From Hair to Pumpkins

Pumpkin carving was on the agenda for today but was pushed back to the evening. Landon did quite a bit of school today. For some reason he didn't want to stop so he kept asking for more and since he was grasping everything really well I let him do a little extra. At this point though if he keeps this up we'll be through the curriculum well before we are supposed to and I'll have to find something else for him to do. He just soaks everything up quickly and then remembers it clearly.
For the last four days Jadzia has restarted an old habit that used to be purely stress related. She has begun twirling her hair again. This was something she did when she was around 18 months until she hit about 2 and she ended up making herself completely bald. The reason she had begun hair twirling in the first place was because she was stressed from being sick. Now she has woken up the last four mornings with little knots strewn all throughout the left side of her head. The bad thing is she is starting to have noticeably thinned hair on the left side. I went through the list of solutions from last time. Pediatrician's suggestion cut her hair so short she can't twirl it but that would void the entire reason I do not want her to twirl her hair. I want her to have hair!

Yeah, she didn't think so either.

I put one of her dolls that has long hair to bed with her because last time when I did that she twirled the dolls hair instead just as she does my hair if she falls asleep on my lap. Next I thought maybe something over her head. I feared a stocking hat would make her too warm. We tested a shower cap but couldn't find any her size and even picked up an adult one but it was gigantic on her tiny head. The only other solution I could think of was braiding her hair. Her hair is so fine that it was difficult but I accomplished the task.

More on the hair front, I was giving Ronan a bath tonight and Xander thought he would give him a cool mohawk. I thought it was cute so here's the pictures.

After supper I decided we had to carve the pumpkins before they went bad. I cut into Jadzia's and discovered that unfortunately I was too late and there was unsightly events occurring inside her pumpkin. With tears flowing down her face I had to chuck her pumpkin but I promised we would get her a new one tomorrow. Between sobs she whimpered "Pink... pumpkin?" I have been told Wal-Mart carries pink pumpkins so I'm praying this is so.

Next I cautiously opened Landon's. With squinted eyes and a wrinkled nose I reluctantly removed the pumpkin top. His pumpkin still looked fresh and beautiful. I proceeded to clean his pumpkin out. This was the first year pumpkin duty had been transferred to my shoulders. In previous years My mom or Isaac have taken care of the pumpkin cleaning and carving. I had no clue really what I was doing. I had Landon search the carving book for a good template with a warning not to choose one that was too scary. After much contemplation we arrived at an agreement of a pirate one. I set to work.

Pumpkin carving is more nerve wrecking than I thought especially with my little cheerleader watching my every knife cutting move. "Mom, you're doing great!" a little time passed "Mom you know I think you are doing great but you might want to slow down around the nose area it's very delicate." Landon leaned in and continued his scrutiny "Mom, you know I love you but I hope you can do a good enough job." I laughed a little and continued my endeavor. Landon stayed quiet for a little longer this time and then said. "Mom I really hope when you're done it looks like a pirate and not a pile of mush." I began to notice how each comment became more negative and I had to wonder if maybe my cutting skills were looking more shabby the further I proceeded.

Finally I was done and I stepped back to admire the extremely lengthy amount of time I had just invested in attempting to make my son happy. Then the moment arrived, my labor was worth every chiseled move. "Mom that's awesome! You're the best mom ever! It even looks like it's supposed to!"Here is what the carving looks like lit up in the dark with no camera flash.

By the time I was done it was well past bedtime so I was unable to complete Xander's and he was pretty sad about it but I promised I would give it a go tomorrow because I needed to be rested to make his perfect. He agreed with that and let the matter drop.

From pumpkins to hair I feel I have been on the go all day today. But laundry and homework beckon so off I go to complete the leftover tasks and I get to hang out with this little lady for the next couple of hours.