The Haircut

Ivory's hair has been looking a little scraggly lately and she enjoys taking her clips, bows, ties, etc. out more then keeping them in these days.  So, I decided one day while she was bathing that it was time for a hair cut.  I planned to take about an inch or so.  Well, I ended up cutting slightly more then planned, but I was generally pleased with the results.  She wears the cut well.



Micah - our little blue-eyed blondie.  His hair cut removed all the darker brown.  He's no longer two-tone.  Sad times.  But, Ivory no longer says he needs a "clipper" (hair clip) to keep his hair out of his eyes.  We're not going to look at pictures of the back...that's when he started to squirm 50x more then he was already squirming...let's just say the front looks better.  Have YOU ever tried to cut a squirmy, crawling, wriggly 8-month-old little boy?!  My mom says talent had little to do with this cut it was all about getting him still.  I think I must agree.

That's the practical aspects of 2 simple hair cuts.

Then, there's the crazy emotional momma aspect.  These hair cuts, particularly Ivory's, set off all sorts of mixed emotions within me.  I can't stop thinking of how big my babies are getting.  Ivory looks SO MUCH BIGGER with this little hair cut.  But, it's not just the cut.  It's more like it sums up her huge developmental jump in the last few months.  She's matured so much.  She talks in full sentences almost constantly.  She can process her emotions so much better (we still have multiple tantrums daily, but they're really improving).  She plays nicely with her brother.  She shows sensitivity and kindness often.  She plays imaginatively.  She's creative.  She expresses herself hilariously.  She teases.  She knows all her letters and most of their sounds.  She "reads" on a different level then before (as in memorizing certain pages, tracking with her finger, sounding out letters & words).  She's no longer a baby.  Hardly a toddler.  So, little girl. 

Micah interacts, laughs, gives hi fives, waves, feeds himself table food scraps, crawls around and gets into everything, climbs, pulls up some, kneels, sleeps through the night, will barely be still for bottles, and is too busy to be mommy's snuggly baby anymore (except this morning from 6-6:30am!!).  He's no longer a newborn.  He's growing so fast. 

Of course, it's a joy to watch these changes and developments.  My children delight me daily.  I savor the moments.  But, there are times, too many times, where my temper and impatience gets the best of me.  I'm too "busy" to enjoy and savor the moments. 

I've been soaking them up this week.  Sneaking in to hold, snuggle, or kiss them when they're asleep.  Tearing up over nearly every sweet moment.  Savoring them.  I've even managed to smile through a few of Ivory's tantrums.

Thoughts about their future constantly come.  Friendships.  Heartbreaks.  Joys.  Trials. 

While it would really be a tragedy for my children to never grow past their current stage and I want to see them grow past many apsects of their current stages, it's hard to see it happening so FAST sometimes.  I can't put into words what I'm feeling.  I just don't know how to express it.  For as much as I talk, so often words seem to fail me.

I know this post is a little heavier then the title implies so I'll leave you with this picture.  She wanted to see a picture of herself with her blue mouth (valentine M&Ms from Grandma & Pa)


In closing, please mourn with me as my parents are leaving us today.  We only have to wear sackcloth and ashes for a short time as they will soon return.  But, we will still grieve.  Thank you, Mom and Dad for your servanthood, generosity and incredible love.  I cherish you both for always.