Today, I think my heart completely stopped, I got such a scare. I was sitting downstairs with my parents watching TV. Randall was working on tearing apart our downstairs bathroom to lay new flooring and all was well. Sydney was having a tough time going down for a nap today. She was overtired and was upstairs fussing in her crib. I had the monitor on, but the volume way down because I was giving her some time to settle down. She was SOOO tired! Now, because Anthony was going down for a nap at the same time next door in Zach’s room and Sydney was fussing, I allowed him to have the TV on. I knew he wouldn’t sleep, but at least wanted him to rest. Anyway, while I was sitting downstairs waiting to go settle Sydney again, all of a sudden I heard a shreik! I looked at my parents and said… “I think that was Anthony…” (which was odd, b/c it was Sydney that we were hearing fuss). Then I heard it again, but this time I heard a distinct panicked “MOMMY…” I ran up the stairs in two seconds flat and into Zachary’s room where Anthony was. I found him dangling from the top bunk by his hands and NECK!!!! He apparently was sitting on the top bunk with his feet dangling down under the railing. He must have slipped and was caught by his neck between the railing and the top of the mattress. I lept over the lower bed railing and on to the bottom bed and grabbed his legs and pushed him up to get his neck above the railing. I screamed “I NEED HELP!” Randall ran in and we got Anthony back up onto the top bunk. The poor thing was panting he was so scared. He wasn’t the only one!!!! Seeing him in that position has haunted me all day!!!
After he was safe, I pulled him down onto the lower bunk and held him while his heart slowed down. He was VERY shaken up. (duh!) We all were!!! It was a parent’s nightmare to find your child in that kind of situation. I am so thankful that he could cry out for help. After everything was calmed down, we had a pointed discussion about him NEVER doing that again and that I DO NOT want him on the top bunk. He told me that he didn’t want to go up there until he was 5. (He is 4 and a half now). THANK GOD he is okay. At the end of the day he is fine, but I am still rattled from the experience! I have no idea how my parents made it through my childhood. Being a parent can be so scary!
What actor(s) do you love so much that if they are in a movie, you will automatically go see it?
- John Travolta
- Morgan Freeman
- Robin Williams
- Will Smith
- Tom Hanks
- Liam Neeson
- Russell Crowe
- Ed Hariss
- Johnny Depp
- George Clooney
I hate to say it, but no actresses come to mind.
The Tropic Thunder issue has overtaken a lot of energy in the last 24 hours. I am amazed at the quick rallying of communities and groups to highlight the offensiveness of the “r-word”. I must say that I am proud of the strong voice. As sad as this situation is, it HAS provided the opportunity for building awareness. Locally, the Down syndrome Association of Central Texas (DSACT) rallied a protest at a local theater last night with over 50 people showing up to show thier distaste of the movie. It sparked great conversations. I wish I could have been there to show my support. Great job DSACT! There was media coverage on all 4 major network news shows in Austin as well as an interview with the DSACT president on our primary talk radio show on KLBJ. All of this was put together with only a few hours notice. I am very proud of DSACT and our local community. They were gentle yet strong. On a broader scaled the internet is full of discussions and news stories as well. Even Good Morning America got on the bandwagon to discuss the issue yesterday morning.
One of the blogs that I keep up with is Luvmypeanut has published some great information for people to send their comments to the actors and the studios. If you would like to chime in on the issue and show your disappointment in their actions, please feel free let your keyboard do the talking. Thanks LuvMyPeanut!
Also, All4MyGals has found a great positive video from YouTube that is worth the viewing. It is about the only “r-word” that we should use…. Respect. Click HERE to see the video.
Blessings to you all.
Tropic Thunder is now a Tropic Disappointment. Below is the message I used to sign the petition at iPetitions.com (thank you luvmypeanut!) if you would like to sign the petition please either follow the link from luvmypeanut’s blog or directly from HERE, before you go, iPetitions.com is a free service but they will ask for a donation at the end of your having signed the petition, I did not investigate if there was a way to sign for free (the minimum amount they ask for is $2 payable by paypal) okay, forewarned. hopefully that doesn’t stop you from signing the petition.
Update from lovemypeanut: You don’t have to pay to sign the petition, they just ask for the $2 after and you can skip that and you will still sign the petition! Hope that helps!
