Day 7: Movie nights

Dallin likes Darth Vader. I'm not quite sure how it happened. As much as we love Star Wars, it's not a movie we've shown the boys yet. I think Dallin has seen Darth Vader toys and images enough in stores that he started to like him and now points out Darth Vader everywhere we go. 

I figured it was time to introduce him to the movie. He was so excited all night when we told him we would watch a Darth Vader movie. Mckay warned him that Darth Vader is a bad guy, but Dallin seemed unphased by this information. In fact, while saying the prayer before dinner, Dallin included, "Thank thee for bad guy..." I tried hard to contain my laughter.

We got pajamas, our Star Wars blanket and some Halloween candy and got ready for the movie.

Dallin was so excited I couldn't even convince him to sit down all the way.

This is the reaction when they see Darth Vader on screen for the first time:

You can hear him whine nervously and see him scoot closer to me. I think he was a little startled to see that Darth Vader was more malicious that he expected. But he still enjoyed the movie and I don't think it damped his love for Darth Vader. We had a fun time.

I'm grateful for movie nights. I'm thankful for the chance to snuggle up with my pajama-clad boys and share a favorite classic movie with them.

I did it

I did it!

I finally succeeded.

I watched The Illusionist without falling asleep.

It probably helped that we started it at 7pm instead of 9 or 10 like we had done before. Through my sleepy viewings of the movie, I'd seen parts here and there (like the ending) that I didn't understand. Now having seen the whole thing, it all makes sense! It's almost like the movie was intended to be watched this way!

And it's actually a pretty good movie. I still prefer The Prestige, but I would definitely enjoy watching The Illusionist again.

Now I have to watch other movies that I've never been able to finish.

Next on the list: Casino Royale.

The Illusionist

I'm really good at falling asleep during movies. I think I get it from my mom. She's good at it too. It doesn't even matter if it's a really good movie that I've been dying to see. Sometimes I just can't keep my eyes open. On the flipside, I've stayed wide awake for some really dumb movies I wish I had slept through.

This movie, "The Illusionist" came out in 2006, around the same time as another movie, "The Prestige." They are somewhat similar; both about magicians, same time period. I've heard most people say they like one or the other, and the one they liked better was usually the one they saw first. I saw the Prestige first and I absolutely loved it. One of my favorite movies. I've tried many times to see the Illusionist but I haven't yet succeeded in seeing it all the way through. (Remember how I sleep through movies?)

I saw it once (maybe even twice?) in the dollar theater. I fell asleep about 30 minutes in. I've watched it with friends a few times. I always fall asleep at the same place. I've made 6 or 7 good attempts to watch this movie, but have still never seen the whole thing.

Last week, I found it at the local library. YES! I was so excited to finally be able to watch it. One night we tried to watch it and we both fell asleep. AAAGHHHH!! It was due back at the library before we got another chance to watch it in its entirety.

I'm doomed to never see this movie. It's not that I'm DYING to see it. But it looks like a good movie and it seems like I would really like it. Plus, I want to compare it to the Prestige and see how it holds up. Maybe my mind already knows that The Prestige is far superior to The Illusionist (my mind having heard the movie several time while I slept), and it just wants to save me the heartbreak.

I've had a desire to see this movie for 4 years. Call it my BHAG, if you will.

I will watch this entire movie someday.

Indianapolis Zoo

We took advantage of the Labor Day holiday and went to the Indianapolis Zoo.

Dallin really enjoyed being outside all day. He was startled when we were looking into a tank of sting rays and one swam right up next to the glass, inches from his face. Other than that, he liked looking at the animals, but was just as interested in looking at all the people and kids at the zoo.

There were a bunch of penguins that were just standing there, asleep.

The one in the back with his head flopped over reminds me of how Dallin looks when he falls asleep in his car seat. It looks uncomfortable.

It was a pretty warm day, but Dallin stayed cool by wearing grandpa's hat. And drinking grandpa's water.

We had a really fun time. It is a pretty decent zoo. Although, I think I've been spoiled by the St. Louis Zoo. This zoo was probably 1/4 the size of the St. Louis Zoo and it cost $15 a person. The St. Louis Zoo is free. I guess not everywhere can be as cool as St. Louis.... :)

When we got home from the zoo, we watched a movie called "Extraordinary Measures."

It's based on a true story about a family with 3 kids, 2 of which have something called Pompe Disease, which they will most likely die from before they reach 10 years old. At the time, there was no medication or anything to treat the disease. The father (Brendan Fraser) approaches a scientist (Harrison Ford) who has been studying this disease and has a theory on how to treat it. The movie is about all that they have to go through to turn the theory into a drug that they can test on the children before they get too much worse. It was a good, heartwarming movie. It made us feel lucky to have a "healthy" son. Even though he definitely has his share of medical difficulties and will face many difficulties later in life, at least we know that his syndrome won't prevent him in living a long, full life. He's not confined to a wheelchair. We don't have to spend $40,000 a month on his medical bills. I only have to worry about when he'll start walking, not if he'll ever walk. We have a great son and I'm glad we get to raise him.