What A Hoot

Yesterday morning, I took Zoey to her very first casting!! A casting is basically like an audition, but in this case, they already knew they wanted to use Zoey and just had to make sure she would cooperate for the shoot...before they could actually cast her. The shoot is going to be Halloween themed, for Amazon.com. 

When we arrived, everyone was very welcoming and friendly. I could tell that every single one of them was used to working with children, and that immediately helped calm my nerves. After some quick introductions, they got right to business and showed me Zoey's wardrobe: an owl costume! My first thought was that it was adorable, but that it also had a lot of "parts" to it. I wasn't completely confident that she was going to wear the suit, the feet, and especially the hat, without a bit of fussing. As I changed Zoey into the outfit, one of the assistants came back and had some great interaction with her. By the time the costume was on, Zoey no longer seemed concerned about it. In fact, she actually wanted to put the "feet" on.

Next was the test shoot. We had the costume on her, but was she going to sit still in it...and smile?! When I put sat her down on her mark and began to walk backwards, she was not thrilled with the idea of me "leaving her". Fortunately, she stayed put and kept her eyes on me; I was standing right behind the photographer. She offered up a few smiles, and then a few squeals, and then a few "I don't hate this, but I certainly don't love it" type expressions. Any time we had to go in and fix the headpiece (because she kept messing with it), she didn't want me to "leave" without her. But again, she stayed on her mark, and finished strong!

I was so relieved the hear the producer and crew singing her praises once I had her back in my arms. They said that they probably had enough good shots to choose from, but that they wanted us to come back today (the actual shoot day), just to make sure they had what they needed! Phew! I knew that she had done well, but each time she frowned, I was worried that they weren't going to be understanding. I mean, come on, what toddler wants to sit/stand still in a strange costume, in the middle of a room full of strangers, with a camera snapping and lights flashing in their face?? But I was quickly reminded that these people were professions, and just kind people in general. 

(Bonus: The produce said that she could tell Zoey is a really good girl. She said it wasn't just because she did well with the lights and the cameras and all of that, but also that it was obvious to her that Zoey has a sweet spirit. She said that there's just something about her. 
When she said that to me, I didn't know if I wanted to smile or cry. Both would have been out of joy. I haven't been a mother for long, but I know that one of the best feelings in the world, is when a stranger can sense how wonderful your child is. For her to see what I see in Zoey, in such a short time, made me even more proud of Zoey than I already was. Parents love their kids to death, regardless of what others think, but it is so nice to hear things like that every now and again. :)

So, yay! Zoey got the job!!  Her first job...as a baby model...for which she will receive a paycheck!! (Her college fund will be happy to see an increase, outside of the few cents she "earns" each month just for having money in her account!) 

When we left the studio, we made a quick stop at a nearby Starbucks and I tried to snap a few celebratory pics with my girl...

Fail...

Fail...

Yes! Nailed it...

(If I can't get a smile out of her, I will almost always settle for a "Scrunchy Face"! It never gets old!)

Modeling is hard work! 

After a nap and some food, I had my goofy girl back :)

Today was photo shoot day! 

"Five more minutes, pleeease!"

"But I don't wanna get up and go to work!"

Dressed and ready to go. Enjoying a good book while waiting for me to get ready.

When we arrived at the studio, it's was game time!

They had added some padding to the suit, in order to give the chest a "puffed out" look!

We read a couple books and played with a few toys that we brought from home. Wanted to make her feel as comfortable as possible.

Standing on her mark!

That lady in the picture with her was so sweet. She was making all kinds of silly noises and faces, and made sure that Zoey knew she was on her side.

She looks so tiny out there, all by herself!

I stood behind the photographer again today, and did some pretty embarrassing things in an effort to get Zoey to smile. Everyone got to hear my terrible singing voice, my ridiculous animal noises, and all of the jokes we tell at home about "stiiiiinky feet". Just like yesterday, we got a wide range of expressions, but overall, she did fantastic. She stayed put, stayed calm (for the most part), and made a room full of people fall in love with her :)

And that's a wrap!

I had to share this picture because she climbed into the car all by herself, grabbed my water, and took a sip! My baby is growing up! (And stealing things! Haha j/k)

Kandle Park

We had such a blast at Kandle Park today!! 

