Haircut 2.0 and Unexpected Milestone

We certainly made a big deal of getting Finley's locks cut the first time around, but here we are about two and a half months later with a completely different plan of attack. Last week I mentioned to Beth (Finley's daycare lady) that he was in need of a haircut since his mullet was not the look we were going for and she said she'd cut like she does for some of the other kiddos. I said "oh, sure let me get back to you on that" and thought to myself, "no no no, we have to go back to Rosie in NY." However, after a few more days of looking at Finley's out of control mane, I decided to ask Beth to do it and see just how "hands off" and "chill" a mom I could actually be. On Wednesday, I dropped him off and asked her to cut it at some point during the day (basic cutting guidelines: short in the back, trim over the ears, and trimmed with layers on top). That was it. I left, taught my science class, gave blood, and went back to get my little guy. He was napping when I arrived (I love it when that happens!) and after hanging out with Finley's friends for a while, Finley came downstairs and my jaw dropped since he looked like such a little boy! I tell you, it was like he was suddenly 3 years old! Beth did a great job and she said he did pretty well on the stool getting his haircut, plus all the kids wanted to watch and made him laugh all the while. Beth even had to give a few other fake haircuts to the enthusiastic audience members afterwards!

The rest of the afternoon, I couldn't stop trying to picture what Finley had looked like that morning and how much more grown up he looked after his haircut. I hadn't taken any close up mullet, long bangs pictures lately so no befores, only afters:

Oh--and this picture also shows what's left of the scrape on Finley's temple from his first real tumble. On Sunday night, while we were having dinner with friends on our deck, little Finley was entertaining himself VERY nicely with his garden tools when he reached too far over the edge of the deck and rolled onto the concrete path below. It all happened in slow motion and I leapt from my chair to scoop him up but he'd certainly landed on his head. (imagine the horror!) He wailed in my arms, but it seemed to be more from shock than serious injury as he'd just scraped his noggin and a little bit above his eye. I took him inside and tried to put some ice on his head, but he requested to eat some ice instead. Okay. I noticed some blood on my shirt and discovered Finley's finger was actually cut up from the concrete. I found a smallish bandaid and wrapped up his finger before taking him back outside with a bowl of blueberries. He smiled at everyone outside and we all remarked how well he had recovered from his fall. He inhaled the blueberries, though never once using his bandaid-ed finger (on his semi-dominant right hand) and once he was off playing he avoided using that hurt finger--keeping it pointed out and stiff. It was quite comical actually. When it was time for bed, he held his finger out to me saying "off off" so I took the bandaid off and risked a little blood on his sheets. Something told me that he wouldn't fall asleep with that tiny bandaid on.

He slept well and when he started talking in the morning, I rushed in to see how big a goose egg was on his head...but just a scrape on his forehead, eye, and his finger was already scabbed over. What a relief!! And as you can see from the picture below--a bump on the head and a haircut are no match for Finley's enthusiasm at the dinner table :)