s favorite the Zamora Clowns. Pre-performances start one hour before each show. Come ride elephants, take pictures with tigers & bears, and meet the clowns.
Adults $12
Children 12 and under $8
For VIP ticket information please call Zamora Shrine Center 205-956-3636
Noon and 4pm

Cereal and Cartoons – Homewood Public Library
Dry cereal only, available until 10:45 am.
10am – Noon

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
This drop-in art program for kids and families features a different theme from our galleries and art activity each month. Stop by to make art with Bart! Portrait Project // Look at the people around you. Who do you see?
11am – 1pm

Bart’s Books – Birmingham Museum of Art
Bart’s Books is a storytelling program for children ages 4-7. Bart selects a new book and related work of art each month that he thinks kids will enjoy.

This month, Bart has selected Hooray for You! by Marianne Richmond.
11am

Family Storytime – Emmet O’Neal Library
Bring the entire family and join Mr. Mac for stories and music each Saturday morning.
10:30 a.m.

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
I know an old lady who swallowed a pie, a Thanksgiving pie, which was really too dry. Come find out what happened when the feast really began.
11am

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Sunday November 17th:

Zamora Shrine Circus – Pelham Civic Complex
Come see the tigers, bears, amazing juggling acts, elephants, high flying acrobats, and everyone’s favorite the Zamora Clowns. Pre-performances start one hour before each show. Come ride elephants, take pictures with tigers & bears, and meet the clowns.
Adults $12
Children 12 and under $8
For VIP ticket information please call Zamora Shrine Center 205-956-3636
Noon, 4pm and 7:45

Elf on the Shelf Storytime Event – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us in November and December for The Elf on the Shelf: A Holiday Tradition, featuring Storytime, activities and an Adopt-an-Elf event. Come see if you can find the elf!
1pm

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

IMAX
McWane Science Center’s IMAX® Dome Theater puts you in the center of the action by projecting breathtaking quality images onto the 5-story-tall dome screen and delivering intense surround sound through almost 3 tons of speakers and subwoofers.
Now Showing: Flight of the Butterflies, Titans of the Ice Age

Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age – through December 31st, 2013
McWane Science Center is home to Alabama’s second largest natural history collection. Made up of over 500,000 specimens and objects pertaining to the natural history of the state, this important collection focuses on the preservation, education, and research of Alabama’s rich biodiversity and paleobiodiversity. One of the more significant subsets of the collection is Alabama’s largest collection of Late Pleistocene faunal remains – or Ice Age fossils.

Made up of nearly 10,000 cataloged specimens, the McWSC Pleistocene collection contains a unique diversity of fauna that not only includes those native to North America, but migrants to the state from both South America and the Old World. This collection includes mammals, both extant and extinct, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fishes, and botanical remains collected from both cave and stream localities in the state. Extinct mammals represented in the McWSC collection include mammoths, mastodons, giant beavers, saber-toothed cats, giant armadillos, tapirs, peccaries, and giant ground sloths.

This spring, visitors will have an opportunity to view some of the fossils in the collection with a new exhibit titled — “Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age.” This exhibit will not only highlight many of the Ice Age animals from the McWane Science Center Collection, but will highlight and dispel many of the common misconceptions surrounding the Ice Age in the state. The goal is for visitors to have a better understanding and appreciation for this time in Alabama. For example, guests might learn that Alabama was on average only five degrees colder than today, glaciers did not reach farther south than southern Illinois or that all the Ice Age animals did not go extinct at the end of the Ice Age. While the largest animals, such as mastodons, giant ground sloths, and saber-tooth cats died out, nearly all the animals that are living in Alabama today were also around in the Ice Age.

The Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age Alabama display is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum. It is included in the cost of admission to the museum and free to members.

Birmingham Zoo:

Lorikeet Aviary – Our Lorikeet Aviary has more birds than ever! Zoo guests can feed these exotic birds every day. You and your family will see these birds’ behavior as they eat nectar out of your hand.
Weekends 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

PELICAN FEEDING – A great way to see our pelicans in action is to witness them eating their favorite treats near the pelican boardwalk.

RHINO ENCOUNTER – Embark on an African adventure and experience one of the world’s most extraordinary animals, the Southern White Rhino. Watch from only feet away as our zookeepers engage in hands-on interaction with the animals inside their African-themed exhibit. Don’t miss this exciting encounter with one of the largest mammals on the planet!
Weekdays: 3pm – 3:30pm
Weekends: 11:30am – Noon & 3pm – 3:30 pm

GIRAFFE FEEDING – This up close and personal animal encounter is a memory you and your family will have for a lifetime.
Weekday: 11am – Noon
Weekends: 10am – 11am  & 2pm – 3pm

Vulcan Park and Museum:

Vulcan is the world’s largest cast iron statue; made of 100,000 pounds of iron and 56 feet tall, he stands at the top of Red Mountain overlooking the city of Birmingham. But, Vulcan is more than a statue. Vulcan Park and Museum features spectacular views of Birmingham, an interactive history museum that examines Vulcan and Birmingham’s story, and a beautiful public park for visitors and locals to enjoy. With an official information center that is operated by the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Vulcan Park and Museum serves as the first stop for visitors to the Birmingham area!

