Paper Scissors

I had one of those "moments" yesterday. You know, one of those "moments" that you read about in a Women's Magazine in the section where there are funny stories about what children do or say. When you read about what an unfortunate mother went through with her child and you first laugh out loud, then feel sorry for the woman and then say, "That will never happen to me." Well guess what? IT HAPPENED TO ME!

I need to preface the story by stating that Monday night I put the kids in the tub around 6:30. They were enjoying their bath splashing about when I noticed that Hannah's hair was touching her shoulders. I got so excited, which in return got her so excited. We have waited FOUR VERY LONG years for this moment. For some reason my kids are just bald! BALD! I can't tell you how many times people mistake them for boys. Last Spring when Han was 3, she was playing at a park and some little boy went running over to his mother saying, "Mommy, why is that little boy wearing princess sneakers? I kid you not. I try and try and try to put bobbles and bows and headbands in their hair, but to no avail and usually within 5 minutes of me doing so, they have been ripped out and strewn across the floor. So this night, I made a huge deal about Hannah's hair accomplishment and she got quite the kick out if it. I used the blow dryer when she got out of the tub and straightened some of the curls so it looked even longer. The kid went to bed Monday night feeling very proud of herself and her "long" hair.

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. My brother who has been working his tail off opening a new store, came by the office to check on things. I was in the kitchen when I saw him walk out of my father's office looking puzzled and holding something in his hand. He came over to me and said, "Why are there curls all over Dad's office floor?" It was that moment, that very moment, that I realized, that I was that woman that I had laughed at in the magazine. I think my legs actually went weak as I tried to walk into my Dad's office. (I will add that my father had stepped out ironically to get his hair cut.) I looked under his desk, and there it was, the pile of curls. It took a second for it all to register and out of complete nervousness to see what the child looked like, I began to laugh. I don't know why I do this, but I do. For some reason when I am faced with these type of situations, I just laugh, even though I don't think it is at all funny. It is like a defense mechanism or something. Like the time Hannah got a Dora toddler toilet seat stuck around her neck. Poor Billy was as nervous as a deer in headlights and I was of no help because all I could do was laugh.

As I tried to muster my fit of laughter into a stern face, I called Hannah over and asked her what she had done. Upon first glance, I was relieved to see that the front of her hair was still in tact. The back, well the back didn't fare so well. She pretty much gave herself the throwback 80's cut called the mullet. Still trying to control the laughter inside of me, I told her how disappointed I was in her. I disciplined her and took her paper kid scissors away. Yes, she did this with paper scissors. Then I swept up the curls and put them in a baggie so that someday, when she is old enough and hopefully has a full head of hair, we can laugh about this. I plan to put it in her baby book and label it, "Hannah's 1st haircut, at age 4, given by HANNAH."

So there it is. I am THAT woman, whose kid cut her hair. I still cant believe she did it and as I was cutting the back of it last night to try and conceal the really short pieces, I was pretty upset. It took 4 years for it to grow this long. I sure hope that it starts growing again and quickly. I asked her why she did it and she told me that Winn Dixie did it in the movie. Now, I know that this Winn Dixie movie is a good wholesome movie as I have seen parts of it. My parents have it at their house and they like to watch it with her. But I have to tell ya, I am not a fan of this Winn Dixie chick at all. This is the 2nd time Han has tried to emulate something from this movie. The first was when she came barrelling into the garage one afternoon on her bike. She jumped off and threw the bike so it landed on it's side. I nearly got the bike in the knees. I reprimanded her and she told me that Winn Dixie does it like that in the movie. Well, Winn Dixie, I AM NOT A FAN! It just goes to prove how much kids emulate what they see on TV. Thankfully, we have been trying to nip this in the bud and Hannah is only allowed to watch 1/2 hour of TV a day and I get to choose the program. She actually hasn't watched a smidgen of it all week and instead we have been coloring and playing games.

So now, we wait and wait ... and wait.. for Hannah's curls to grow back!

HAPPY 33rd BIRTHDAY to my dear friend Shannon who continues to fight her breast cancer battle!