kaleidoscoping chaos...: Cutting the Curls!

Today was the day!

We came, We saw, We conquered... or rather

We woke up, We cut hair, We ate ice cream!

As you know we have been talking about this for a long time. Jonah's big hair cut. I was waiting till he turned three. There is a Jewish tradition upsherin that you wait until your son is three before you cut his hair, and well, I love Jonah's hair and I am into traditions, so we waited. (see my previous post here)

Last night Jocelyn and I partied it up with her former high school classmates at her 20th reunion. We stayed out way too late and slept in a hotel room in Baltimore while the kids were with grandma. This morning, we woke up really late and ordered in room service - it was divine!

Then we packed our stuff up and went to Grandma's house! We arrived around lunch time and everyone was great. The kids were happy as could be - Jonah told me, "no mommy, I don't want to leave... I love it here with Grandma!" After bribing him with too many treats, we all got into the car.

After 10 minutes in the car, both kids fell asleep!!! Goodness - my kids and cars! We arrived at the place right on time.

Now, I need to set the scene. Jocelyn's family's house in Baltimore is in a "not-so-great" neighborhood. It is an amazing corner brownstone, but the neighborhood has steadily declined since she lived there. It is pretty much a lower income all black neighborhood. Ironically, if you drive about 7 miles from this neighborhood into Pikesville, you end up in this Jewish, pretty religious lower to middle income white neighborhood. The haircutting place was in that neighborhood.

We arrive at the Salon Kids (see link here) and the place is empty. They are waiting for us and greet us with a big" hello Jonah!" The shopping center is filled with "Jewish" shops including a Kosher pizza and ice cream store and most of the people walking around the shopping center are either black or wearing black hats (which means they are religious Jews...) - to say it was a little bit of "worlds colliding" is an accurate description.

Now, remember, Jonah was sleeping?!?! He was groggy when we walked in and was slowly getting his bearings. I had no idea how it was going to all play out. Vera woke up and wanted to play with the toys. The deal in this place is that there are plenty of toys around and it is a very "fun" looking place with bright colors, etc. Jonah was very into the toys and wanted to play with the trains at the train table - still half asleep. So we had some negotiations, the stylist set up a DVD player with Thomas the train on it... and while I was with Jonah in toy area deciding which toys he was going to take to the "special chair"... he had an accident...

(Here I will mention we are deep into potty training. Jonah is not wearing diapers, he wears his shorts only. He still wears diapers at night. He has been doing very well during the day but we do have accidents.  Today we completed our first week without diapers...)

So we had to get cleaned up and the stylist and receptionist were very nice and took care of everything-I changed Jonah. We visited the potty to be sure we were done with that and returned. He decided he wanted Buzz Lightyear as his toy.

We got him into the seat.  Tyra, his stylist, put on his smock. And that was it. She started spraying and combing out his hair and he was talking to Buzz and watching his show. We decided to take 2.5 inches off (Nana please relax!!!) - His hair was over 5 inches long! After Tyra combed his hair out with this special comb (it is called the Knot Genie - and I bought one - I think it has changed my life - see here), she started cutting. Jonah was perfect! He was asking some questions, he wanted to hold the regular comb, the special comb, the scissors, the spray bottle, the mirror, but otherwise he was great. She was collecting his curls to give to me in an envelope and when some would fall on his smock, he would hand them to me and say, "here mommy, take my curls..."   He sat through the whole thing and was amazing. At the end, he looked at himself in the mirror and said, "just like Mama!" with a big smile on his face. Jocelyn and I looked at him and we both sighed a big deep sigh - he is still the cutest little boy in the world, but he isn't so "little" anymore... he is just a little bit bigger, braver and wiser... and at first he didn't look like our Jonah!

Then they wanted to take his photo for the certificate, well he wasn't so into that -- he just wanted to go play with trains -- so we didn't get a very good official picture. He got a lollipop and a tattoo. He also got a gumball from the gumball machine.

On the way out we said the Shehecheyanu. (see the prayer here) Jews say it when something new happens to thank God for getting us to this time and allowing us to be part of this new endeavor. We were so happy to be with Jonah on his first haircut! You know, there is nothing like the first time!

Then we went over to Mama Leah's for some Kosher pizza and ice cream! (see here) It was yummy and fun. The kids ate and we even talked to some very nice people in the next booth.

In honor of DC Pride this weekend (even though we missed it -we were there in spirit!) I just want to say, sometimes life is awesome!  Here we are are this totally "progressive alternative family" - the interracial lesbians with their Jewish black children. We woke up in inner city Baltimore and got our son's first haircut in Pikesville, MD and then had Kosher pizza and ice cream. After, we returned to Baltimore for a party with all the Aunties and cousins to celebrate Jonah's upsherin with homemade macaroni & cheese, pork, ham, turkey & and a cake decorated with Lightening McQueen!

My kids are very lucky.
I am very lucky.
The 21st century is very lucky to have us in it.

Whether we are cutting Jonah's curls, or one day in the future braiding Vera's hair, the truth is our babies grow up - the most important thing is that they are surrounded by love and supported by diverse and wonderful people - of every color, shape, religion and creed! That is what real "progress" is about.

This nontraditional family did everything traditional this weekend - reunions, first hair cuts, family parties... and it was fantastic!

Thank you Jonah & Vera for being great kids!
Thank you Grandma for babysitting!
Thank you Salon Kids for a job well done!
Thank you Grandma and all the Aunties, Uncle Dave, the cousins & Grandpa -for a wonderful celebration for Jonah!
Thank you Baltimore area for weekend well spent!