Hair cuts

Recently I told Philip that I was going to get Daddy to cut his hair.

He thought about this for a moment.

“But Daddy’s not my hair cutter.”

“Who is your hair cutter?”

“My hair cutter is Miss Andi.”  Pause. “When Daddy cuts my hair, he cuts all of them.  Miss Andi cuts only some of them and then it’s not so itchy.”

Well said.  Have I mentioned before that I love it when he uses his words? 🙂

Philip definitely prefers Miss Andi, and for good reason.  Daddy does an all over buzz cut.  Miss Andi buzzes only the sides and back.  She cuts the top with scissors.  Miss Andi’s cape also stays closed all by itself.  Daddy has to keep his cape closed with a clothes pin.

There are other perks to going to Miss Andi’s, too:

• Gracie, her cute little dog, sits on his lap when he gets his hair washed.
• Miss Andi has a spinning chair that moves up and down, and a mirror for making funny faces.  Daddy has Philip sit on a step stool in the garage.  Enough said.
• Miss Andi has a special sink with a sprayer for washing hair,  a “tickle-y” brush for getting the hair off his neck, yummy snacks and drinks, and a special timer.  Daddy has Philip go wash his own hair and Philip only gets special snacks and drinks if he sits still.
• Miss Andi has a timer.
• Miss Andi’s timer rocks!

Cell phone photo by Elizabeth Givler 🙂

Cutting Philip’s hair has not always been easy.  (Same for Josh, who used to run out of the house at the sight of the clippers.) A hair cut was endured, usually with one parent holding the crying boy’s  head still while murmuring comforting things, and the “hair cutter” working as quickly as humanly possible.

Miss Andi has found what works for Philip.  She lets him play with her timer while she cuts his hair.  It is actually three different timers on one device. Philip obsesses perseverates focuses intently on the numbers, and before he can say “Hey, what are you doing?!?”  his hair is cut and he looks so darn cute.  Hooray, Miss Andi!

Holding ear down for Miss Andi while looking at the timer. Photo by E. Givler

Going to Miss Andi’s is a family affair. I love it when she highlights my hair– my hubby says I look hot :-).  Meg likes being pampered (since she was two years old… wash, condition, cut, style, blow dry… the whole shebang).   Philip and Meg like playing with her adorable children.  Since it’s a home based salon, chances of seeing her kids are pretty good.

Meg getting pampered by Miss Andi. Photo by E. Givler

Miss Andi is one of the few “hair cutters” who “gets it.”  I am thankful for people like her who are patient and understand that Philip is not misbehaving when he has sensory issues.

People like Miss Andi make my family life easier and, more importantly, give me hope.  She’s not only our “hair cutter.” She’s also our friend.