Haircuts

I think I wrote in the past about the last time I tried to give Eli a haircut.  We used to shave up both boys down in the basement on a regular basis.  Then Theo started growing his hair out (to 'create his own look' as he told his doctor) and Eli would really rather just not be bothered.  But I did manage to con Eli down there a while back with the promise that it would be over more quickly than going to an actual salon.  The results were painful.  For everyone.  Eli didn't say much, but then he rarely does.  But I heard wimpers through the bathroom door as I lurked out in hall while he looked in a mirror.  Wimpers, then groans.  Then the door opened and he gave me a real look of despair.  It really wasn't that bad, but the reaction, plus my own critical eye, convinced me to hang up the clippers. 

But then Eli's head got all shaggy again and we needed to do something.  He did not want to go to Moxie, where Jon and I go.  Too much fussing with the shampoo and the option for a hot facial towel (for the record, Theo always accepts it, Eli denies).  Then, the day we are trying to negotiate some way to get the locks shorn the postal worker delivers us a big card about a new sports barber down the street.  Free cuts the first time you come in!  Yea!  Problem solved!  Except when the plan is launched I get this from Eli, "I am NOT, I repeat NOT, going to any SPORTS barber!"  Why not?  "I do NOT want some Joe Mauer cut!"  (here I didn't even think he knew who Joe Mauer was, but apparently he does, and he hates his hair cut....).  Hmmm.  I threw out a couple more options, and we even took a little walk to look in the windows of several of the salons out on Snelling, just blocks from our house.  Eli would look into each one and shake his head.  He eventually said, "Man...the clipper in the basement is starting to sound better and better."  So we returned, got out the implements and I stood poised to take the first shave.  But I couldn't do it.  We have ample evidence that Eli can get a bad haircut from a professional (ok, she did tell him enthusiastically that his was the third head she had ever cut) but we are at the place in our relationship where I would rather have some stranger inflict the damage, instead of mom.  Those sighs and wimpers from last time still hurt my heart. 
In the end it was GreatClips.  And we all survived it.  Whew.