Railroad Park:

Railroad Park is a 19 acre green space in downtown Birmingham that celebrates the industrial and artistic heritage of our great city. Situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets, the park is a joint effort between the City of Birmingham and the Railroad Park Foundation. Hailed as “Birmingham’s Living Room,” Railroad Park provides a historically rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events, while connecting Birmingham’s downtown area with Southside and UAB’s campus.

Southern Museum of Flight:

Earn Your Wings – Bring your little pilot and soar above the clouds in our little pilots room. Kids enjoy building aircrafts, flying kites, and more.
Museum Open Tuesday – Thursday
9:30am – 4:30pm

Do you have or know of an event you would like to have added to our weekly calendar? Please email us at contact@birminghammommy.com, subject line “Events Calendar” – We would love to hear from you!

** All information listed on our calendar is subject to change without notice to us or you… We do our best to keep the information accurate and will always update as soon as we learn that something has changed. It’s always best to double check with the event via their website or a quick call,  especially when weather can impact the event.

McWane Science Center's BIG Discount 2013

Posted on by Angie

BirminghamMommy.com and the McWane Science Center are partnering up for the 4th year in a row to offer this AMAZING discount to our readers! $20 off any membership level. Good for 1 week only!!

It’s THE biggest discount you will see this year for the McWane Science Center! $20 off any Membership level!

$20 off is HUGE savings and is only effective from November 10th – 16th, 2012.  You must purchase in person from a BirminghamMommy representative, or in person at the McWane Center. If you’re currently a McWane member, you can renew for next year at this rate!  You can purchase as many of these memberships as you want as gifts! Tip: Call the grandparents, aunt and uncles and let them know this is what your kids want for Christmas. They can mark you off of their shopping list and it takes up no space in your house! A win/win for everyone.

We’re moms, we know it’s hard to get out and run errands.  To make purchasing easier, we will be set up at some offsite locations that we hope will be convenient for you. You can always purchase in person at McWane as well, just remember the coupon.. You must have it in order to get the discount. You can print the coupon HERE.

Cash, check, or credit cards accepted.  Make checks payable to McWane Science Center.

Here is our tentative schedule for offsite locations to help make signing up a little easier. Make sure to watch our Facebook for any changes or additions we might make to this schedule.

Monday, November 11th – Carmike Summit 10am – 12:30pm (look for us in the lobby)

Tuesday, November 12th – Hart and Soul Coffee Shop in Homewood 10am – Noon

Wednesday, November 13th – Starbucks Vestavia 9am – 11am

Thursday, November 14th – Shops of Grand River Outlet Mall – Grand Holiday Spectacular 5pm – 8pm

Friday, November 15th – Hoover Starbucks, Hwy 31 Noon – 2pm

Membership Forms will also be available at the following locations:

Do it Yourself Crafts in Homewood, Sunday (the 11th) Noon – 5pm,  Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm. She will be open on Veterans Day!!

Instant Sign Center in Trussville – Tuesday – Friday 9am – 4pm

Giveaway: McWane Model Train Preview Party

Posted on by Angie

The Magic of Model Trains Exhibit is coming to the McWane Science Center and they’re kicking it off with a preview party this Saturday night.

Thanks to the Magic of Model Trains/Winter Wonderland sponsor, Royal Cup Coffee, we have some passes to giveaway to the event.

Magic of Model Train Preview Party – Mcwane Science Center
Be the first to experience both the Magic of Model Trains exhibit and Rocky Mountain Express IMAX film.

Event Includes:
Admission to the museum and a screening of Rocky Mountain Express
Hot chocolate and cookies in the museum
Train rides
Small popcorn
Free train whistle following the film screening for all kids 12 and under
5pm – 8pm
5 PM – 8 PM, Film Screenings at 5 PM & 7 PM

This will be a quick giveaway open until Midnight tonight, 11/7/2013. Winners will need to be able to pick up in Homewood sometime tomorrow. 3 winners will be chosen and notified via email.

To Enter:

Leave a comment here on the post letting us know you want the tickets.

For an extra entries:

Like the the Royal Cup Facebook Page and thank them for the giveaway. (1 per person)

Like the EspresShip Facebook Page and thank them for the giveaway. (1 per person)

Good Luck!

 

 

Pinspired Recipe: Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

Posted on by Angie

It seems like everyone else is on a Pumpkin Flavored kick these days so we thought we would give you an option to add to the every growing Pumpkin Craze.

