Merry Belated Christmas!

Okay, babies are a lot of work. There has been no time to edit photos and videos. We are taking them, but obviously we aren't posting them here.

We went to Hawaii in February. You'll see photos from that trip at some point. But before it gets too warm, I want to at least post our Christmas videos:

Christmas part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thpzErEIBV0

Christmas part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgjzGfIdQAM

Aloha!

NEW PICTURES

I know, I know...how bad of us as new parents to not post MORE pictures. The truth of the matter is, my digital camera is on the fritz and I just haven't had time to go and buy one. So, we wait for the old fashioned "roll" of film to be finished and develop. (I hate taking random pictures to just use a roll up...so it took me a while to get through it)

I promise, perhaps this weekend I will acquire a new digital camera and the blog will be flooded with new pics week after week.

Or...I could be up to my eyeballs in diapers and a teething baby and not even get out of my pjs.

Sigh

BJORN AGAIN

In the first three weeks or so of Olivia's life, I sported her around in a baby sling feeling so great that she was all snuggled up, womb-like against my body. Within a short time frame she became very agitated having to have her legs and arms all bundled in, not being able to see out.

This is where one of the hand-me-downs we received came in. The Baby Bjorn. What a fabulous invention! Like a back back (except on the front of your body....a front pack? whatever) it allows the baby's legs and arms to flail about. Small babies are supposed to face towards you as their necks aren't strong enough yet. Well, not our little peanut. She is determined to act like a big kid. She faces out, with her chin not far over the edge (a la Kilroy)and lets her head drop to the side when she falls asleep...all while still insisting to face outward.

We have found that this particular baby bjorn is missing the lumbar support so we are off to buy a new one with a lumbar support, knowing it will be put to good use.

As we walk along, Olivia chats away to passers by and kicks her legs "giddy-up" if you stop too long. This weekend Bill, Olivia, Barb and I went on a hike and she was so happy the whole time. Her cheeks nice and rosie. See the great pics Barb took with her camera?

Jennifer

MY BIG, BIG COUSIN

Olivia has a few cousins. One of them is Byron. He lives the closest to us. Bill was the baby in his family by quite a few years, making his nieces and nephews older than most would have.

Olivia's cousin, Byron turns 30 this year and he was quite into the books "Olivia" that a friend of ours gave to us. He towers a good 6 foot 5 or so! He was almost more amused by the Olivia books than Olivia herself!

Check out more about the Olivia books. She's quite precocious:

http://www.oliviathepiglet.com/

NEW PICTURES

Soon to come....audio of Olivia! She is now VERY vocal. She's having regular conversation (in her own language, of course.

REALIZATIONS

OLIVIA LOVE COSTIN'S TRAILER DOOR:

MAIA LOVE & OLIVIA LOVE

ARTIST PARENTS The reality that Bill and I have the perfect lifestyle for raising a child.

Our schedules are so flexible that we are able to spend lots of time together as a family as well as individual time with Olivia. This allows both of us to continue on doing the things we are doing in our careers, that is - for the most part......

Babies take up lots of your time. I do not in any way, say this begrudgingly, it's just a fact that I have realized. (I know, I know...a million people told me ...but you don't know until you're in it) I love every minute I spend with Olivia. She is so cute and full of such possibility. Our friend Susin made a great analogy: She said that babies arrive as who they are but they just peel away layers to expose more and more about themselves. It's wonderful watching in anticipation as she shows us her funny personality. (watch...she'll be a totally serious child and think her parents are nuts).

On Mondays Bill heads to Nanaimo early in the morning to teach at Malaspina (which is now called Vancouver Island University). He teaches all day Monday and Tuesday and comes home on Tuesday night. This leaves Olivia and I without him for two two days. Let me tell you, I salute the women of my mother's generation who's husbands went to work every day leaving them daily to take care of the house and child. When they say being a "housewife" (what is the NOW term for that? Domestic engineer? whatever!) is a full time job, they are right. It's amazing how you learn new time management skills! Juggling the baby, anything that needs to be done around here, along with my own business tasks is wild.

I just have to say how great of a dad Bill is. Olivia taking bottles of expressed milk now and they have spent a few successful mornings hanging out. She has the funniest look on her face when he's feeding her. "YOU have a boob TOO?!!!"

OH GOD, WHY AM I EXPLOITING MY CHILD? (follow up to Show Biz Baby...see the link to the call sheet from the film : http://www.billcostin.com/talent/CD2_D2_Call_Sheet[1].pdf

Well, Olivia's first big "gig" and mom wants to back peddle. After one whole day without Bill here (geez I feel so spoilt whining about that...get over it, Jennifer) and a night alone, just little Olivia and I, we got up and ready for our call time on "Cats & Dogs 2", 12:30.

On the way there I began to feel anxious about saying yes and felt bad thinking about little Olivia and how she had no choice in the matter, her mom just DRAGGING her around. Ugh...I got a little teary thinking about it, realizing that it wasn't really an option to back out at that point. It was a beautiful day and I calmed down, reminding myself how many times I just literally sat around and got paid on various TV/Film sets. That's right, there's a good chance we wouldn't have to do anything.

