It hadn't quite occurred to me what a deal a first haircut is for one's child. Having given my children their first haircuts within the last couple months I wasn't ready for the loss it signified and the future to come. Little Miss's came just shy of her 3rd birthday. Her hair was slow to come in but as one layer lengthened into cornsilk a new one of dandelion fuzz sprouted just underneath. From baby fuzz to little girl locks. Just before the cut she still had ends that were frayed from bobbling her head back-and-forth to take in the brand new world as a baby. The baby fauxhawk had filled in to white tresses. It was time, ready or not. But her papa went first - he having had hair well-passed his shoulders, if not to the middle of his back - for more than 20 yrs. She had been scared afterall, confusing a hairstylists smock to that of a Dr. so she drew the conclusion that haircuts hurt. He went first so she could sidle up her bravery. It's a new chapter, possibly a new book entirely. As her fuzzy ends fell to the floor, so did the last few shreds of outward babyness.

Little Man's came just a day or two after his first birthday. He always had a good swath of light brown then golden then near-white hair. It came in piles and was tickling the bottom of his nose in the end. At home I'd been known to put in a strategically placed ponytail or a glob of gel but in a few minutes time all was a fall of sunshined hair streaming over his forehead and into his eyes. Just like him, it couldn't be contained - at least not for any length of time. It was unruly in that ambiguous baby way. The cute way that says he's a babe, leave it uncut, unshaped, unbound. But as he swiped and blinked more and more by the day its badge of freedom turned to hindrance. Something held onto by the heart with no call to practicality. So a lock of bang was snipped for keepsake and then there was baby mullet. A firm "no" and several sessions of snipping over 2 days later we have a mini-Stingish sort shape. He looks older already and more "kept" than he truly is. My 1-yr-old little boy babe with only his eyes and grin to gleam wild.