Hairy Lollipop

Part of the Parenting Experience is getting to learn about the world all over again. Like Halloween last month. Who knew there was a day you got to be someone/thing else and go knock on people's doors and beg for food?

So when I got a haircut last weekend, and the barberette wanted to reward Ryan for being cute and behaving himself in the waiting area, she reached in and got him a rolled-up piece of paper on a short white stick.
Having never eaten a lollipop before, he didn't know what the hell it was.

Tonight, though, after several successive days of bed-head emergencies, we decided it was time for Ryan to go under the vibrating knife again. After going ballistic last time, we tried a new place with new people, but unfortunately had the same result. As soon as he got the scarf apron tablecloth thing wrapped around him, out came the bottom lip, and then the tears and the coughing and the "up"s... it just traumatizes him now. Another hairstyling professional tried to get him a dinosaur and then opened up a lollipop for him, but he just licked it once -- not familiar with the stick-it-in-your-mouth concept. But he was crying so much, the cut hairs started to stick to his chin and neck like a beard.
He gave a feeble wave and a soft 'bye-bye' and 'happy thanksgiving' as he walked out; we went to reward him with his favorite UNO's side dish, smashed cauliflower, but they have a new menu upon which that is UNOt. Just wasn't the poor guy's night.

He had a better morning, playing in the park with the Monday Mommy Munchkins (the day is flexible) on a record-breaking 72-degree day before Thanksgiving. And he left a cute message on my voice-mail at work that I saved cause it's just too adorable.
One morning last week, Ainsley said he stopped what he was playing with and asked, "Daddy home yet?"
awwwwwwwwwwwwwww