taking the weight off

at our house lately the load has been lifting a little, in more ways than one. see that cute little boy at the top of the post? notice his lovely bangs? on friday afternoon, while rick and i were trying to flesh out whether the kids are going to play soccer (they aren't, because we missed all the deadlines...oh well, there's always spring), gillian decided to become the world's tiniest hair stylist.

the story went like this: (and by the way, i didn't even notice aedan looked like this until about 3 hours after this had happened!)

"gillian, what happened to aedan's hair?" (with aedan standing right there)

"he asked me to cut it for him." (aedan says nothing) "doesn't he look great mom?"

(me, trying to hold back laughter): "um, not really...he has a big chunk of hair missing!"

"well i think he looks great!"

so i told them both that he would have to get all his hair cut off, and no one seemed the least bit phased (except maybe rick, but he has baggage from being a little boy and never getting to have his hair longer than a half-inch).

later, i asked aedan what happened, and here's the conversation:

"aedan, what happened to your hair? did you really ask gillian to cut it?"

"no, gillian asked me if she could cut it."

"oh really? and then what happened?"

"i said yes."

(duh! i have nightmares about this translating later to drugs and sex...yikes.)

then gillian piped in and said, "mom, i really wanted to cut it because you know how aedan always wants to look cool? well i thought i could make him look really cool! and i think he looks so cool now. he looks much better."

(insert the biggest mom eye roll ever)

i was not too sad about this because i have been wanting to cut his hair for a month or two and gillian just sort of helped the process along. after all, what could rick say when aedan's bangs look like this? so here's the after shot (and this was right afterwards, when the hair stylist put tons of product and hairspray in it--we don't spike it like this):


he spent the rest of the afternoon obsessing that his "spikes" were going to fall down or get messed up. it started raining, and he designated his left hand as his "shield" so he could protect his spikes from getting wet. he anxiously asked us how he would sleep at night, and he still gets upset with us if we touch his head now. it's really a hilarious sight to see, a 5-year-old boy so worried about his hair. this also prompted him to swoon over himself when we were at the gap on saturday, when he tried on this amazing patchwork jacket (which we subsequently purchased, and oh yes, one for rhys! pictures to come later) and said to himself in the mirror, "i look good."

guess my kids aren't hurtin' for self-esteem, that's for sure!

in other news, rick started a job on monday, so that has taken some of the metaphorical weight off my shoulders around here. in some ways it's put more weight ON my shoulders, because (and this may sound weird to those of you who are used to a more "traditional" schedule) now i'm a single mom during the day. i take the kids to school, pick them up, try to work while everyone's gone. i don't have my partner, no one to tag team with during the day if i need to use the bathroom or run to the grocery store and don't want to take the baby. of course, it's much needed relief, but still, it feels weird, because we've pretty much been together working from home since gillian was born, except for a brief stint for a time while we've lived in tampa.

also related to the title, i have literally taken some weight off (10 pounds!), and i'm really proud of myself. i don't look like i used to (before kids, before this last kid...), and i'm still thinking if i ever get rich (highly unlikely) i seriously might have a tummy tuck, because after 3 kids i'm not sure my tummy will ever be normal again...but i'm working out during the week (trying to do 5 days) and trying to eat as few carbs as possible (with a brownie and pasta here and there hee hee) and somehow it's working.

as my 3 faithful readers know, i really obsess about the weight thing (who doesn't right?!), and i think this time around i've figured out that i'm losing it and working out to make myself feel better, not so anyone else will think "oh she looks great!" (although that's certainly a big bonus ha ha). my lack of self-confidence in that department gets in the way of so much about how i live my life, and frankly i'm sick of it. so i'm doing what i can do, and if plastic surgery ever gets cheap enough then maybe i can have a little extra help when i'm 50. :)

last but not least, i made a new friend in june, and i'm so thankful to know her. you HAVE to check out her blog; it's hilarious. i love her rants about motherhood and the crazy world that is florida. she and her family moved here this summer from out west, and it takes some getting used to (the rats, the flying cockroaches, the drunk people who fall down in your yard during broad daylight)--ok maybe we NEVER get used to these things. but i love how she writes about the things that go on in her everyday life, so check her out.

on a final note, i have to leave you with this photo of rhys in a swing at the playground, because i love it so much. he HATED swinging (this was his first time, poor guy, because it's always too hot to go outside...). but this was taken before he started crying. :)


have a great day everyone!