I am a huge fan of all three of the actors in this movie as well as many other DreamWorks films, and to some degree I understand the point Mr. Stiller is attempting to make with both his role and the script (e.g. Oscar for Sean Penn etc) that being said, When Mr. Penn and others have portrayed mentally challenged persons, and even when Mr. Stiller dealt with a mentally challenged person in “What about Mary”, it has been, in the public eyes at least, done with respect. That is before now, I know this is a satire and in many ways is probably a funny film, but I think you have crossed a line with regard to the use of the phrase “going full retard”
I am not one who normally protests a film before it comes out, or after for that matter, but again I think you have crossed a line. For many years, we have worked to remove the hurtful and derogatory use of the word retard, and in one fail swoop you have managed to place it back on the lips of teenagers and adults alike and make it acceptable to call someone with or without a mental challenge retard all the the name of humor and making a buck. I would be willing to wager this film would be just as funny if not funnier without the catch phrase “going full retard”
Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Randall
proudpapa@downrightfaith.com
There is a HOT topic flying around the Down Syndrome community right now around a movie that is being released this week, Tropic Thunder. In this movie with Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr, and Jack Black. The controversy is around the flagrant use of the word r*tard. Better known as the “r-word”. The movie is being touted as being an equal offender to everyone, but there is a stream of dialogue around being r*tarded with the final phrase “going full r*tard” being the highlight. Why, why, why do people need to “go there”? I just don’t get it! Personally I don’t think there was any maliciousness on any one’s part, just pure ignorance. Unfortunately it is on a GRAND scale… Hollywood’s scale.
It really saddens me that this is what is deemed funny in 2008. You would think that we had come further than that as a society. Clearly not. It breaks my heart that this movie with this particular cast (one I must say I have always liked) will put these phrases on the lips of teenagers and young adults everywhere. I HATE this word for all it means. Even when it is said flippantly and not aimed at someone it makes my heart hurt and my blood boil. It is the worst slam that you can give to someone with mental disabilities. Lord help the person that uses it in front of me or my daughter!
There has been a request by the head of the Special Olympics to the head of Viacom to retract it, etc. The media reports that they are “working together” on it. Whatever that means. What saddens me the most is the response, or lack thereof, of the actors and Viacom/Dreamworks. I really don’t think they had a clue of the negative impact this was going to make, but when the outrage and outcry of the disabled community spoke up, I would hope that there would have been some humility and repentance in their responses. I pray that they realize what they are doing and in turn publicly recognizeand do something, anything to help rectify it. As parents we are trying our best to make a safe world for our kids. Crap like this just makes the uphill battle steeper! I ask those of you reading this NOT to see the movie and if you EVER hear ANYONE use the “r-word”, PLEASE take the time to educated them on the hurt it causes. Every little bit helps. For Sydney’s sake and everyone else with mental disabilites, please drop this word from your vocabulary.
What a sad day for this mom and many others.
I have not posted in a week. No, I am not at a loss for things to say (no comments from the peanut gallery). It has been a busy week. My parents arrived from Phoenix last Monday. My father is getting ready to attend a one year program at the local Episcopal Seminary in Austin to finally be ordained as a preist. We have been busy since they got here, but that is not the reason that there have been no posts… In addition to all of the activity going on, we have had some computer hiccups which have made it a little more difficult to post. They are not totally fixed, but for now I can at least write… but I am not sure how to put up more pictures, etc. Ugh. Looks like a job for super-hubby. Able to fix complicated computer problems in a single bound. =0) Finally, as if this weren’t enough I got sick. Yup, I went to the doctor today and I officially have strep. Yuck! Not only can I not eat or drink anything without cringing, I think I got hit by a mack truck. Well, I got some good drugs from the doctor and hopefully this will start clearing up soon. Pray that NO ONE ELSE gets sick! We have been passing around a stomache virus then a cold all around the family… THIS needs to stop with me! Anyway, I will try to get back on the ball soon.
My baby girl hit another HUGE milestone, make that TWO milestones this week. She has been working on getting and staying in the crawling position for a while now. Well this week she went from being in the crawling position and tumbling forward onto her her belly…. to full blown crawling across the floor in one week! You GO GIRL!!!! YEAH!!! (WATCH THE VIDEO) Then, just while we are taking the time to celebrate this ground breaking milestone…. the little determined bugger pulls herself to standing several times this week!! WOW, that my girl!!! I am going to try and get it on video so you can see for yourself. She is awful proud of herself…. Who can blame her! YEAH SYDNEY!!!
This week’s List question: List The Extravagant material items that you would purchase with unlimited funds…
Now, I have a list of humanitarian items…. but this week’s list is strictly frivolous, so here goes…
- A home in Hawaii
- A home in Florida
- Disney cruise tickets for everyone I know to have a fabulous vacation together
- A home on Lake Austin with a high end kitchen! and lots of decks.
- A long luxurious European vacation
- A 5-star Vegas trip
- New vehicles, nothing in particular comes to mind
- a Harley for my hubby… wait no… An Orange County Chopper
- A daily masseuse (ahhh….)
- A new wardrobe (my BFF Kim would HAVE to go with me)
- Go on a house decorating shopping spree
- Throw a few shindigs at nice restaurants
Really, I want to travel… and I want to take family and friends along. It’s SOOOO much a fantasy, that I am not really good at this. =0)
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