Edmund's New "Do"I've missed posting the last few weeks. Unfortunately, things around here have been pretty routine. I wasn't sure you all would want to hear about how Edmund woke up, went to school, clung to mommy (there has been a lot of clinging lately), went home, took a nap, ate dinner, and went to bed. Actually Edmund has done quite a bit in the last few weeks, but because I have spent the last few weeks of his clinging stage feeling like a bad mother and a bad teacher, I wasn't quite up to posting cute anecdotes. Having a co-teacher this year who understands this whole feeling like a bad mother thing has been quite helpful. My co-teacher Jennifer has a daughter named Emma who is 2 1/2 months older than Edmund. Emma has a fiery, but hilarious personality. The two of them went through this phase 2 months ago, so at least I know there's an end in sight. It also helped that my book club read a book called Bad Mother this past month and discussed it on my lowest point of feeling like that "bad mother." It was nice to know that other women felt the same way, and we were each there to lift up one another. Enough of my wallowing--on to the cute stuff.
Edmund got his first professional haircut last Saturday. Edmund had a daddy cut a few months ago. Daddy did a great job with the hair around the ears, but then got overenthusiastic. He decided to cut straight across the front of Edmund's forehead. Of course what did Mommy ask he not do?-- cut the hair straight across the forehead. So I have waited patiently for Edmund's hair to grow out enough for him to get a "big boy" haircut. We took him to Peek-A-Do, a salon for kids. The salon has little airplanes and boats the kids can sit in while getting their hair cut. While they row their boats and fly their planes the children can watch episodes of "Dora the Explorer." Not knowing how Edmund would respond to having his hair cut, I figured the fact the salon had TV might be good. I reasoned Edmund would be so intrigued by the shiny black box he has rarely seen, that he would forget a person he didn't know was coming at him with a sharp object.
The hair stylist led Edmund to an airplane. As soon as we put him in it he started to reach for me. He could care less that Dora was asking Backpack for assistance on her quest. I asked if I could hold Edmund, and the stylist said that would be just fine. From then on Edmund was the perfect gentleman. Of course he occasionally decided to turn his head at the exact moment the stylist tried to make a snip, but all in all he sat still. Edmund's hair didn't look much different when we were done--much cleaner in the back and shorter in the front, but for now he still has a baby "do." Maybe next time we'll decide to go all out, but this trip to the salon was more about getting Edmund comfortable with the whole process. As always, he charmed all the stylists with his gappy grin and cooperative nature. They can't wait to see him back
And now for the lice...
Yesterday after school I put Edmund on the floor in our bedroom while I busied about the room putting things away. When I finally caught my breath, I noticed Edmund was scratching his head like a mad man. I looked at him and in an exasperated tone said, "I sure hope you don't have lice." Immediately Edmund stopped scratching, gazed up in the direction of our ceiling light, and pointed. I started cracking up. I had no idea Edmund knew what the word "light meant". It took "lice" to make me aware that Edmund understands so much more than I give him credit for. You can breathe a sigh of relief. I checked Edmund over, and he most certainly does not have lice.
