Answers About Modeling

People keep asking me how I got my kids into modeling and how they can do the same for their kids. So I'm going to give an answer here. I'd like to say its because they are pretty much the cutest kids in the world, but alas, it is not so. While they are pretty stinkin' adorable, the truth is, I got them into modeling by moving to Korea. Seriously, if you want your kids to model there's only 3 things they need...

1. They need a full head of hair
2. Girls preferably with curls, and
3. You need to live in Korea

The first month we were here we were aproached by a Korean woman in the food court at Yongsan. She asked if she could take pictures of Morgan because she was so cute. American kids get that a LOT from Koreans. So I let her. Then she handed me a business card and said she was a modeling agent and asked from my phone number. A few months later she called me and asked if Morgan could model. And thats how it all began.

Then, one day last week we ran into Morgan's agent in the parking lot at the PX. She came over to say hi and Jackson totally worked her over with his smiles and giggles. She was amazed at how happy and smiley he was, so she took his picture and called me a week later for his first shoot.

So in all reality, I didn't do anything to get my kids into modeling (except get knocked up, 9 months of pregnancy, and a total of about 20 hours of labor...oh, and moved to the other side of the world).

There are a TON of American children that model here. I've heard its because Korean's just think American children are cute. I've also heard that Korea is becoming more Westernized, so the clothing companies use American children to model so the product will sell better. Its very unlikely that our children would be able to model in the states, even though they are amazingly adorable :) In the states there is a lot more competition, so I think your children would have to be exceptionally beautiful to land a modeling job. I've also heard that you have to pay for modeling/acting classes and an agent to actually find them jobs. Here, we don't pay the agents, they pay us. They find the jobs first and then the kids to fill them.

So, I hope that answers everyone's questions. I honestly don't have any clue how to go about it in the States. Everything is very different in Korea. And they do pay us, because it is hard work (more so for the parents, the kids just play and eat candy all day). Morgan enjoys it, except for getting her hair and makeup done. But she's getting used to it. She likes taking clothes off and putting new ones on and she likes playing with other kids, drawing, eating candy, playing with puppies, and everything else she gets to do.

Jackson Modeling Shoot #1-Allo & Lugh

No, I didn't accidently post the wrong pictures. This little girl actually is Jackson. He looked just like Morgan did at that age! I actually called him Morgan once. I hope he can forgive me for this someday, but he made one pretty little girl!

This picture especially looks like Morgan.

Uh oh, I think he just realized he's wearing girl clothes.

Yay, now I'm in boy clothes!!!

I think this was his favorite pose. He was so tired, he just about feel asleep here.

My favorite

Modeling with a baby was 100 times easier than modeling with a toddler! And he did so good, dispite the fact that it was naptime!

Pictures This Week

I was folding laundry the other day and I left the room for a second. Morgan comes running into the kitchen with underwear on over her head holding my camera and saying, "picture, picture."

This isn't a very good picture, but it made J's eyes look beautiful!

A new hairstyle I tried for Morgan.

Trying to dress herself some more. One of those shirts is Jackson's.

We're Moving.....

Details to follow when they are obtained.

Ramblings of a Mad Cow

I have a bone to pick with America! I think its ludicrous that women are expected to cover themselves when we breastfeed our children. Why should we have to be so secretive about it? My child getting food from my breast is just as natural (if not more natural) as you eating a butchered cow on bread with cheese and ketchup. But you're not expected to eat your lunch with a blanket over your head. And no one expects you to go find a hiding place and eat in private. The media has turned a woman's body into something almost entirely sexual, so that when a baby is breastfeeding in public its almost considered indecent exposure. Jackson hates being covered up when he eats. Its hot and uncomfortable for him and for me. Which makes it difficult to do in public. My baby deserves to be comfortable when he's eating, and I deserve to be comfortable when I'm feeding him, after all, I'm trying my hardest to do what I feel is best for him. Breastfeeding isn't always easy for mom, so why do people have to make it harder for us? I've heard so many women say, "I don't care if other women don't cover up when they nurse, but I cover up because I never know if the people around me will be offended or not." In fact, I'm pretty sure I've said things like that. But I've come to realize that the people around me are not who I should be concerned about. I should be concerned about my child, and my child's comfort. A woman's breasts serve multiple purposes, all of which are beautiful and natural. There is a time and place for each of them. In public, when feeding a child, they are serving one of those purposes. So, here is your fair warning that if it offends you when I breastfeed in public, you can remove yourself from the situation or put a blanket over your head. I'm not going to leave the restaurant, or leave church services, or go sit on the bathroom toilet or floor in an airport, or go sit in the back of my car, or even go to another room. Not until everyone else starts doing the same when they're hungry. I will try to be discreet and I promise you won't see anything unless you're TRYING to see something.

p.s. don't think I have anything against bottle feeding. because I don't. I have no opinion one way or the other. I only have an opinion about people who don't like women to breastfeed in public :)

klean kanteen

This is the type of water bottles I bought for our family. I ordered them on Amazon.com last Wednesday and they came today! I'm so excited! They come in all sorts of colors. I got a pink one for Morgan and a blue one for Jackson, both with sippy spouts. Then I just got silver (pictured above) for Clint and me. We got one twist cap and one sports cap. They are 100% recylable, which makes me SO happy, and they are much better for our health, as mentioned in my previous post. Later this week I'll write more about the cleaning benefits of vinegar rather than chemicals on my Homemaker blog.

