Summer Cut

Yesterday when I was writing my post about my Mini Me I wanted to link back to a post about Haley's summer haircut.  I looked for it and found it and tried to link to it and then realized I had never published it.  So here is a post from the beginning of the summer, it is out of order but it makes sense with the topic from yesterday.

It was time for the Summer Cut.  Actually it was long past time, but you know how it is.  I had to make an appointment and then I had to wait.

Every morning for about a week, as I sprayed water on Haley's hair and tried to comb through it I was tempted to tell her that I had made the appointment.  I wanted to say something like "Haley, I can't wait for your haircut appointment!" But I bit my tongue.  I didn't say anything.  I didn't really want her to anticipate the appointment.

Haley is really good at her haircut appointments lately, but something has changed.  The spa that I take her to has relocated.  The sinks that they wash your hair in are really different.  They are not at each station, they are all along one wall.  They are low and pretty comfortable.  I am sure they are much easier for the stylists to use.

I was excited for Haley to try it.  She has been so good about laying back at the dentist.  I thought that maybe now would be a good time for her to lay back to get her hair washed by the stylist.

I waited to tell Haley that she was going to get a haircut until about an hour before the appointment.  I didn't ask her to take a bath before hand like I usually do.  We just got in the car and left.

When it was Haley's turn we followed the stylist right to the sinks.  Haley tensed up.  I asked her to sit down in the chair.  She didn't want to.  She did it though.  Then I asked her to sit back.  NO WAY.  I tried to get her to turn around in the chair and look at the sink and the back of the chair, she wouldn't budge.  I told her that she wouldn't be laying back as far as she did at the dentist.  I said "You have been laying back so well at the dentist, you can do it here too."

I tried to gently push her back.  She resisted.  She is strong.

I apologized to the stylist.

I tried again.

I told her that it was fun to lay back and have her hair washed by the stylist.  Another stylist tried to jump on board and convince her to try it.  She made comments about the horses that Haley held.  I don't think Haley heard her.  She was fully in her stubborn mode.

After several minutes of this I gave up.  I apologized to the stylist again and we followed her to her station.

Haley was very stoic through the haircut.  A couple of times I thought that she was going to cry, but that may have been me projecting.  She was definitely quiet.

 

I realized at this point that I didn't take a before shot.

When the haircut was over she smiled and touched her hair.  I could tell that she liked it.  I told her that she looked cute.  She said "Cute."  We thanked the stylist and got in the car.  As I drove home she kept pointing to her teeth and saying "ist" which means Dentist and "doctor."  

I said "No Haley we aren't going to the dentist, I just thought that you could sit back and let her wash your hair because you have been so good about laying back for the dentist lately."  She grunted.  

She was mad at me because we didn't go to the dentist. Go, figure!

She stewed and brewed quietly in the backseat for most of the ride home, and then suddenly she yelled "CUT!"  I jumped out of my skin.  I looked in the rear view mirror.  She was upset.  I simply said "You have a cute haircut."  She said "Haircut" in such a sweet tone, a complete 180 from the second before.  

She put her hand up to her hair and said "Cute."  I breathed a sigh of relief.

That is the way it usually is.  She can go from upset and screaming to smiling and laughing in a blink.  The difference is my reaction, most of the time.  I try to use a tone of voice that is reassuring sometimes, other times I use a happy friendly voice.  Sometimes I use a sarcastic tone and she gets that too.  It is a crap shoot really, I never know what will set her off and I never know if there is anything I can do to diffuse it, but I try.  

The rest of the ride home was uneventful.  

I had her take a bath as soon as we got home so that I could get all of the little hairs under control.  I didn't want her to be itchy.  I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed.  I know I didn't get them all.  She enjoyed showing her Dad and her Big Sis her haircut.  They both said it was cute.  

I forgot to take an after picture too.

~ Haley's Mom

I am participating in 31 for 21 Blog Challenge this month. The challenge I have accepted is to blog every day in October to raise awareness for Down Syndrome. Learn more about Down Syndrome at the National Association of Down Syndrome.