Confessions

So I have a confession to make. I'm a sucker when it comes to my kids. I'll bend over backward to do things for them. And so does their dad as good parents we want to give them all we can give them. Ask yourself if Heavenly Father doesn't want to do the same for us. He even mentions it in D&C 84:38. But I'm digressing.
Ok, so in mid-January (just before our trip to Legoland, that's for a later post) I was shopping at Target to get some supplies for Céleste's birthday party. You might ask: "isn't her birthday in November, not in January?"

Photo caption : This picture is of the actual day in November. And Nathan is present because despite what he says or does, he adores his sister. Always has since she was born. He loves little girls and is very protective of them (ask his aunts)

Well yes, technically. But a party doesn't have to be on the same month right? So I'll expand before moving on: her birthday basically falls a week before Thanksgiving or so, and here in the USA the day after Thanksgiving marks the official start of the Christmas/end of the year Holiday season. No biggie you might remark, except that planning a child's birthday party at that time of year is like trying a pin a tail on a donkey with a blindfold without being able feel for the donkey's rear end! In other words, nobody's available at the same time, because work parties, church parties, school parties, the list goes on of activities that everyone tries to cram in every possible weekend slot imaginable. So what would have been Céleste birthday party without her friends? You got it! It would not have been aparty as she wished it. So we celebrated her birthday at home on Nov. 17th with her family and then postponed the "with the friends" event for after the rush of the holidays, when no one has any other plans every weekend.

It was a success: her invited friends showed up, gave her presents, ate and drank at the big people table dressed up in Hello Kitty decorations, had fun dressing up, running up and down the stairs, making party bags and stringing glamourous bracelets, all the while with Don out of the house and away from the mayhem. Nathan was a wonderful assistant and helped me keep my sanity for the most part. The fun was over too soon and she cried when everyone had to leave with balloons & favors to plant. She again asked for a sister! Knowing Céleste I'm not surprised the question came up. I was actually wondering a few months back when she would ask it!. She doesn't want a baby sister mind you because babies cry too much. She has pre-requisites. So this finally brings me full circle to my topic of the day.
So we were at Target, a lady stopped dead in her tracks and exclaimed "how cute she was", etc. I usually don't let it go to my head because I do know the truth, our daughter is beautiful and witty and just plain adorable (most of the time). People notice her. What was more surprising was she handed me a business card and asked for my phone number so that the talent agency she worked for would call me to set up an interview. Yeah a talent agency as in modeling/acting agency. I was more than sceptical and thought "right!?". Well the agency "Tru Talent Management" did call. They have offices in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. They are very legitimate, I checked them out before going, besides Don was just as sceptical and I rely on him a lot for this sort of double checking, he keeps a cool head when I lose mine. So we went and they talked to Céleste. After a short script memorization and repetition, they asked her if she wanted to be in commercial or catalogs. She is a born performer & charmer as those who know her would attest. To make a long story short I ended up signing my daughter up. So now I pay for modeling & acting classes and bring her to auditions, etc. and maybe land a spot on a commercial/a catalog, etc. in many moons from now if she's lucky. That's where I say I'm a sucker for my kids. I didn't think twice to sign on the dotted line. Commit me! Oh well, in all that, is Céleste having a ball? Most certainly! She loves learning to be walk and pose like a model.
She loves watching herself on the TV in acting class where the teacher records them. So maybe she is not learning the piano or the violin or dancing yet, but she is having fun. The same day as the initial interview, Nathan was asked if he would want to be a model. He categorically refused: "NO, I don't want to be famous! People bug you when you're famous!" That's Nathan, he likes his peace and quiet and being home. He likes to know where his life is going and that's it's done with order and in following the rules!
Sorry about the über long post, but I now have to confess that I'm a crazy mom who'll swallow anything when her children are praised. Pathetic but true.