*Le Sigh*

Cutting Wesley’s hair. It is a hard, hard thing. I always let it grow out as long as I can possibly stand until I suck up enough courage to pull out the clippers and make his and our lives miserable for fifteen minutes while I cut his hair.

I heard about a place 30 minutes north that specializes in haircuts for kids. I’m not usually up in the area, but I was today, and I made a special trip in to see if they could make our usually traumatic trimming experience any more bearable.

Before I took Wes here, I called and spoke with an employee to ask what their experience is working with kids who don’t understand what’s going on and get pretty upset about it. She told me that she used to cut her handicapped niece’s hair all the time, and there was much kicking and screaming involved. In fact, she went on, even with kids who aren’t disabled, there can be much kicking and screaming involved. I felt satisfied.

The place has a slide, colorful kids’ umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, and a touch-screen computer with games. Here’s Wes playing ping pong (also note the “before” mullet).

Wes was fine and happy playing until it was time to get into his chair (a police car). Tears fell. His nose ran. There was much, “Mooooooom!” and “Down! Down!” and “Noooooo!”

Meanwhile, Carissa wandered around and had a great time touching everything in the place. There is something really great about a kid friendly place where you don’t have to worry about your toddler toddling around.

The girl cutting Wes’s hair was patient and, more importantly, FAST. Wes hated the clippers, but calmed down a little once she started with the scissors. There’s a TV screen right in front of him, and before she started snipping she pulled out the remote and let us look at the on-screen TV guide to pick something Wes would like. “Super Why!” it was. I saw another kid younger than Wes blithely–and silently–watching a cartoon while holding a sucker as he got his hair cut. As I’ve already established, that wasn’t the case with Wes.

BUT. He did OK. It was certainly about 95% easier than me having to do it myself! And when he was all done, they gave him a balloon.

Four years old!

Wesley came home from preschool wearing a cute crown (so surprised it was even on his head), but he was very grumpy.

After his nap we went to Partyland. They have a section for kids to play in (which I discovered at the END of my shopping).

Wes didn’t much like riding the horse (it was kind of old and rickety), but Carissa liked to watch.

There was also a train (which I wouldn’t pay 75 cents for him to ride).

We had a simple party with just our family. Wes kept saying, “Cake!” and “Pizza!” (And, just so my sister knows, he also kept saying, “Tawa’s house!” and got quite mad when we didn’t go there after Partyland. And, just so my folks know, he also kept saying, “Amma, Ampa’s house!” Alas, he had to put up with us, at our own house, instead.)

Store-bought cake. I was going for easy.

Wes ate his ice cream first, tasted the icing on the cake, then ate the pepperoni off his pizza, and then ate more ice cream. Dinner, done.

On to presents.

We bought Wes two things, a t-ball set…

…and a dump truck (which we found for $6 on clearance at Funfinity. Don’t tell Wes). It was kind of beat up and dirty, but it works. It moves on its own and says things, which Wes thinks is cool.

After dinner and presents he played in the backyard, and then ran around the house with Carissa, giggling lots. He was sweaty in the picture I took with him here, but no longer grumpy. Happy birthday to my baby boy!

Last month my mom and dad came in town for a visit. Always much fun.

Wesley loves his Grandma and Grandpa.

Lunch at Malawi’s.

Wes rode the carousel and liked it.

Wes likes to make his sister laugh. I often have to tell him to stop tickling her, because he’s getting too rough. Here he is doing Five Little Piggies on her feet.

And playing peek-a-boo. “Boo!”

OK, John, forgive me, but I have to include this photo because I love it so much. Last month John and I had a date (!) at a murder mystery dinner theater. Basically, you eat a (really tasty) dinner while the actors mingle with you and put on a performance around you. Some audience members are asked to participate. John not only read a line, but they also asked him to strut around with other male audience members during a musical number. The song was “I’m Too Sexy.” Too bad I forgot that my cell phone has a video option. But at least I got a photo!

Carissa loves to sit on little seats, even if they’re not meant to be seats. Here she is making a pack of water bottles her chair. (Important note: I have since cleaned my pantry and it no longer looks this disastrous.)

I take the kids everywhere. Some places we’ve been:

Shopping.

The park.

Playing in the fountain.

The Bean Museum.

The splash park (that’s Wesley’s cousin in front).

Carissa was brave sometimes.

And sometimes not.

Yesterday I took Wes and Carissa on a mini-outing. We had ice cream first.

Wes ate (nearly) the whole shake. It was a beautiful afternoon to sit outside.

Then we went bowling. Wesley’s first time. Surely not his last.

Wes played two games (just him). I missed the score of his first game, but he bowled a 66 the second time around.

In retrospect, I should have maybe saved the ice cream sugar-load for AFTER bowling.

The music in the background is “Livin’ the Good Life.” And so we do.

Wesley’s first attempt at photography. He had a good subject.

Some of his shots.

Wes drinks more milk than just about anyone I know, with the possible exception of his baby sister. I usually give him 2%, although he’ll take it in all forms–skim, whole, chocolate, strawberry… He’s a big fan of the chocolate weight-loss shakes.

Milk mustache.

Wes goes back for his second year of preschool this week. I met with his teacher and speech therapist to review our goals for him this year. His teacher surprised me by saying that last year Wes would only count up to four with her. He’s been holding out! Because he counts all the time, and I know he can count to ten, and even sometimes gets up into the teens, although it’s less discernible (because I’m pretty sure he’s making it up as he goes). The only problem I had noticed with him counting to ten is that he frequently skips over three. “One, two, four…”

Wes is very smart, as far as I can tell. I think, because of the Down syndrome, his intelligence is manifest a little more mutely. He knows his numbers, shapes, letters, and colors, and he can say and sign a lot of words. Recently he has started using possessives: “Wesley’s shirt.” “Mommy’s shoes.” Snd his favorites: “Amma, Ampa’s house” and “Tawa’s house” (translation: he wants to go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, or his Aunt Tara’s house. He gets quite mad when I try to take him back to our own house).

His teacher also pointed out that Wes plays really well by himself, and that one of her goals for him is to initiate and engage in more social play for a sustained period of time. Wes is content to stand on the sidelines and watch kids play. If they involve him, he’s usually happy to join them. But he doesn’t really initiate that himself.

They’re also going to work on initiating and engaging in conversations. He’s doing really well at saying “hi” and “bye” to people. But conversations? Well, that will be a good goal to work on. Talking with Wesley is usually one-sided. Everything you say to him goes in. But what comes back to you in return is very limited. I don’t think it comes as naturally to him as to other kids his age.

I’m excited for him to get back into school. He loves playing with other kids, and I know he will love being back in school.

We are very lucky parents.