First Cut

Yesterday was one of those days. After starting out good – I have been waking up in the “4’s” to try and do yoga before getting some writing done and the troops waking up, the whole day just crumbled, bit by bit. I felt like I was standing in front of a steam engine and no matter how I tried to get off the track, I just couldn’t, nor could I will that train to stop bearing down. The fact that I was throwing bad vibes all over the place didn’t help either. I rarely have days like this and I’m sure today will be better. I won’t even relive it all, but have to tell you about the funniest part, the little man’s first hair cut!

Mike and I said that we would wait until the last second to cut his hair. His curls were so cute and we just didn’t want to fall victim to the threats of strangers who predicted they’d never come back. So we decided that Mike would tell me when it was time, when Finn started to look a little girly. The funny thing was we both brought it up the same day this week. It was just time.
We headed to Cookie Cutters (just Finn and me) for the big event. After fighting with the DVD player attached to the Lightning McQueen car, we had to give up and move him to the airplane. He seemed fine with all this, which is amazing because several people have forewarned that his typical uncooperative state would make this hair cutting thing a nightmare. I actually think he was in shock, muttering the occasional soft-spoken “Mommy?” and sitting unbelievably still and just moving his eyes from side to side. I wish I could have been inside his head to know what he was thinking, I can’t even imagine!

So, three inches and ton of layers later, we had his new do. It was still long, not a total little boy cut, but perfect for his curls, which bounced right back with a little help from the scissors. We said our "thank yous", accepted Finn’s lollipop and balloon and were on our way. (At this point the day has not gone south.) Fast forward to nap time. It has become evident over the last two weeks that this child is apparently done napping. I am dying about this, primarily because I am just too old, tired and busy to be responsible for him and his path of destruction for even three more hours of my day. He is full speed all the time and I’m now anxiety-ridden over this. I hope beyond hope that it is some weird phase and the naps kick back in. Finn also refuses to go to the bathroom in a diaper, and is not having success on the toilet either, so I know that I must begin training him hardcore. He is ready in every sense except that he isn’t doing it, so I don’t know what that means. The girls were a snap – once again, new territory for mom. Anyway, I bring up the nap because even though he didn’t take one, I left him in his crib so I could take a shower. I came in later after hearing a HUGE crash. I found him naked, with nothing in his crib but the potty all over the waterproof mattress and the giant framed picture of Eeyore from his wall – he had pried it off, pulling the child safety latch it was mounted on right out of the plaster. Oh yeah, the nails were in his crib, too.

Ok, so you get the idea. This is nothing new. Here’s the kicker. I took the kids, a key lime torte, some cheese and sour cream to school for a Mexican-themed teacher conference day; I’m on a committee that provides food for the staff for special occasions. As soon as we entered, me balancing my cake in one arm while trying to wrangle Finn with the other, Finn went no-nap nuts. He was all over everything, climbing on tables and screaming anytime I came near him. All the other moms were laughing at him and began telling me how cute “she” was, how they were sure “she” just needed to get out in the fresh air, and how “she” looks just like their babies when they were young.

I couldn’t believe it! After almost two years and hair down his back, I finally cut three inches off and everyone thinks he’s a girl. I have to mention that he was wearing the outfit in the first picture, duck boots and all! Even Logan and Riley got their danders up, telling everyone, “He’s a boy!” When Mike got home later, he said, “I guess I need to see it tomorrow after you wash it.”

“Why? Do you think it looks girly, too?” I replied.

“Kind of, but maybe it’s just the way they styled it,” he said.

This boy stuff just never gets any easier for me! Hope you enjoy the pictures!