Stayin' Alive

Think some antibiotics, a chest x-ray and a little case of bronchitis can keep this girl down? Think again. Meet America's future Dancing With the Stars competitor:

If I practice, I can make it on that show with all the pretty dresses, now watch me spin!

Please, please let me in, I'm ready to dance!



It was a rough start to the week. Katie had been running a fever and coughing since Saturday so I took her to the doctor thinking that it would just be good to rule out strep or a possible ear infection. Turns out, she's battling bronchitis. So, after a few chest x-rays (I do not know how people keep their kids still for these. I had to reach waaaay down inside my creativity vault and get Katie to "pretend" to be an ice cube. Then "pretend" to be swimming and hold her breath - all at the same time while the technician snapped the picture - whew!), and a trip to the pharmacy we were home with our orders to rest and eat jell-o. As you can see, we didn't do too well at the resting part of the doctor's advice, but don't blame us, Katie's prescription cough medicine has the opposite affect on her. As in, it is supposed to make her sleepy and not cough. Instead it makes her wired and inclined to climb the tv while watching Dancing With the Stars. And all I can do is wonder how I ever got roped into letting that show creep it's way onto my television.

Must have something to do with the fact that I had just recently witnessed four grown men skip and dance onstage like teletubbies in a psychadelic universe (only sober).

So, not to dissapoint, here are the highlights of the Wiggles Experience (or, as I fondly remember, as the day I understood why some mommies drink before noon). Enjoy!

Off we go! Toot Toot Chugga Chugga . . .


Yup, that's the newest "yellow" Wiggle, Sam (far left next to the dinosaur). Before the concert started, a video message from Greg, the original yellow Wiggle, played in which he stated the reason for his departure from the group (due to health issues) and his gratitude towards the loving fans and wonderful children who have given him strength throughout his ordeal.

Look! Look! Murray actually walked right past us. I could've touched him if I wanted to (ick)!


Dancing fish - see how much fun this would've been with a dacquiri?

Lily and Katie doin' the monkey!


It's all worth it when you leave with a dinosaur tail!

And there you have it, the complete run-down of our Wiggle's Adventure (may I never have to do that again - but at least it wasn't The Doodlebops).



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And, thank you all for your encouraging words about McRae's playground ordeal. I did talk with his teacher about it at the conference this week, and she was very supportive. She also has a 4th grader and understands how frustrating that was for me. She agrees that a better communication system needs to be in place between the administration and the parents when it comes to things like this.

She recommended that I contact our Principal directly and voice my concerns. And she said "school is supposed to be safe" which is really as simple as it gets.



School is supposed to be safe.



I hope that by talking to our Principal and encouraging a change, that something positive will come of this. It is not so much an issue for my son anymore (as he is over it and does not seem to have sustained any lasting emotional scars from the incident) as it is for me. I do not want to see kids fall between the cracks just because nobody bothered to let their parents know when something happens at school.

Schools have a huge responsibility of taking care of, as well as educating, our children. Even though it is a lot of work, follow-through needs to happen on the school's end when something happens to a student in it's care. After that, it is up to the parents and I know that sometimes that may not be enough, but if nothing is done, than nothing can be done to make it better.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter."

~Martin Luther King Jr.