31 for 21 : Flashback to braids

Mommy reporting: This pic is from 3/20/11… Braska was 4.  She wore braids a lot back then.  Now, not so much.  Not because I don’t want to do them, because she is just plain not able to leave them alone. She gets in a zone, touching them, moving them, feeling the texture.  Seriously interrupts everything she’s doing.  It’s hard to watch, quite honestly.  It’s like this often with her hair, especially the last 9 months or so, and it’s getting worse.  It’s a sensory thing, clearly, but I just can’t figure out what tactile need isn’t getting met in order to be obsessed with her hair, especially braids. 

So we cut her hair much shorter, going with a regular ponytail, which has often been the preferred way since it’s out of her face and out of sight.  But she got to the point she wouldn’t leave it alone either.  So we cut her hair again, in the attempt to be able to have nothing in it (the ponytail holder got to be the obsessions for a while, just wouldn’t stop touching it) but it’s now a problem to have it down. She flips it and messes with it constantly.

To say I’m frustrated is an understatement.  It’s been an issue with school, with her following directions, and at home, too.  I just don’t get it.  There’s got to be a way to help her, but even with sensory specialists, no progress was made. And now she’s no longer in private therapy because our insurance has a limit on visits per year.  An appeal for more visits is in process.

I don’t know what the point of this is other than to say I saw this picture and I realized I missed the braids, they were cute and simple…  but we move on. Hoping this phase is short lived. I refuse to go bowl cut on her. No sir, not gonna do it.

Mommy Kinlee Salon Day

Kinlee likes to give things names. Events. Situations. Lots of things.

If we go to lunch, it’s Mommy Kinlee Lunch.

If Braska’s with us, it’s a Mommy Girls Lunch.

When she wants to sit on my lap for a while, she asks for a Mommy Kinlee Moment.

If Daddy takes her to Lowe’s,  it’s a Daddy Kinlee Trip.

When we went to Wal Mart this morning, it was an All Family Trip.

And the list goes on…

Today was Mommy Kinlee Salon Day. 

I was going to get my hair done, and she came along because she wanted a cut for herself, too.

I got to go first because she can get her haircut done during my processing. So she waited patiently (with Netflix on her Nabi, of course) in the chair next to mine.

When it was her turn, she was all smiles.  (Which is nice.  We tend to see A LOT of attitude lately, more than smiles.)

My big-girl 4-year-old bug.  My kindergartener.  Hard to believe.

She is like a little pro when she’s in there. Loves it.  She really likes the whole process, except the shampooing.  The super chic sinks there aren’t the most comfy for her, so she prefers just a spray to wet it down.  And she knows. She’ll speak up and let you know what’s supposed to happen.

She gets very serious about watching everything that Jessica is doing, but she does sometimes crack a smile.

Of course, we had to pause to pose together. 

The after…  she prefers no blow dry, thank you.  It’s far too hot for her liking.

Her couple inches of trim was pretty uneventful, but the other 90 minutes when she was just waiting for me was the real challenge.  And she did great, not the recently-typical whining, none of the rolling eyes and attitude-laden tone.  She was pleased to do her Fooz Kids Math or English on the Nabi or watch Martha Speaks.

It was a pretty nice outing.  And that’s a good thing.  So since it’s not always the way things go, I wanted to document it.  So I can look back next time I get the growl and scoff along with the “Oh my goodness, Mom.  That is not at all what I want to do. Can we talk about other options?”

No joke.  Verbatim quote.

I’m glad to have these little peeks at the fun 4-year-old days.