What you’ll need:

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

3 Large Eggs

1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar

1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Purée (canned pumpkin)

1 1/2 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger) – I ended up using the pumpkin pie spice and fresh ground nutmeg and a pinch of ginger.

1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 3/4 Cups + 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

Coating Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Cinnamon and Sugar Mixed Together
1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

What you’ll do:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray/grease donut pan. If you don’t have a donut pan, you can bake muffins instead using a standard muffin tin.
  • Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth.
  • Add the flour, stirring again until smooth.
  • Fill the wells of the donut pan about 3/4 full; use a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each well. If you’re making muffins, fill each well about 3/4 full; the recipe makes about 15, so you’ll need to bake in two batches (unless you have two muffin pans).
  • Bake the donuts for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. If you’re making muffins, they’ll need to bake for 23 to 25 minutes.
  • Remove the donuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges, and transfer them to a rack to cool.
  • While the donuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a plastic or paper bag with the cinnamon-pumpkin spice-sugar. If you’ve made muffins, sprinkle their tops heavily with cinnamon-pumpkin spice-sugar.
  • Cool completely, and wrap airtight; store at room temperature for several days.

Happy Fall! Enjoy! Follow us on Pinterest for more of our fun finds!

 

What Does Your Birth Order Say About You?

Posted on by Angie

We’ve all heard of Middle Child Syndrome and the stereotypes of the First born being a leader, the youngest the “baby?” But did you know that your birth order can actually shape your personality? Where you fall on the family tree can have a huge impact on the type of person you will grow up to be. Birth order is often believed to have a profound and lasting effect on psychological development.

The Oldest – Will usually excel in school, be a leader, like to be in charge and be well organized. First borns also exhibit determination, confidence and are usually bringing to their family many first experiences. Because they are center of the new Parent’s life (at least for a while) it can create a lot of natural self confidence. Many also go on to become entertainers.
Notable First Borns: Oprah Winfrey, George W. Bush, Bill Cosby, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber.

In the Middle – Middles will have a lot of friends, and will be more likely to resolve a fight than to start one. They are peacemakers who see all sides of a situation, They can usually read people well, and are independent and inventive. If a firstborn is a company’s CEO, the middle child is the entrepreneur.
Notable Middles: Donald Trump, Bill Gates, JFK, Julia Roberts, Warren Buffet.

Youngest – Aren’t afraid to speak up and say what they think. Babies of the family are social and outgoing, and tend to be the most financially irresponsible of all birth orders.  The Youngest love attention and could be your class clown.
Notable Last Borns: Jim Carey, Billy Crystal, Goldie Hawn, Steve Martin

Multiples – Typical birth rules above apply and is usually true even if you have siblings other than your twin or triplet.
Notable Multiples: Jenna and Barbara Bush, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Ronde and Tiki Barber

Only Child – Only Children are typically rich with imagination. They are hard working and goal oriented. Usually independent and comfortable meeting new people. They will have focus, determination and
Notable Only’s: Lance Armstrong, Natalie Portman, Franklin Roosevelt, Condoleezza Rice, Frank Sinatra.

What do you think.. Do these descriptions match up with your birth order, your kids?

Best Children's Books for 2013

Posted on by Angie

When reading for 20 minutes a night is a school assignment, you quickly start looking for some fun books that will hold your children’s attention night after night.

Here is a rundown of some of the most notable children’s books of 2013, according to the Association of Library Service to Children.

For Younger Readers (ages Preschool-grade 2 (age 7), including easy-to-read books)

And Then It’s Spring. By Julie Fogliano. Illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter.

A spare, lyrical narrative and delicate woodblock print and pencil illustrations capture the anticipation of spring. Accompanied by a coterie of animals, a boy plants seeds and waits expectantly for them to sprout.

Hippopposites. By Janik Coat. Appleseed.

A hippo demonstrates a clever variety of opposites in this oversized board book designed to amuse and instruct the youngest readers.

Bear Has a Story to Tell. By Philip C. Stead. Illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter.

Seasons change but friendship remains as Bear patiently awaits to tell his story in a world created through delicate illustrations and a strong message.

Dogs on Duty. By Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. Walker.

Brave, loyal dogs are hard to resist, especially those trained to serve on difficult military missions. Easy-to-read blocks of text are paired with photos to walk readers through the history of these hero hounds.

Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building. By Christy Hale. Illus. by the author. Lee & Low.

Poetry combined with images illustrates how children’s play influences the creative process as it pertains to the buildings we inhabit and will inspire readers to dream big.

Nighttime Ninja. By Barbara DaCosta. Illus. by Ed Young. Little, Brown.

A ninja stealthily goes about his mission until his mother catches him and puts him to bed. A dark palette of cut paper and mixed-media illustrations intensify the story’s intrigue.