P.S. if you're looking into getting reusable water bottles, save yourself the research and just buy Klean Kanteen. Trust me, I spent many hours researching and these aren't only best because they're stainless steel (there are other stainless steel brands), but they are rated number 1 on Consumer Search and had the best reviews by consumers on several websites. And its awesome that they have the sippy spout option which is compatible with Avent sippy spouts!

She's a Real Model!!!

These are pictures of Morgan's Alfonso modeling shoot. They are pictures from the online catalog! They turned out super cute!

My friend, Amber, found the Basic Elle website for me. Basic Elle is another brand that Morgan modeled for. Go to THIS website, you will see her right away. Click on BRAND, then STYLE and browse through the pictures. I think there is 3 pictures of her. You have to temporarily allow pop ups.

Getting Healthy

I have been trying to take some steps toward becoming a healthier family. The first step was to stop washing my wood floors with chemicals, seeing as the kids spend a lot of time on them. I've started washing them with vinegar and water. Which actually makes them look and feel cleaner. The smell of vinegar makes me gag, but it doesn't leave a smell when you clean with it, so thats not a concern.

My next step was to stop using and reusing plastic water bottles. I've known for a long time that the plastic can break down and get into your drinking water, but it wasn't until I started doing research that I realized just how bad it is for you. So I bought all of us stainless steel, 100% recyclable waterbottles called Klean Kanteens.

Today I was looking up info about lead levels in children. My friend had her kids tested and one of them was over the safe level. So she had to test all her toys and get rid of some of them. Well, while doing my research I found a website called Skin Deep that talks about cosmetics (women and children) that have unsafe levels of medals in them. Turns out 98% of my makeup and lotions are in the hazardous levels. It lists the types of health issues that can be caused by excessive exposure. Anyway, I'm not super paranoid usually, but now I'm second guessing what products I should use.

Its funny how they say that cancer and heart disease and all these other things are more common now than they used to be. But they don't tell you its because we are exposed to so many toxins without ever knowing it. Even the packaged foods we eat....

Makes you think...

I Forgot To Mention

in Jackson's 5 month post that he LOVES rice cereal. When he sees the bowl and spoon his eyes get big, he opens his mouth, kicks his legs and waves his arms. When the spoon gets close enough he grabs it or my fingers and pulls them to his mouth. Its so cute. I'll have to get a video of it. I think if I let him he would just eat cereal and stop nursing.

Jackson is What? 5 Months!!!!????

I can't believe Jackson is 5 months old already. The time is flying! At 5 months he is rolling from stomach to back, trying to roll from back to stomach, blowing raspberries, grabbing onto anything and everything he can get within his reach, and he is now refusing to sleep anywhere but his crib :( When I was trying to get this picture he would not look at the camera or straighten his legs. Now that I'm looking at the picture, I think he couldn't straighten them because his jammies are getting too small in the length. Time to move to 6 months clothes I guess.Morgan and daddy trying to teach Jackson how to crawl. We're anxious for him to be mobile :) Everyone tells us we'll be wishing he wasn't mobile once he starts to crawl, but we love that stage. Its our favorite. Hopefully he does it a lot sooner than Morgan did (11 months).

A Few Funny Things

A couple of days ago Morgan was eating a sandwich for lunch. All the sudden I hear her say "Caw, vroooom, vroooom, vroooom." I looked to see what she was doing. The way she had taken bites from her sandwich made it look like the shape of a car and she was driving it around her highchair tray.

Yesterday I was in the laundry room and I hear Morgan come up to the doorway and say "car, car, car, car, car." I finished what I was doing and then came out the door and shut it. Morgan then proceeded to cry, "caaaaaaaaaar, caaaaaaaaar." I asked her what was wrong and she pointed at the door and cried again, "caaaaaaaar." I opened the laundry room door back up and she pointed at her tricycle. Apparantly she thinks its her car.

Sesame Street Live

I have to admit that being in the military has some wonderful benefits. Besides the obvious ones. Today Sesame Street came to Yongsan. It was free, and they gave out the coolest Elmo toys to the kids. Morgan had an absolute blast! She was singing and dancing and screaming and clapping. She loved it. We'll definitely go when the opportunity arises again.

This is blurry, but her face just radiates excitement, doesn't it?

Elmo power!

Coex Aquarium

February 8, 2010

This is a tub of fish that eat the dead skin off your hands. They are very popular here. They have fish cafes where you stick your feet in a tub of fish while you eat.

2-headed turtle

Morgan was scared of big fish. She wouldn't get closer than 3 feet to any tank with fish bigger than her fist. It was kind of funny.

She was sitting here by the manatee tank and one snuck up on her and scared her half to death.

This one was taken with my phone.