Naught by nature

My 2-year-old daughter, Rachel, is the most beautiful child in the world. Not that I expect anyone to agree with me.

Her hair's patchy, with the occasional long strand framing her face and a few incipient dreadlocks in back. Her nose runs almost constantly. She is frequently flatulent. Like I said, beautiful.

When I hauled Rachel over to Model Club right before Christmas - to find out, first hand, what the baby modeling application is like - my expectations were low. (I told them I worked for The Boston Globe, of course.) I figured they'd try to rope us into an extravagant headshot package, the kind rubes fall for when they first step off a Greyhound bus in Hollywood.

It wasn't like that at all. We sat for a while waiting for other parents and babies to arrive. Or rather, I sat. Rachel tottled around, staring intently at photos of all the models the agency represents. A family walked in - mom, dad, a male relative in a hoodie, and 3-month-old Cameron. He was solid and smiley in miniature jeans and a crewneck sweater. Rachel greeted him by passing gas. She shot me a huge smile. I hoped no one heard.

Safiya Sanyika, director of development at Model Club, began her presentation, telling us about the clients, the expectations, the possibilities. Jobs might not roll in every day or every week, she cautioned, and then there might be a flurry of calls. Parents must be flexible, able to get to shoots on short notice, although another family member or friend can also do the shuttling. Checks are made out to the babies, not the parents.

At this point, my husband raced into the room, handing me a sheaf of paper. "Pictures of Rachel," he said, winded. Parents are supposed to bring snapshots of their kids when they apply, but I'd forgotten. Apparently Chris had been racing around the South End, downloading images and making color copies. He'd put her full name and phone number at the bottom in a fancy font. He seemed to be taking it all rather seriously.

We left soon after, the interview complete. Sanyika said we'd get a letter in a few days, telling us how we did. But I already knew. Rachel did great. She ran around and grinned and threw things on the floor and was a tad annoying. But she's a toddler; that's her job. And frankly, that's the only job I want her to have right now.