As I arrived I immediately felt a little better seeing a young couple struggle to lug all of their baby things out of their car. (This was Maia Love, baby # 3, the producer's baby, Zoe was baby #1, of course!) We arrived to sign in with the baby wrangler, (named Jennifer as a matter of fact!) and were ushered to our trailers! Not so bad, we have our own little room to hang out in. Washroom, couch, sink, tv & stereo. We were told just to relax and that everyone would be heading for lunch soon. (how do you like that...we arrive just in time to stuff our faces!)

I made a little nest out of blankets on the couch for Olivia and she immediately went to sleep while the baby next door cried and cried. I fill out our paperwork, leaving "Love" out of her name (didn't want them to confuse her with MAIA Love) and give the info to Jennifer. I was given an extensive package on the rules and rights for children working in TV & Film. They have really gone a long way to protect kids in this business. It was reassuring.

A knock at the door..and we are off to have lunch. I put Olivia in a baby sling and she wakes up a little but quickly goes back to sleep. I have an amazing lunch (zucchini and red pepper cakes, salad with peppered goat's cheese, caramelized pecans and green apples and for dessert, this amazing cake) The young couple with the other baby chow down on short ribs, mashed potatoes of some sort, Coca cola, cake and candy.....(eeeek...later her baby had a very upset stomach....hmmmm?) The lady running the catering truck came out to see Olivia and yells back to the kitchen "Look, a c-section baby!". ?????? She said she knew because of how perfect Olivia's head and face were. She wanted her daughter, working with her to see the baby as she is campaigning for a grandchild herself.

We head back to the trailer and are on a 20 minute call before we will head to set. Jennifer instructs us to feed first and then change the babies. I confidently announce 'Oh no, she won't likely have any accidents" (ba-ha-ha-ha....never think you can predict what your baby will do..another lesson) I feed Olivia and put her into her outfit. Shortly after she has an EXPLOSIVE POO that goes everywhere. I was thinking that I would give her a fresh diaper before we head to set....only to be surprised by the bowl 'o' poo. It even got on her wardrobe...hahhahaha! The wardrobe lady took it away, got the stain out and returned it like nothing happened. (the magic of film!)

A van arrives and takes us to a mobile home just outside the house they are filming in. The long and short of it - we basically spend the rest of the time hanging out, Olivia sleeping. When they finally call for a baby, the young couple with Maia, jump up and volunteer right away. I am relieved and think this is great. I am actually achieving the "do nothing and get paid for it" goal.

They come back after the scene, I guess successful. At this point, it's time for everyone to eat again (the babies) So I feed Olivia and as I'm in the middle of changing her diaper to head back I am told we are wrapped for the day! YIPPPEEE!

So we spent a total of 6 hours there. Olivia stayed so relaxed (as did I) and she was even quite jolly as we left.

A sigh of relief and a little promise to seriously reconsider doing that all again. (I'm sure it was harder on me than her!)

BABYSITTER EXTRAORDINAIRE - The "smother" mother rules!

My dear friend, Betsy always calls herself a "smother mother" implying (I think) that she was overly protective of her daughter, Hannah. Well Betsy, I've said it before and here it is in print: It must be the way, because I think you've raised a pretty super human being!

Betsy has been by my side, so excited through my whole pregnancy and was so disappointed she couldn't be here when Olivia was born. She's so into babies - I'm lucky to have her around!

In an effort to exercise some child care, I asked if she would take care of Olivia for a few hours while I taught yesterday. Most new moms would feel nervous leaving their baby for the first time, but I didn't think twice leaving her at Betsy's house. I knew she would be so taken care of X 100!

I returned to find a very happy Betsy, baby and Hannah hanging out in the living room together. (Thank you Betsy & Hannah!)

SHOW BIZ BABY

Just the other day Bill and I were talking about people who's baby was chosen as a model for a baby clothing store. We talked about show business and babies. I used to work as a casting assistant and I witnessed a fair amount of disfunction between parents and kids at auditions (Think Danny Bonaduce's reality show...ugh) One thing we have on our side is realizing the reality of the business and not getting all googly about our baby being a "star".

Well, yesterday out of the blue we receive a phone call from a talent agent inquiring about Olivia. Turns out a performer friend of ours recommended Olivia to her as they were looking for a baby for a feature film "Cats & Dogs 2". I had to send her "stats"...hahah:

Name: Olivia Love Costin
Parent: Jennifer Bishop & Bill Costin
Age: 9 weeks
Weight: 9lbs
Length: 54.5cm
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue

And I sent these details along with her frog picture...hahahah!

The long and short of it, Olivia is booked for her first film gig.

Here are the details:

- She is booked along with 2 other babies (coincidentally one of the baby's names is Maia Love! They use whatever baby is sleeping at the time for the scene. If a baby is fussing they just let them settle and get what they need and work with one of the other babies.

- They can only use a baby for 15 minutes at a time. (with I think, 20 minutes in between)

- They have to pay us $27/hr for a minimum of 8 hours no matter how long we spend there. (will likely be a short day...one little scene)

- They can only book babies during the day time.

- The category is SAE - Special Ability Extra (used to be Special Skills Extra in the day I did film work!) I guess her special ability is being a cute baby?

- It's close to our house!

So, she and I will spend Tuesday hanging out on a film set, eating great food (there is always ridiculous amounts of great food on set) and doing what we do with little 15 minutes of fame scattered in.

How crazy. My child is only 9 weeks old and is on her way to having more success in film than her mother.

Jennifer