My First Haircut!

What a big day for Nicholas!! We've been planning for weeks to get Nicholas his first haircut, and today we finally found the time to do it!! We called around to several places to get prices, hours, and availability, and we were quite surprised to find that most kid haircuts run from $14-$17!!! How hard is it to do a little snip, snip on a tiny head?! We had no idea what we were in store for.

We settled on a regular haircut place, Premier Cuts, that has given me great service in the past. Plus, it came equipped with a cute little red airplane seat that had a spinning wheel and propeller in its own secluded room!!

We arrived and were immediately whisked away into the airplane room. (No wait on a Saturday, Yay!) Nicholas was very excited about the airplane until the barber (the hairdresser will be referred to as a barber because it just sounds better that way) draped a sheet around him. He froze and stared into the mirror in front of him. The barber must have been very familiar with this scenario as she immediately started trying to show him the airplane wheel and propeller again. Nicholas finally calmed down and began to "Drive! Drive! Drive!" the airplane, so the barber pulled out the clippers to show to Nicholas. Freeze! She demonstrated the tickling sensation of the clippers on his hand and his Mommy's hand. No deal. Countdown to meltdown... 5...4...3...2...1... SCREAM!!!! Nicholas ripped off his sheet, stood up in the airplane, and started screaming, "Mommy! Daddy! Up!! UP!!!"

Again, the barber was on top of things and suggested that we move into a regular seat where Nicholas could sit on Mommy's lap. This is indeed how Nicholas received his first haircut. The barber did a great job with the clippers considering the subject was flailing and screaming in his Mommy's lap. At least 4 other barbers and/or receptionists ran to the back to help distract poor Nicholas. He was offered a crinkly toy, a lolipop, a kaleidoscope, and eventually bubbles!! Poor Daddy was also running around with Cheerios and a useless camera trying to help Nicholas settle down. Once the clippers were put away and the scissors brought out, Nicholas finally started to calm down a little bit. He still wasn't a very happy camper, though. At this point, he wanted his lolipop back, but it was covered in hair...ewwww!! His haircut was finally complete...a regular boy haircut with a #4 blade on the back and sides, with some #2 blade action for the edges, and scissors on the top. His haircut looked unbelievably good considering all the motion the barber had to deal with. Two thumbs up!! She should participate in speed haircutting competitions!!

As we try to de-hair and walk out amidst many staring customers, Nicholas is handed a blue balloon and a very cute certificate with a lock of his hair on it that says...
"This is a real official piece of paper saying that I, Nicholas, was real brave and didn't scream or fuss too much when they took me to this place, covered me up with a sheet thing and cut my hair! As of today, Feb. 28, 2009, I am a BIG KID and I am really cool!"

Nicholas recovered well in the car as we changed his clothes (we never did get that "sheet thing" back on him!) and let him play with his balloon. Nicholas also had a new story to tell!!! "Haircut!! Bzzzz!!! Scary!!" And Mommy & Daddy learned why kid haircuts were priced so high!! :o) We will definitely return to this place if we can...they turned what could have been a super crazy, traumatic experience into one that has a positive twist!!

Nicholas can't wait for his next haircut!!! HA! :o)