52 Weeks of Us

These haircuts are bittersweet moments for me.  When his hair gets long, he gets a lush set of curls covering the back of his head.  I want to hold on to those curly locks forever.

But the front stays thin and wispy, falling into his eyes and no amount of combing or brushing can hold it in place.  Sometimes I think I’ll just cut the front but then remind myself that no one ever looks good with a mullet.

So this was way overdue, it was at least six months ago when he last had it cut.  And I watch him sitting there in the big chair, flinching when the hairdresser sprays cool water on his hair or tickles the nape of his neck.

He smiles at himself in the mirror when he sees the finished product.  And he looks to me as if he’s aged 5 years, his new cropped haircut letting the grown up boy peek through.

I’ll be ready to have his curls back in another few months.

Our time together is so much more limited since I’ve gone back to work full-time.  And so much more precious.  Our weekends have taken on a different flavor, are more about slowing down, about catching our breath after a busy week of work and school.  I’m no longer anxious to have us on the go.  And he wants to hang out and “play with his own toys.”

So now, as the seasons change and the air turns cooler, we’re nesting a bit.  We’re sitting at the kitchen table (under harsh overhead lighting I might add…) getting reacquainted with our rainbow of plasticine.  Only this time, we’re not making trains, they are so last year.  This time, it’s all about robots.

No matter where we are or what we do, it’s all about robots.

Once, he was afraid to go down the big bendy slide.  And once, I was afraid to let him go it alone, sliding down with him in my lap instead.  But now, he’s conquered the big aluminium tunnel that twists its way through the mountain in the middle of the playground.  He makes a point of taking off his shoes and socks so that he can do more than slide down, he can climb up.

Me:  I love you more than the sky.

Him:  I love you more than elephants.

Me:  Oh, that is a lot.

Him:  Yes, they are really big.

Another in my Across the Room series.

Me:  Mummy is going into the big office today, she’s starting a new job.

Him:  Really??? (His face full of excitement which puzzles me.)

Me:  Yes, it’s a big office with lots of other people.

Him:  Will they be nice to you?

Me:  Yes, I think they’ll be nice to me.  At least I hope so.  They’re nice people.

Him:  Good.

Him:  Mummy, I really love you.

Me:  (sob)