Our first haircut

Last week JP went for his first real hair cut. Up until now I have just wrestled with him and a pair of scissors. I actually don't mind his hair a little longer but it gets old having to cut it every few weeks. We tried shears at home and he DID NOT like the noise.

Well, I decided that this was a milestone for him when he turned 5. We took him a few days before his fifth birthday to watch Daddy and Grandpa get their hair cut. I had told him that this is how he had to get his hair cut after he was a big boy of 5 years old! I had hoped he would let us get his hair cut that day but no such luck. When I tried to tell him it was his turn he pointed out that was not 5 yet. The kid is too damn smart sometimes! So we didn't push him. I figured that first exposure was a start! That was really all I had planned for that day. I didn't want to get too greedy!

Well, last Monday we decided it was time. I talked it up over the weekend and all day on Monday. He was very nonchalant about it and didn't put up a resistance. When Dad got home from work we all loaded up in the van and headed out. We decided to let JP choose if we ate supper first or got his hair cut. He said hair cut. So we went to get his hair cut. T fell asleep in the van so Dad stayed with him. JP and I marched right in. He walked up to the counter and said, "My name is JP. I am getting a haircut". The girl told us it would be 45 minutes!

I didn't know what to do. JP was psyched up and who knew what it would be like if we came back later. But we decided to eat and come back later. When we returned it was still busy so we tried a different establishment. We walked right in. I debated explaining to them about JP's autism but decided to go with the flow. I did state that it was his first time and that I would be with him. I also explained that he had sensory issues.

I have to say that the gal cutting his hair didn't seem to listen to a word I said. She kept telling him to hold still. She even went so far as to tell him to hold still so she didn't cut his ear off! Can you say MORON! I can't imagine telling any kid that! Let alone my very literal and believing child! Fortunately, JP was more intrigued by the "hmm" of the shears and wasn't really listening to her anyway! I had to hold his head still a few times and lift it up. His neck seemed to shrink down and disappear a lot! But we got through it with NO TEARS! It was so amazing! He whimpered a few times but I talked him through it!

His grandma is going to be upset because she loved his long locks. His teachers didn't even recognize him! He looks so much older now! He came home and stared in the mirror for a good 15 minutes. I'm not sure he has stopped petting himself since the hair cut.