Stage mum

So! An update on Aidan's "modeling career".

He's gone for an interview with Bubblegum Kids, and their keen to have him on board. He's got another few lined up next week, and in July, but I guess the big question we're considering is, which agency will give him the best opportunities?

Mind you, it is NOT CHEAP to join an agency, what with marketing and portfolio fees, it's upwards of $400 a year! The bigger agencies charge more, but I'm not sure if that means he gets more exposure, and better photos (they make you decide that day and take the photos immediately). Of course, their client base may be wider too.

Boutique agencies may have a more personalised service, and market him better...but will it be better for his career long term? I don't know!

Gosh. I really sound like I'm overthinking it aren't I. Just praying for wisdom to make the right decision I guess! He's got such an energy and loves performing, I know I'm biased but I really think he can be a star (or in his own words, a ROCK STAR). Or maybe I'm just living out my dreams through him? ;p

Fame!!! part 5

Aloha everyone! The ad's finally out! Presenting.... Aidan's first print ad!!

July '09 issue of Practical Parenting, Page 8

We're now taking offers...

I kinda wish I had the nerve to snap pics during the photoshoot, but somehow thought if I was being a busybodies our chances would be slimmer! Weird I know! Maybe next time (if there is one)?? ;-)

Fame!!! part 4

Monday's shoot went pretty well, we were told to bring several outfits for him to change into but in the end they had an orange jumper for him to wear. We showed up bright and early at a beautiful house in Armadale (1/2 an hour early actually, 'coz I was so afraid of being late!), got him changed, and were led into a bightly-lit kitchen filled with important advertising types, production co-ordinators, art director, stylists, photographer, photographer's assistant... in short, lotsa people.

He was then presented with POTS and WOODEN SPOONS. That's like releasing fish into water. Or chocolate to me.

So there we were, time-slotted between 2 other adorable kids (blonde-haired, blue-eyed, what else?), rotating turns and having my eardrums pierced by the pounding in the room, punctuated by sounds made by my MIL re-enacting her version of an air-traffic controller at a children's circus. It definitely elicited responses from Aidan, 'coz when the other kids had a go (and we were ushered out of the room) they didn't seem to have done too well. One was fussing, and the other seemed rather afraid of the "drums", so much so that they had to call A back into the room to show her how to do it! I think it helped that he was a little older than the other two (yet looked between 12-18 months, which was the brief), so was better at co-ordinating his limbs. And all the while, he was smiling, rearranging the pots just the way he liked it (how pedantic, like his Dada!), banging away so hard the wooden spatula broke, and using his mouth to drum by biting on the spoon and nodding!! I think he did the last one 'coz he figured, Hey, these people have been watching me do the same ol' same ol' for awhile now, let's try something different!

I almost thought we should forget the whole affair, with him bunging his face TWICE in the preceding week, leaving a scratch across his forehead between his brows, and under his left eye (Murphy endangering my career as a future stage-mum?!!) But we showed up anyways, and I'm glad we did, because we just found out that HE'S THE NEW HEINZ BABY!!!

Yes folks, we made it! I've seen a draft copy of the ad, it looks fantastic, our little precocious tyke has just earned his first paycheck, and I'M GOING TO GETTING AN EXPENSIVE MASSAGE FOR MOTHER'S DAY. Minus the manager's fee (Stevie, who sent us the casting-call email), and grandparent's fee (for dancing around like a lunatic to get him to respond) of course.

Fame? Part 3

So, great news, we got picked for the new ad! We're not sure if it's gonna be a print ad or an online one, or if he'll even be featured in the final edit, but we're just really excited to be part of the experience.

The shoot takes place on Monday, and we'll have more details then. My MIL's coming along, since my in-laws arrive tomorrow morning. Yay! We're really looking forward to their visit! Woohoo...it's always great to have family around. :-)

Anyhoos, in other news, Aidan's vocabulary has been expanding daily. He greets me "Morning!" when he wakes up, before asking "Dada, where?!" then "Work!", he can name all his body parts (some even in Chinese!) says "Hi" and "Bye" (did I mention this before?). Yesterday he said "No no NO THANKS!" (hmm...firm but polite I guess!), he can also say the 3 Cs - "cookie", "cake", and "cracker", the 3 Bs - "bird", "bubbles", "bath", "phone", his own name, "Mama, Dada, IVY!" and lots more, I can't keep up! He can even recognise ring tones, and knows whether it's Mama's phone or Dada's.

