A'int Misbehaving

So lately I've been thinking, when are we suppose to start disciplining our kids?  There's a fine line between letting them explore their surroundings and them getting into trouble.  Here's our example of Dora the Explorer.  I can't even believe she was able to do this all by herself.




My new house.

Hi Dad, look where I am.



Oh, I wonder what is up here.

I found new use for this exer-saucer

  

Hey Brix, I'm done exploring now.

 

Life: The thing we take for granted

Do you remember the first time you rolled over, the first time you pulled yourself up to a stand and the first time you took your first steps?  I bet all of us can’t remember.  It’s as if it just happened on its own.



Face Plant

There’s something amazing about seeing a child develop because you forget about the simple stuff; the stuff you take for granted in everyday life.  For example, you forget you can walk.  It kills me when I’m at the mall, with my kids in their stroller, waiting for the elevator when finally the door opens and 7 able-bodied, “young” people walk out.  I don’t see your legs broke.  I don’t see you with a stroller, a cane, a respirator tank.  C’mon, you guys couldn’t take the extra steps to the escalator which is next to the elevator?  

I work out

The best one is at the movie theatre.  I go to the theatre and what’s the average age demographic there?  Guess?  Most likely 20 year olds?  You think of healthy strong people right.   I guarantee they look at those flight of steps and say, “oh hell no, I didn’t pay to walk up steps.”  Up they ride the escalator.  C’mon, I make it a habit to walk up those stairs and I get looked at.  “Look at this idiot, he’s taking the stairs when he could have used the escalator.”  

Almost there

Ok maybe I’m way out there in my thinking right now but when you say kids have an obesity problem, I wonder why.  Set the right example right?

So going back to my topic of life, I am seeing just how amazing it is.  Quynn is crawling at a rapid pace.  If she sees something she wants, she will get there no matter what.  She’s starting to do yoga too.  I caught her doing downward dog.

Baby downward dog

I wonder how she learned how to do all this?  It’s not like I actually taught her.  Is it just hardwired into our brain?  How does she know how to crawl?

Jayde on the other hand needs a little more work.  She can lie on her tummy for a long time, I give her that. She can even do a 360, pivoting on her tummy but she doesn’t move that well yet.  When she sees something she wants, she’ll scream at it. 

Both girls are also starting to talk, “ba ba ba ....dah dah dah...”  It’s amazing to see the beginning stages because you just forget how it all started.  That all has happened in less than 8 months.  Incredible.

The cycle of life is humbling.  You are born unable to walk, talk, or save memories, and when you die, you also might be unable to walk, talk, or remember the memories that you created.  So while we are able to do all these things, while we are still capable, let’s make the most out of life.  Use those stairs instead of the escalator, you have legs that work because one day you might be the one saying, “I wish I could walk up those stairs again.”     

  

  

     

   

Our Little Movie Stars

So about a month back I'm standing at Swiss Chalet with my girls, each sitting in their infant car seats beside my feet.  We were just waiting for the next available table.  It was a busy day and there were at least 5-7 groups ahead of us, also waiting.  5 minutes pass by.  I can already tell people are staring at us.

"OMG are they twins?  One boy one girl?"

That's pretty much the standard line I get from people who approach us. 

"No, two girls actually.  We just don't dress them alike."

That's pretty much the standard answer I give too.

We continue to have small talk when a second person approaches. 

"Oh hi! I notice you have twins.  I have twins too!  I have 2 boys."

That's the second most poplar comment I hear usually too.  What she said next was not so common.

"I'm a twins talent recruiter and I think your girls would be perfect for a movie we're casting for.  The director is looking for Asian twins."

Really I said to myself.  With all the child porn and sick stuff like that out there, you just have to think; this is a joke.   At the end of it, she gives me her card. 

The next day I check out her website and exchange information thru email.  I find out the movie is called "Still Seas/ Pacific Rim." and they are casting in Toronto.  Seems legit to me so I agree to let the kids do it since this opportunity probably won't come around again.

They were to be on set for 5 days, and in their own trailer.  They would be part of the background cast of course and basically just have to look good kind of a deal.  If only I could just look good in the background too and get paid.  The scene is in Hong Kong, in a shelter where people are hiding.  I assume they are hiding from aliens since that's what the movie is about.  At one point my wife had a chance to be on screen too since the babies had to be held.  I guess she wasn't "Chinese" enough to make the cut. 


[First day of filming]

Now I have to say, me and my wife never got excited about this opportunity because we know, the movie industry is so dynamic; schedules change, people change their minds etc.

So on the day of filming, we were told our scene was delayed.  So too would be the second day of filming.  They were still nice enough to pay the girls.  I thought that was courteous. 

[Thrid day of filming]

Well on the third day, we were to arrive on set at 5 pm.  We had made the preparations and started to get the girls ready at 2:30pm when our talent agent informed us filming was so backed up that they couldn't fit us in.  It didn't bother us, we had expected it.

[Fourth and Fifth day of filming]

So on the last two days the dirctor decided to use dolls for the scene instead since there would be rain and lots of noise.  It was probably for the best.  Having the girls wet, in a stranger's arm with lots of noise and commotion probably isn't in our best interest.

Knowing Jayde, she'd cry her head off all the way home. 

In the end, the idea of it was interesting.  To experience it would have been eye opening but in the end, the girls don't need to be in a movie.  It just would have been cool to let them look back at it and say, "yeah, remember you were in that movie....."