Ohmystinkinheck

The weather has changed and the mid-afternoon warmth is already foreshadowing summer’s arrival. I like this time of year, when the heat hasn’t reached July and August’s oppressive sweltering levels and the kids can play outside without being lathered in mosquito repellant and sunscreen.

Feet are dirt-dirty from the trampoline, chicken coop (eeew) and dirt piles; heels not yet calloused by bike pedals, road gravel, concrete and sticker burrs; knees and clothes come to the washing machine stained by grass, popsicles and just about anything else imaginable; bodies are covered with grit or itchy from rolling around in the grass.

Best of all haircuts move from my bathroom to the garage.

When you’re five it is REALLY hard to sit still - even for 5 to 8 minutes for a clipper cut.

Pouting he expresses his distaste for the event at hand: “This is gonna take FUH-EVAH, Daddy!”

It was especially difficult tonight with his cousin over and the girls running, screaming, and playing up and down the driveway and front yard.

Five minutes is FUH-EVAH when you’re five.

Clipper cuts are great though - mainly because they are free, thanks to Mr. OMSH and a few years in the United States Army.

I don’t know about you, but these photos make me itchy. I’ve had to stop keying a few times to scratch invisible hairs along my neckline.

We’re about 3 minutes in and I seriously think he’s about to bolt from that stool. You can see it in his eyes.

Just one more minute - let Daddy clean up the top.

Once he’s off that stool he’s much more at ease. See the side of his head there — where it looks like Jeff missed a spot?

Veins.

I kid you not.

Experience has taught us that Kenny has a mystery head groove and vein combo. Jeff would try to clean it up with the clippers only for it to return.

Now that he’s had staples in the back of his head he’s got the mystery head stripes AND a scar that doesn’t grow hair.

The girls are gonna think he’s so cool when he’s older. Of course, if they call my house they are going to discover his mom is sooooo not cool when I tell them that the only kind of girls that call boys are the kind my son isn’t interested in.

I’m already saving-up one liners for “those” girls.

Of course right now he wouldn’t be impressive to the girls–not while he’s still picking scabs and dried, caked dirt.

And he probably ought to wash his hands from time to time too.

On the other hand, keep picking those scabs boy. Keep those girls at bay as long as possible.

24 Responses to “Evidence of Summer’s Arrival”

1. Stefani

   This post is just plain fantastic! The photos, the itchy, grumpy little man, the bits and pieces of summer in the making, and the mama after my own heart. Love love love.

2. Rhi

   I love this!

   And, FYI, I wasn’t allowed to call boys in high school :) My mama was SMART!

3. Karen (submommy)

   Dirty feet rock!

   The men in my home get home haircuts too. Hubby actually cuts his own hair because of an unfortunate and frightening “Super Cuts” incident.

   And a shout to the girls out there - calling a boy yourself only brings you heartache. Don’t do it.

4. Jummy

   I didn’t know Mr. OMSH was a lefty! Cool.

   (Jummy wishes she were a lefty and therefore notices it in others)

   Kenny’s going to be a heartbreaker when the time comes (years and years and years from now!)

5. Loralee

   SUMMER?!!!

   GAH!!!!

   We haven’t even really hit spring here yet!!!!

6. Liz C.

   Loralee, I know what you mean–we’ll get summer between June 30 and September 15. Before or after those dates, snow is a real possibility.

   You can practically HEAR the other kids having fun while he’s stuck on that stool.

7. Starwoodgal

   I still give my son haircuts and he’s 19, but only in the summer when he wants a buzz cut.

   Stinky, dirty, little boys - so cute when they’re five. At 19, not so cute - just stinky. :) Enjoyed the story.

8. mamalang

   Monster gets those summer cuts as well. And we have several pics of him pouting before, during and after. But he always loves it when it’s over and his hair feels “funny when you rub it.”

   This is a great series. I love them summer dirt…shows me that they are kids playing at being kids.

9. good&crazy

   Hey, we’re a week away from our summer buzz! I agree, LOVE that it’s free, and LOVE that it’s taken outside! I love the pics of his bruised legs. We aren’t to 5 yet…but here we come. And we did the stitches thing already too.

10. Karen Sugarpants

    Great post Heather - I felt itchy right along with you! :)

11. mary

    You’re gonna have your hands full with the girls. He’s adorable!!

12. MMM

    awesome pics! too cute!

13. Anne

    Oh how cute! I really enjoyed the pictures. We just don’t want our sweet, stinky, dirty grubby boys to grow up so soon. I told mine that the other day(he’ll be 12) and he rolled his eyes at me like I was a freak of nature. But then he gave me 5 - count them 5 - hugs yesterday.

14. 9milemom

    Oh this is so much easier than trying to cut girls hair. I keep trying to talk them into this kind of cut. Their daddy did army time and now is a cop…so he would be all for this cut. Cutting girls hair is rotten…you start and then they wiggle, then you cut some more to even it out, then they wiggle, then you cut some more just to even that one part out….and so on…
    Before you know it they will look like they had a buzz cut!

15. Shannon

    New site and I am with LiquidWeb, Thanks!
    I am glad to see that we are not the only ones that do home haircuts! We were at the park today and spring is definitely here.

16. beachmom

    Oh, how I wish hubbie would do the home haircuts … with the speed at which our boys produce hair, we would save a bundle.

    I have been lurking on your site for a while, and terrific posts like this one are the reasons I keep coming back - love all of the pics, he is a cutie pie!

17. Mrs. Wilson

    I have to do the garage haircut to Noah tonight. It’s time.

    Cute cut Kenny!

18. Tami

    Great pictures. It reminded me of my son when he gets a haircut. He is allowed to play Gameboy or read a book or hold on to something to keep him still. We’ll be doing it again soon and we cut hair on the deck.

19. Mr. OMSH

    …oh, and in case you’re interested, I cut girls’ hair too. That is, as long as they like it high and tight…and the look of being a jar-head.

20. Angie Garza

    Go Summer!!!

21. naomi

    ah summer! that’s a great haircut. mine was almost as short last summer. it was so nice to have the wind blow through the stubble and cool my head.

22. Kerry

    This was such a great post, I just had to leave a comment. I loved the photos and your descriptions. I felt like I was there with you! But, I am jealous that it is spring where you are. We still have snow in our yard, and it was in the 30’s here today!

23. Heather B.

    Is it hard taking Kenny seriously when he’s miserable? I’d be too busy telling him how adorable he looks when he is pouting. Though I’m betting that might piss him off even more.

24. Vyx

    I finally gave my son the clippers. A few years ago. (he’s 22 now) We’ve almost always done home haircuts for him (and any of his friends or relatives that had permission) with a good old pair of clippers. Tried the supercuts thing and such, and well, for a hard playing boy the clipper cut just makes more sense. Plus, it’s easy. You just hook on the 1/2 inch guide and buzz away. Edges and around the ears can be tricky, but it’s not hard to learn. (I say with 20 some years of experience, lol!)

    Great photos, for sure!