Zoey and I had actually been to this water park before, when she was months old, so I was really excited to go today because I knew it was going to be a totally different experience for her. Last time we were there, she watched her older cousin play in the big pool while she simply dipped her toes on the sideline. This year...she went all in!!

She used us for support when she needed to, but most of the time she was on her feet, taking full advantage of every ounce of freedom she was given!

She immediately fell in love with all of the overhead water features!

She got such a kick out of the dripping/tipping buckets.

The giant bucket was her absolute favorite. She would stand and point at it while she waited for it to tip.

The thing is massive! I was actually quite surprised that she wasn't more fearful of it.

It was so fun to watch her reaction each time the water came rushing at her! I'm sure she enjoyed it so much because she was safe in her daddy's arms :)

There she goes again!

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that I got extremely anxious when Michael asked to take her into the wave pool, but he did a great job keeping a tight hold on her. Though nervous, I was able to keep a huge smile on my face (which wasn't hard because watching Zoey have fun brings me a ridiculous amount of joy!) and get great pictures and video of her bobbin' up and down :)

She's such a brave girl!

Splashing around under the fountains

There were a couple minutes where all she wanted to do was squat down and pop back up! Over and over again! She loved when the waves hit her back.

Checking out the small gurgling fountains

Enjoying some yummy grapes.

Right next to the water park, there is a playground with activities for kids of all ages. Zoey played her heart out on the slides, swings, and bridges!  

Wrong way, Missy!

Introducing: The AeroGlider!

I had never seen one of these before. You can pile people in on both sides, and everyone rocks back and forth to make the whole thing slide back and forth. Kind of like the Teacup ride, but back and forth, instead of round and round...? It's a lot less fun than the Teacup ride though.

Ferries and Frozen Yogurt!

Zoey had a rough night's sleep (I think she was thrown off by the unfamiliar sights and sounds of my in-laws' guest room), but, fortunately, she woke up as happy as ever. We all enjoyed a nice breakfast out on the deck, watching the boats go by. 

Cruisin' up and down the deck

Can you imagine waking up to this beautiful body of water every day?? What a blessing.

My mother-in-law brought the toy kitchen outside and Zoey had a blast. She "made tea" and served up the most delicious imaginary food I've ever had ;)

"I'm in my seat, when I'd rather be playing with the kitchen set...so where's my food??"

Sighing "water"

Ask, and you shall receive!

Shortly after breakfast, it was time for us to hop on the ferry and head over to my mom's house. We had plans to visit a park near her house, so that she too could get her weekend "Zoey fix"!

Marilyn Monroe, is that you?? 

A little wind never hurt anybody. Plus, it's totally worth it for the amazing view you get from the ferry's deck! (That's Seattle behind us!)

I was pointing out West Seattle and Alki Beach

Another ferry! 

I can only imagine what was going though Zoey's mind..."Yeah, Mom. Ok. So?" 

Check out that huge cruise ship behind us! Oh, how I'd love to be on that boat!

Happy smiles.

Her first ferry ride was a success!

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!

What's not to love about Downtown Seattle??!

(Ok, just forget about the traffic, the expensive parking, and frequent smell of urine for a moment!)

Happy, happy Daddy's Girl

As soon as we drove the car off of the boat, she was out!

And I totally get it; ferry rides are so exciting!

Once we got to the park, I was super impressed with all of the cool features and toys that were there. Parks have definitely undergone a huge transformation since I was a kid. The toys are a lot more interesting, unique, and creative! 

This, my friends, is what a 2013 Jungle Gym looks like! Crazy!

A four-seater teeter totter? Say what?!

Zoey really likes these swings. She sinks way down and just enjoys the ride.

And finally...why have a regular, old, run of the mill, Mary-Go-Round, when you can have one that's got sculpted seats?! It was super comfy :)

All of the running around at the park got us in the mood for some frozen yogurt. We headed over to Menchies, and my mom generously treated us to a bowl of deliciousness! What a great, family-filled, day.

Zoey and Granny did some Parking Lot Pigeon Watching (Yes, it's a real thing! Haven't you heard?), while Michael and I finished our dessert.

**Almost forgot about this gem from last night:

"No Tea For Grandpa!" (7/5)