And so it goes...
Today was haircut day. Zack's had a few haircuts in his short life - I'd say 5. For 3 of these, he screamed and cried like someone was killing him. This would always illicit looks of empathy from the other parents, and sometimes giggles. I admit that I think sometimes it was funny. This little guy wailing away like the world is ending, but only when he could see the hair stylist. Otherwise, he was transfixed by the movies being shown.
Movies you say? Yes, oh yes. Some brilliant person decided to open a salon that caters to young children. They show movies on televisions right in front of the child getting his or her hair cut. It's brilliant!!! However, it's not so brilliant for a 1 year old who doesn't care about The Wiggles right before his eyes. He cares about the woman with scissors who keeps touching him and wetting his hair. And he hates it. He doesn't even care about the lollipop, just Scary Scissor Lady.
Now back to the other 2 non-screaming haircuts. These were done while he was sitting on my lap, with the big cape draped over me, but not him because it scared him. So we'd finish all of these haircuts with me clean as a whistle and Zack ready for the bath, with hair in all sorts of places. These haircuts were still not great experiences. While he wouldn't scream, he would bury his head in my chest and whine every time it was time for him to move.
As per usual, today I'm prepared for the worse. This one started out just a bit differently. "Zachary?" the nice stylist asks. Zack looks up from his toys, looks at me, who has moved near the stylist and is encouraging him to come over to us, and runs as fast as he can out the front door of the store (it's in the mall, by the way, don't have a heart attack). I bolt out after him with the typical "Zachary, get back here!" yell that I've said so often, I should really have it on tape for easy play-back. Squealing with happiness and picking up speed, he makes it 3 stores away before I grab him and hoist him over my shoulder. He giggles the whole way back to the salon, then he performs the Ancient Chinese Toddler Trick "stiff as a board" when I try to get him to sit in the chair. "Great," I think, "this is gonna suck". A lollipop bribe begins to help soften the rigid child and the piece de resistance - Dora The Explorer. Zack absolutely adores Dora.
I'm standing next to him, prepared to comfort him as I always must. Dora starts, and Zack is magically calmed. He sits, by himself, with the cape on, and starts asking the stylist questions and repeating her answers. "Why you put water on mine head?" "Oh, you do dat and cut mine hair?" "It not hurt?".
And so it goes...he's growing up. He doesn't need me to hold him and protect him from Scary Scissor Lady. He doesn't need to hold my hand. I'm not sure he even noticed that I was sitting there, staring at him in wonder the entire time. Wondering how he got so big. Marveling at how beautiful he is. And he was fine the entire haircut because, you see, he had everything he needed, Dora and lollipops.
"I a big boy, mommy. I not cry" You're right Zacky, you're a big boy. Now, excuse me while *I* go cry.
Movies you say? Yes, oh yes. Some brilliant person decided to open a salon that caters to young children. They show movies on televisions right in front of the child getting his or her hair cut. It's brilliant!!! However, it's not so brilliant for a 1 year old who doesn't care about The Wiggles right before his eyes. He cares about the woman with scissors who keeps touching him and wetting his hair. And he hates it. He doesn't even care about the lollipop, just Scary Scissor Lady.
Now back to the other 2 non-screaming haircuts. These were done while he was sitting on my lap, with the big cape draped over me, but not him because it scared him. So we'd finish all of these haircuts with me clean as a whistle and Zack ready for the bath, with hair in all sorts of places. These haircuts were still not great experiences. While he wouldn't scream, he would bury his head in my chest and whine every time it was time for him to move.
As per usual, today I'm prepared for the worse. This one started out just a bit differently. "Zachary?" the nice stylist asks. Zack looks up from his toys, looks at me, who has moved near the stylist and is encouraging him to come over to us, and runs as fast as he can out the front door of the store (it's in the mall, by the way, don't have a heart attack). I bolt out after him with the typical "Zachary, get back here!" yell that I've said so often, I should really have it on tape for easy play-back. Squealing with happiness and picking up speed, he makes it 3 stores away before I grab him and hoist him over my shoulder. He giggles the whole way back to the salon, then he performs the Ancient Chinese Toddler Trick "stiff as a board" when I try to get him to sit in the chair. "Great," I think, "this is gonna suck". A lollipop bribe begins to help soften the rigid child and the piece de resistance - Dora The Explorer. Zack absolutely adores Dora.
I'm standing next to him, prepared to comfort him as I always must. Dora starts, and Zack is magically calmed. He sits, by himself, with the cape on, and starts asking the stylist questions and repeating her answers. "Why you put water on mine head?" "Oh, you do dat and cut mine hair?" "It not hurt?".
And so it goes...he's growing up. He doesn't need me to hold him and protect him from Scary Scissor Lady. He doesn't need to hold my hand. I'm not sure he even noticed that I was sitting there, staring at him in wonder the entire time. Wondering how he got so big. Marveling at how beautiful he is. And he was fine the entire haircut because, you see, he had everything he needed, Dora and lollipops.
"I a big boy, mommy. I not cry" You're right Zacky, you're a big boy. Now, excuse me while *I* go cry.
2 Comments:
Oh, gosh, that's so bittersweet! It's so amazing how fast they grow!
Well thanks Cathy for making me all sappy and tearied eyed lol *sigh* they do grow up so fast. (((hugs))
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