To get into the Corlaine after party each individual needed a special
key. They had scenes from the movie set up including props and puppets
that people could touch and interact with. After seeing all the
details behind the movie Monti totally understood why it took Laika 4
years to make the movie.
Joe and Monti headed out to the Coraline movie world premiere in Portland. Joe was offered tickets by his customer – Laika – who created the movie. It was Monti’s first opportunity to walk the red carpet. If I know her it won’t be her last time.
The girls have now mastered the ski lifts. Joe and I got a chance to
ride up with each of them on Sunday. Dahlia is so comfortable that she
told me she almost fell asleep on the long quad lift up the hill.
Their legs are so cute in the way they go straight out instead of
bending at the knees.
While we were away the girls were totally showered with attention. Above they made cutout cookies. They also had formal introductions announced. Monti was quick to tell me that Rosa would make 2 half sandwiches for her lunch. One was a cheese sandwich, the other one PB&J. She could eat whichever sandwich she was in the mood for at lunch.
Monti sang the song “Dites-Moi” from the musical South Pacific at the
IVE Variety Show. She sang her little heart out. In the musical this
song is sung by a couple of Polynesian children. Monti and I searched the
internet to find an appropriate costume. The dress came all the way
from Guam — we found it on ebay. I will post video when I get it.
Monti woke at 5:30 am the morning of the Variety Show full of nerves.
When asked what was making her so stressed we found out it wasn’t the
fact that she would be singing a solo in front of more than 300
people. Instead she was terrified she would hold up her sign the wrong
direction during a skit act she performed with her friend Morgan.
Right before she went on stage for the skit she started to tear up
regarding the issue of the dreaded sign. I quickly resolved all fears
by volunteering to walk out on stage myself carrying the sign when the
appropriate line was read. During the daytime performance I walked out
with the sign covering my face. Lots of kids in the audience were
whispering things like “That’s really her mom.” After the performance
Monti asked that I not cover my face with the sign. She wanted me to
really act mad which she said I should be very good at doing.
Joe’s parents came to Issaquah several days before we left for our Mexico trip.
The first practice was filled with lots of chaos and drama. Kids would
just create acts on the fly including Monti who decided at the last
minute to join her friend in a poetry reading act. There were also
tears when one girl was dropped from an act by her so-called friends.
We have a lot of work to do in 4 weeks.
Shamu’s Happy Harbor at Sea World area was perfect for our girls. It
was full of little kiddie rides that even Dahlia would get on. We
would not have even made it over to this area of the park if our
flight hadn’t been delayed for 2.5 hours. It worked out great with the
delay except for the fact that we didn’t make it home until 2 am after the 6 hr, 4 minute flight.
Monti enjoyed several aspects of Universal Studios while Dahlia was
terrified of everything including The Cat in the Hat. Both girls need
about 5 years before they will really be ready for what Universal
offers.