There are also some words that tickle him to bits which I prefer him not to say. Like "kookoo", which Ivy and Stephen taught him. HARRUMPH! Now he keeps pointing to himself and saying it! Adorable I guess, at this age, but not so when he's like, er, 22.

He's also getting better with sitters, although times at childcare can still be teary. The other day, before I'd even finished leaving instructions with Jon, he'd already said "BYE!!" and waved me off. The same on Monday at Em's too, when I was just heading out to load the car! Cheeky little bugger!

Well, the Foos and Kienan are arriving on Monday...it's gonna be great to see the 2 boys play together again!!

Here's a photo sequence taken at a friend's wedding the past weekend, featuring the Soh boys and Faith, one of Aidan's run-around playmates. Thanks Joy for the photos and captions.

Girl: Wheee!
Boy: Just a minute...

Girl: Ooh, I'm way up high!
Boy: He's MY daddy!

Boy: Get off my dad's arm.
Girl: Eh? What did I miss?

Fame? Part 2

So we made it to the casting today, after driving for about 45 mins in peak hour morning traffic. I was so nervous about being late that I couldn't really sleep the night before! But we got there with enough time to spare, and for me to compose myself after the harried zipping and speeding through the streets, praying I wouldn't hit a traffic jam.

It lasted for about 15 mins, after the initial "wah" factor of arriving at the made-to-impress office - they own the BUILDING. Yikes! And it's all open-plan, so you can see everyone working as you arrive. And the impressive ad campaigns all strung up on the walls.

We were led by a very pretty lady to a room where the art director, a petite girl, got Aidan to play with some pots and pans with wooden spoons (phew! His favourite activity at the moment!), while she took some shots. He was shy at first, but banged and smiled happily away, occasionally looking up to half-smile at the camera. She said she got some cute pics, so hopefully that's good news for us!

After filling up some forms and such, we were handed a Heinz goodie bag, and whisked back to the car in the morning drizzle. Fingers crossed. Maybe he could be the next Heinz Nurture baby! They said the ad could either be a print or online ad, and I had to sign a talent-release form stating the compensation paid for the shots, if we were chosen ($800 for main kid, $400 for the back-ups), would be for unlimited use worldwide.

I did some googling last night, wondering what it'd take to start Aidan's career as a child genius slash star slash prodigy slash beloved national treasure, and found out it'd take a LOT. Modelling agencies charge a registration fee, followed by an annual fee to maintain an online profile of your child, head shots, composite etc. For $500!! Every year!! And that doesn't even guarantee your kid'll get picked!

Hmm.

Methinks it'll be awhile before I'm a stage mum.

Anyhoos, after we left, I dropped him off at childcare where he did his usual sobby goodbye. And of course I felt really terrible and guilty leaving, even though I knew he'd stop once I left (his carers always say he's pretty happy the rest of the day, and whenever I arrive to pick him up and spy through the class window, he's always toddling around playing and having fun).

But I just couldn't shake the feeling today, and I felt so lonely and anxious and purposeless at home, that I decided to head out again and catch up with C over lunch. It was pretty good to have our chat.

I wonder if I'll ever shake the horrible feeling like I'm abandoning him there, even though I know the environment's really good for him and he learns a lot there, especially interacting with the other (ang moh) kids. SIGH! Man, when he starts real school...

Fame?

Some interesting news. We recently sent in Aidan's photo for a Heinz ad call-out, and got shortlisted! So tomorrow he'll be in for casting/audition, bright and early at 9.30am, and we're keeping our fingers crossed.

Let's hope he'll be his sparkly self and won't be intimidated by all the strangers! Now I'm just contemplating what he'll wear, what I'll wear (*ahem*, ad people DO look at the mums y'know), what time we should leave the house to avoid traffic, and whether the whole shebang's gonna be like that in Mad Men.

There'll be one main kid for the Heinz Nurture print ad campaign, and 2 "back-up" tots who may or may not be in the ad. Hope we get into the top 3! If all goes well, it'll be a fun experience for me (if he behaves), and a real eye-opener.

(And maybe my career as a stage-mum will be kick-started into gear!) Muahhahaha.....

PS. The photos I sent in were the bath troll-hair one, and this: