To model or not to model...

That is the question!

Long story short: Since it's been at least 3 weeks and I haven't heard anything...I'm guessing they went a different route. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted! (Though I would by lying if I said I wasn't disappointed!).

Long story long:
About a month ago my friend Lynnea called and mentioned she had a friend (a sort of talent scout) who was looking for pregnant woman for a "project". She wondered if she could give him my information. Sure - what the heck!

So Tyler (who works for Vision Models) emailed and asked if I could send some pictures of my pregnant belly. So, not having any of those on hand, Ryan got to play photographer :) A week or so later I got another email from Elijah (Vision Models) asking if I could come in for an "open call". Sure...why not!

Ryan's advice:

• If it's creepy, walk away.
• If there is a long line, walk away.
• If you don't feel safe, walk away (Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the address is right downtown by the public library and the Gay 90's...nice part of town!)

I drove downtown after school (making sure to look extra cute/pregnant) and found the loft/studio. I went up the tiny elevator and rang the doorbell (in the 5' x 5' hallway). Elijah came to the door (carrying his small purse dog). I sat down on a chair in the empty studio and waited my turn. On the couch in the corner was a mom and her daughter - definitely looking to get the daughter into modeling. The studio was totally open, except for the couch and 2 chairs. There was a small kitchen and 3 people working on computers "upstairs". Another person came to get my information. He took the photos I brought with me and said they'd call if they anything turned up. The most fun part was the elevator ride down - I got to ride down with two teenage-looking girls wearing glitter and Coach shoes. The one girls was stressing about how she was going to be able to make it to her photo shoot in NY on the 17th!! Ah...what a life.

I walked away not thinking much would come of that....but then I got a call from Elijah saying that Target.com was interested in seeing me!!! He asked if I could resend the pictures with my belly. Well, I looked at them again and decided they weren't very flattering so Ryan got to play photographer a 2nd time. (Side note, later that week our neighbors asked what we were taking pictures of since they had seen so many flashes coming from our place!). The timing worked out well because that happened to be the week of MEA. So I scheduled my "go-see" for Thursday morning. Wednesday night I was stressing about how to get downtown (bus or car...), where to park and how to find the Target building in the City Center. Turns out I stressed for good reason - I have NO idea how to navigate the skyways downtown!! A nice janitor helped me find my way :)

I made it to Target and then had to check in. The nice security guard had to take my license and give me a visitor pass. Then the city girl (that I am not!!) tried to walk past the entrance for my "go-see". "Miss Molly, Miss Molly - you need to walk on the other side". Oh, right. "Now swipe your pass". So I try....(imagine several hundred Target employees and visitors all walking around to their next meeting and me clogging up the works!). "No, Miss Molly, swipe your pass on the other scanner. Oh, of course the 2nd black box, not the first!

I head upstairs and find the room. The "room" turns out to be a photo studio! I walk in and they point me to the dressing room where they have a pair of jeans and a yellow tank top. They ask me to change into that and they'll get me some shoes. Right, cuz I wear 3" heals often when pregnant. I put on the clothes but then got worried since I was pretty sure my blue bra was sticking out of the yellow tank top!

I walk out of the dressing room and onto the "set" - imagine lighting umbrellas, cameras, lights, and computers all around. The photographer asks if I have ever modeled before...um no. Another woman says "Oh, don't mind me. I'll just fix your clothes" and then fusses over the tank top.

They tell me to stand under the lights and when the photographer starts shooting I should do different poses - "use your pockets". right. At this point the following things are racing through my head
- I SHOULD HAVE WATCHED MORE AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL!! Then I would know what poses to do!.
- What did I do at my wedding? (Since that was the lats time someone took actual photos of me!).
- Trisha and Andrew would know what to do (see comment 1).

The photographer starts shooting and I start "posing" (if you can call it that). I turn, smile, turn awkwardly and smile again. They say things like "great!" and "you're a natural". right! I did freak out because the tank top was so long that I couldn't use my pockets!! (This is probably the reason I haven't gotten a call back.).

Then they asked if I wanted to see the pictures...sure. It was so funny! Some of them were good but some I did look awkward in. I then changed into a sleeveless cotton summer dress and did the same thing a 2nd time. Though, this time I was more nervous because a 2nd pregnant woman was in waiting her turn.

When I was all done (this only took about 15 minutes) they told me the pictures looked 'really good" and that they would probably be giving me a call. At the time I wondered if they told everyone that...apparently so!

So, for what it's worth it was a lot of fun. Unfortunately I did get my hopes up thinking they might call....I do just keep getting bigger (Ryan says I'm twice as big as last week!) so I assume if they wanted to use me it would have been sooner than later.

Oh well, it was a fun experience! Plus it would have been really hard to fit all those photo shoots into my busy schedule...