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Challenge is the space between what is and what can be


BEFORE


Haircut number three for Henry today, and oh what joy that was! I have been otherwise occupied [code for 'at work'] for the last two, although the first did rate a post way back in February. I think that maybe next time, a small sherry might be offered beforehand to settle his nerves. That said, we managed to escape with a little less hair, and all ears/eyes/noses intact. I thought that today I would offer up a list.

Things that I have learned today:
  • Pre-haircut Henry would not be out of place in the Byrds in 1969. His attitude is more Stones '71 though...
  • Post-haircut Henry looks like a very young George Clooney, or at least that's what some of the ladies think.
  • Toddlers + haircuts = a challenging equation.
  • A fruit box is a welcome distraction while getting a toddler’s haircut, but it alone will not be enough.
  • If you have a toddler on your lap who is getting his haircut, hold on tight.
  • Toddlers struggle with the notion of a ‘before and after’ photo shoot.
  • That even though the Olympics are over, that cannot stop the Australian media juggernaut seemingly compelled to milk every last drop out of ‘Olympic spirit’ and force feed lazy, boring stories down our throats.
  • The band You Am I are obviously fans of XTC’s “Senses Working Overtime”, given that they’ve recycled a fair whack of it in the single “Good Mornin'”. Moreover, it has taken me eleven years to notice that.
  • That the Australian swim team is perhaps the least interesting, most tedious and cloying group in the country right now. Whoever has done their media training have succeeded immensely in their mission.
  • Jennifer and I disagree very much on the Natasha Bedingfield song “These Words (I Love You, I Love You, I Love You)”. For the record, she feels it lyrically trite and irritating, while I believe that lyrically it is both clever and playful, and musically, interesting enough. That said, I am not familiar with the rest of Ms Bedingfield’s oeuvre.
  • Matthias Steiner, the German superheavyweight weightlifter and Matthew Mitcham, the ultra camp Aussie diver, were by far and away my favourite GOLDen Olympians.
  • The most inspirational Olympian was that Cuban bloke who defied the obviously very painfulfoot injury that saw him disqualified in the Taekwondo and successful kick the judge in the head. Now that is Olympic passion!
  • Lethargy works in a similar manner to compounded interest. Lack of sleep grows and feeds upon itself. This is not good.


AFTER

Comments

Kitty said…
adorable photos, and that T shirt...whew! I love it.

This little guy has such an expressive face. So wonderful. Like there is not a thing hidden there. All emotions right there, open to the surface.

Get thee some sleep!
USelaine said…
8^) Very amusing set up. I suppose it took me as long to read and digest your list as it took to get the haircut.

One of the latter day Byrds lives in my area - Gene Parsons. Henry with a very full milk mustache would make a pretty good likeness of Gene. The "before" hair would be about right.
Miles McClagan said…
Obviously you weren't a big fan then of the Australian Swim Teams inspirational self penned song then...
Jim Klenke said…
...and Henry just happened to be wearing that shirt by accident.
Very very very CUTE! Nice haircut! :-D
Kris McCracken said…
Kitty, you’re right about his face. He is shocking at poker!

USelaine, Gene Parsons down the road!?! That’s very cool! I am a HUGE fan of the country rock-era Byrds, and he was a big part of that.

Miles, I thought that if nobody mentioned that song I would have it erased it from my brain. You’ve gone and bought it all back up again!

By Christ they really can’t sing. And the nine year olds they had writing the lyrics, SACK ‘EM!

Jim, I don’t know what you mean... 95 percent of Henry’s tops say that! ;)

Mary Stebbins Taitt, he is a heartbreaker already!
Dina said…
Great T shirt: Rocks? As in, rocks the baby to sleep? hehe
That's a haircut? My daughter cuts Dean's (4 1/2) hair with a buzzcutter, leaving almost nothing on his head. Dean says the buzzing thing tickles and that he wants to look like Dad. OTOH, my son's little son's hair is down to his shoulders. Henry has a happy medium. Good onya.
Anonymous said…
When my godson was little he hated having his hair cut. We made a little progress when we put the cape around his shoulders and told him he was Batman, but it was still a bit touch and go. Now he's 11 he's decided it's cool to have long hair. I'm not sure how godmotherly it is to tell him he looks ridiculous (he's a ginga!).
Kris McCracken said…
Dina, he occasionally rocks the cradle to sleep. I like to think that he rocks Henry’s mother’s world!

When I was a kiddie, we used to get the buzz cut too. I always confuse little boy’s with long hair with little girls. It’s my fault, but wonder how the little boy’s cope. :)

Jackie, a ginger? Oh, the poor little mite… ;)

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