Hair Today: Sweet Victories

Before...

Going...

Still going...

Pause to admire handsomeness...

And, gone!

Long time readers of this blog realize the enormity of these images.

Leo got a haircut. And he didn't freak out. He didn't cry. We didn't have to hold him down. I don't have bruised shins. I didn't cry (well, I actually did, but they were tears of joy and pride). I could go on and on.

Still a little confident on the heels of a recent visit to the pediatrician wherein Leo allowed the doctor to examine his ears (the other historical source of hysteria), we decided to revisit the notion of a real haircut. Obviously we've trimmed it here and there as he'd allow (usually in front of a piece of cake with him holding an iPhone while "America's Funniest Home Videos" played in the background, anything to quell Leo's haircutting demons). I used to joke that perhaps Leo was some kind of medical phenomenon, that he had nerve endings at the tip of his hair, he would get that upset and there was just no talking reason to him.

But, try, try again, fail, try again, right? Give kids/babies the chance to surprise you and nothing is permanent (two of my favorite pieces of parenting advice).

All of that, and Leo's hair was starting to look downright silly.

I should also credit Steve Jobs in my little Thank You speech. Getting to use the iPad (Super Stickman Golf to be exact) was the deciding factor in my opinion, that finally allowed Leo to relax enough and be distracted, something no amount of cake or DVDs could ever offer.

It's like almost everything with Leo. Everything has taken longer, been a long time coming (sitting up, crawling, walking, talking). But it all happened. It's all happening. He just does it in his own time. And certain things just don't come easy to him.

And that's what makes these little seemingly simple victories (a haircut, yes, a haircut made me cry happy tears today) that much sweeter.