The cost of a haircut? Two band aids, two balloons, two lollipops, and a comb

T + haircuts was the stuff nightmares were made of for about two years. There was a barber on base in Germany that refused - REFUSED - to cut his hair because he screamed and fought the process the entire time. I can't imagine what the problem was. *snort*

For a while I tried to cut his hair, and while he was much better with me than in a barber shop, it was challenging and I rarely got his hair even. The last time I cut it, it was bad enough that he noticed, and that's pretty bad. Fortunately, his hair grows fast and it evened itself out in a week or so.

Sometime after that, we went to the barbershop on the other base. We were going so R could get his hair cut. When T walked by vending machine and was itching for a candy fix we told him that if he got his hair cut and was well behaved, he could pick out any one thing he wanted from the vending machine. He said no, and we let it drop. As R was getting his hair cut, T was watching R and all the other people in the barber chairs and he decided he wanted to get his hair cut after all. After R was done, T hopped right up into the chair and let the barber cut his hair, including a neck shave and trimming around his ears. This was unprecedented. I've never been as happy to hand over a pack of candy. Since then, it's been no big deal for T to get a haircut - but - he has to say okay first. If you just pull up at a barber shop, it's not going to be pretty.

I had my hair trimmed and my face de-haired on Thursday (shouldn't I be, like, 20 years older than this before I need to have my face de-haired? Geez!). I noticed that the salon did kids haircuts too and they do walk ins. Hmmm....both T and S need a few minutes in a barber's chair. S hasn't had a haircut in about a year and her hair is starting to look stringy, and T needs a cut - preferably something really short for the warmer weather.

After looking up the salon's hours online, we headed out for trimville. I was just going to pop in and make sure they could take the kids as walk ins, but of course both kids had to go with me. R decided to wait in the van, since a trip into ladyland is about as high on his list as root canals. We walked in and the kids were ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the decor (the leopard print curtains were associated with Diego's baby Jaguar) but being really good. The lady that cuts my hair was ringing someone up, and the lady behind the register didn't say anything to us and hadn't said much to me on Thursday when I was there, so I just waited for Laura to finish up and then asked her if anyone could take the kids as a walk in. Laura said she couldn't, but that the person sitting behind the register probably could. Of course, at that second the phone rings so I could ask the lady behind the counter. I asked T to walk out to the van and let R know that operation trim was a go, so T opens the door and starts to yell, "Dad! They can take us!" but I ask him to walk to the van and tell R that instead of shouting. Why, I don't know because T had already shouted it. Sigh.... S and I are still waiting to ask if the lady can take us when I see out the window that T has fallen in the parking lot. We all heard him cry, so I know it was a bad fall. S saw it too and said, "Oh my gosh. T is hurt" and heads for the door. Naturally I follow her out, admonishing her not to run since that's how T fell. And, of course, she falls too, and gets even more scraped up than T.

By the time we get them cleaned up, bandaged, and calmed down, R and I figure that we should probably seek elsewhere for a haircut. I mean, when the universe is talking, you need to listen, right? Just down the road we find a Supercuts. Haircuts there were $7.99, and there was a really short wait time. Excellent. Both kids went back at the same time and the stylists were awesome with the kids. T and S sat in the chairs and behaved. I was so impressed! When S finished she got a balloon and a comb. When T finished, he got a balloon and a lollipop, but asked for one for S too. Boo boos forgotten with the thrill of sugar and balloons, R and I got our weekend errands done before the kids got restless. As a cherry on top of the amazing productive day we were having, both the kids went down without protests for quiet time and R and I even took a nap. Now. that is a good day in my book.