Little Victories, or, Adventures in Amateur Barbering.

  Something I have learned since becoming a parent, is that it is the little victories that sometimes feel the best. Your baby learns how to roll from her back to her tummy and from tummy to back. Your toddler feeds himself with a spoon all on his own and only gets MOST of it in his hair and face. Things like that. Andrew, I am pleased to say has passed many of these little milestones (though potty training eludes us still........)

After a haircut (did a good job didn't he?)

 


 About two years ago my husband decided that, since his haircuts mostly involve putting the clippers on the smallest guard and buzzing it over his entire head, we would invest in a set of clippers. It has saved us money on the monthly haircuts for Rob, but I was still faced with the task of finding someone to cut Andrews hair.

When Andy was born, he had NO hair. In fact the first words out of my adoring husbands mouth after he cut the umbilical cord were, "WOW, he has my hairline!!"


As he grew though, (thankfully) his hair did grow. On his first birthday his baby-fine hair was getting longish and looked a little scraggly, so I decided to take him in, and let him have his first haircut on his first birthday. It was exactly what you might think it would be. He squirmed and wriggled and, ultimately his hair got cut, but it took a ridiculous amount of effort to do it.  I  wasn't so worried because the person doing it was my little sister's best friend. She, was a top-of-her-class cosmetology student, and did my hair all the time so it was fine. She continued doing it for us for nearly the next year, then she left for college. I had NO idea where I was going to take Andy for a haircut until I realized that I could do it!!  isn't that what mothers do? cut their children's hair? OF course! So I tried it......with a pair of haircutting scissors. Rob had to hold literally hold him still by bracing his chin and the nape of his neck so that I didn't cut his ears! He fought, and screamed and cried, the WHOLE time! I felt like I was cutting the hair of one of those calves they want the cowboy to chase at the rodeo! In my attempt to do it right I ended up cutting my own finger, pretty bad! I  was glad to have it done and out of the way, but part of me dreaded having to do it again in a month! When the time came to cut it again I once again employed my husband with the task of holding our son still. Once again, he writhed and fought and made it absolutely difficult to accomplish, but once again I did it. The next time, I was telling Rob to get ready to hold Andy down again, and Rob (being the genius that he is when I miss the complete obvious)  asked, why don't I just use the clippers on him...........*facepalm* I pulled out the clippers and began the SLIGHTLY easier task of cutting my son's hair. It was only "slightly" easier because NOW he wriggled and squirmed with laughter, because the vibration of the clippers, tickled him! AHHHRGG! It did go monumentally faster with the clippers however.
  The clippers "tickling" him has been the biggest thing we have had to deal with as far as haircuts go for Andy. ( I am SO excited about NOT cutting Aubrey's hair and just letting it grow!)

  So, Today, my Papa (grandfather) calls and asks if I will cut his hair for him. Of course, I do. We sit on the deck out back so that clean up is as easy as sweeping the hair off the deck. When I am finished (and have done a FABULOUS job cutting his hair :) Andrew walks up to the chair and looks at me and says, "Mommy, my turn?" I was aghast! He was ALWAYS slightly terrified to get his hair cut! Even when it just ticked him! I asked if he really wanted Mommy to cut his hair and he smiled and said Yes! I had him climb on the chair and turned the clippers back on............Lo and behold, my son sat still through an entire haircut.................VICTORY!!!!

Andy with a brand new haircut!!

.....The back even looks good! Go me!!