not yet a model

Today Levi had a photo shoot with Intex, a swimming pool and accessories company. We happened upon the job. My friend and her daughter are signed on with an agency, and they told her about this casting audtion. She needed a ride, so Levi and I took them. We went in with them just to watch, and while we were there the casting people asked if they could take a picture of Levi and add him to the audition list. I said sure, why not. Then they called us back a week or so later and said they wanted him for the catalog pictures. We were pretty excited.
So this morning we got up and bathed and ate and had a relaxing morning waiting for the time to leave. It worked out well for Levi's schedule because although he couldn't nap here at home, it was a long car ride and the perfect time for him to nap on the way. So, he was rested and fed and all that good stuff. We get there and wait around while they finish shooting with another young lady. They told me she would be the "mom" figure in the picture with Levi. I found it a little funny, because this girl was maybe 20 and was wearing a pretty ridiculously skimpy bicini that did not say, "I'm a happy mommy playing with my son in the back yard kiddy pool."
I suppose "realistic" was not their goal.
Anyhoo, It's Levi's turn to shine. So, we go out into the yard where the kiddy pool is. As I set him down in the grass he became a little worried because there were several strangers around. But, he was pretty reasonable. We approached the little pool and splashed our hands in it. We got some toys and scooped up some water. And then he got in the pool, which only came up to about his calfs, and started splashing around and such. The girl gets into position behind him on the grass and we're ready. But, apparently they had a certain pose in mind...he had to sit down in the water and play for the picture. Thus, the foil in the operation. If they would have told me exactly what kind of picture they were gonna shoot, I could have told them, 'forget it." Levi doesn't sit in water. He just doesn't. In the bath, he plays, he splashes, he pours water on himself...all that. But He does not sit down. So, when they told me he needed to sit, I knew we would not be getting paid. So, I tried for the next 40 minutes or so to coax him into sitting and playing in the water for even a split second so that could snap a picture. To no avail. After trying once he made it pretty clear that he thought this plan was absurd. He didn't scream or throw a fit. He just refused to bend and got out of the pool, thank you very much. And after only once, he knew what our plans were. So, he didn't even want to play anymore. They even emptied out the pool so it was waterless. But it was too late. The pool was ruined to him. I tried to reason with him. I said, "Do you want to get down?" He'd say, "Yeah" "Do you want to play?" "Yeah" "Can you sit down in the pool while they take a picture?" "No" Now it's not as cute without being able to hear the voice he did it in. It wasn't whiney or braty. He was just sure that sitting in water is quite a ridiculous position to get yourself into. And it's pretty absurd that I was asking him to do it. When he'd answer "No" to my question, he would furrow his little brows and pucker his cute lips and say it sweetly and elongated. So, after what I deteremed to be long enough I said, "Clearly he's not gonna sit in down. Sorry." I was dissappointed but, , if Levi doesn't want to sit down in the water, that's really his own perogative. And I wasn't gonna try to make him feel bad or like he was in trouble. But, when I put him in his car seat I did say, "You weirdo." Because, it really is weird. Why not sit down. If you're gonna get all wet and splash and all that...why not relax?
Maybe he wanted to go DC Talk on his model mom and say, "Pardon me, your epidurmis is showing the surf." I think he wanted to say, "Get some clothes on woman, maybe then I"ll swim with you." But, all he knew how to say was, "No."
And I say, "Just say no Levi...Just say no."