Oh, No! By Candace Fleming. Illus. by Eric Rohmann. Random/Schwartz & Wade.

With exuberant rhythmic phrases and jungle colored illustrations, five animals are disturbed by a grinning tiger and fall into a hole, one by one. This suspenseful cumulative tale is an engaging read-aloud.

One Cool Friend. By Toni Buzzeo. Illus. by David Small. Dial/Penguin.

Energetic line and dizzying perspective combine for a rollicking tale of Father, Elliot, and a highly improbable pet (or two).  (A 2013 Caldecott Honor Book)

For Middle Readers (Grades 3-5, ages 8-10)

Abraham Lincoln & Frederick Douglass: The Story behind an American Friendship. By Russell Freedman. illus. Clarion/Houghton.

Though one was born a free man and the other a slave, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass had much in common.  In this dynamic study, Freedman explains how their influential lives intersected and benefitted a nation.

The Beetle Book. By Steve Jenkins. Illus. by the author. Houghton.

With jewel-like collage art, this over-sized edition examines different beetle species and their distinctive characteristics.

A Black Hole Is Not a Hole. By Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano. Illus. by Michael Carroll. Charlesbridge.

Using analogies within a child’s experience, this deceptively clear, engaging introduction to black holes describes, explains, excites, and sparks a sense of wonder.

Iceberg, Right Ahead!: The Tragedy of the Titanic. By Stephanie Sammartino McPherson. illus. Lerner/Twenty-First Century.

Drawing from official documents, logs, and diaries and illlustrated with plentiful photographs, this well-organized, gripping chronicle records the tragic story, from the original design and construction to the discovery of the ship’s remains and motion picture recreations.

In a Glass Grimmly. By Adam Gidwitz. illus. Dutton/Penguin.

Inspired by the tales of Grimm and Andersen, Gidwitz leads Jack and Jill on a quest full of adventure and fantastical creatures. Wit and wisdom packaged as fun.

Island: A Story of the Galápagos. By Jason Chin. Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter.

Vivid illustrations and brief text explain the evolution of one Galápagos island and its animal inhabitants.  Back matter adds weight to the information and prompts further research.

See You at Harry’s. By Jo Knowles.  Candlewick.

Fern’s family life revolves around her family’s restaurant and upbeat-three-year-old Charlie until tragedy strikes.  A surprisingly funny book about a family coming together as they grieve.

Splendors and Glooms. By Laura Amy Schlitz. Candlewick.

Lizzie Rose, Parsefall, and Clara are caught in the clutches of a wicked puppeteer and a powerful witch in this deliciously dark and complex good-versus-evil tale set in Dickensian England. (A 2013 Newbery Honor Book)

Older Readers (Grades 6-8, ages 11-14)

Drama. By Raina Telgemeier. Illus. by the author. Graphix/Scholastic.

Callie’s personal drama on the tech-crew — unrequited crushes, a first kiss, middle-school cliques — is a spot-on tribute to teamwork, strong friendships, and individuality.  (A 2013 Stonewall Honor Book)

A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return. By Zeina Abirached. Illus. by the author. Lerner/Graphic Universe.

This graphic novel memoir focuses on one night during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) during which the author, her brother, and neighbors huddle in the safest corner of their apartment sharing memories, food, and comfort. (A 2013 Batchelder Honor Book)

We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March. By Cynthia Y. Levinson. illus. Peachtree.

Four children, who risked their lives in the momentous march, provide their personal accounts of that historic event. Beautifully designed and illustrated with archival photographs.

Seraphina. By Rachel Hartman. Random.

In Goredd, dragons and humans live in uneasy peace. Hartman pulls Seraphina, a half-human/half-dragon teen musician, into the intrigue at court.  Internally logical, suspenseful with just a hint of romance. (The YALSA 2013 William C. Morris Award Book)

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece. By Annabel Pitcher.  Little, Brown.

A painful, sometimes comic, but ultimately hopeful, story about a family coping with grief, while confronting their own biases against Muslims.

For All Ages (Has appeal and interest for children in all of the above age ranges)

Little Bird. By Germano Zullo. Illus. by Albertine. Enchanted Lion.

The expressive, simple illustrations wordlessly show how a man’s kindness is repaid by a grateful bird; a graphic depiction of “It’s the little things that count.”

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs that Squeak, Soar, and Roar! Ed. by J. Patrick Lewis. illus. National Geographic.

In a collection for all ages, Lewis pairs poems by classic and modern poets with breathtaking photos from the National Geographic archives that capture the amazing diversity of the animal world.

Step Gently Out. By Helen Frost. Illus. by Rick Lieder. Candlewick.

Frost’s poem, paired with Lieder’s luminous photographs, invite readers to examine insects’ lives as they soar through the air or somersault across a blade of grass.

To see their entire list of notable books for 2013, visit their site.

 

 

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