Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Gettin' Kinda Hairy

It's a HUGE fear of mine that one of my children, or even myself, will get head lice. It was more of a fear when Josie had hair down to her waist.  Now, although, I still wouldn't love it if she got it, with her hair shorter, I think I'd manage it with mild screaming and head shaving ok.  Like I said, I would NOT love it if she, or anyone else in my house, got it. 

Yes, I know many, many kids get lice. And, it doesn't necessarily mean they are not clean. In fact, lice prefer clean hair over dirty hair. I know that. But. Still. It's bugs. In the hair!!! 
It's like fleas. Animals can't help that they get them. And, if you have a dog or cat, you will have to deal with them sooner or later.  But. Still. It's bugs!! In the house!!!

Before the craziness of Christmas hit us, I took Josie to get her hair cut. Just her and I. A date.
We went to a quick-cut place, no fancy salon or anything.  And although there were other customers, it wasn't packed.

We tell the lady what Josie wants. I go to sit in the waiting area, still within sight of Josie.  The lady parts Josie's hair and clips it all up.  And says words that I have feared since Josie's first hair sprouted on her tiny head: " Um. Mom?"

"WHAT?"  I yell so loudly every person in the place is now looking at me ask, quickly analyzing how Josie would look bald.

"Did someone draw on her head?"
"What?" This time said much, much more calmly.
"She has ink on her head. Come look!"

There was no need to tell me to come look as I had jumped out of my chair as soon as the lady said "Um..."

But, indeed there was ball point, blue ink on Josie's scalp!! I was SO relieved that it wasn't bugs, I just laughed.
Then, I said "Josie!! What did you do?!!"
Her immediate response was to throw her brother under the bus:  "Jayce did it!!!"
"When?"
"A couple days ago"
"You mean to tell me, Jayce held you down, drew on your head, and THIS is the first I'm hearing about it?"
"Yes?"
"Yeah RIGHT!!! Jayce can't fart on you without the whole neighborhood hearing about it! There is NO way he drew on you without you saying a word!"
"I didn't do it, Mom! It was Jarrett?"
"Nice try."

Between the stylist and myself, we determined that Josie had been doing her schoolwork and had reached up to scratch her head with the pen in her hand.  The squiggles on her scalp confirmed this theory.  I tried to take a picture but Josie would not let me. She seemed embarrassed for some reason. I am sure it was NOT the yelling and panicking done by her mother, in a public place.

Never, ever would I thought I'd be so relieved to have my daughters head drawn on.

2 comments:

  1. LOL Kids are a riot! Head lice had me in a panic when my daughter had them. ICK! SO GROSS. Her hair was waist length and very thick and I CUT OFF about 8 inches or so because I could not get that stupid comb thing through her hair! This was 15 years ago but I remember it VERY well!

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  2. Lyssa got them at GS day camp and I didn't have a clue.
    It cost me more than 100 bucks to get rid of them between washing comforters at the laundromat, treatment for all our heads, treatment for the furniture... it was a nightmare. She had generations in her THICK THICK curly hair.
    And yes. Her head itched.

    And I said, "STOP SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE LICE!!!!"

    I love the taste of motherguilt.
    Drink it daily.

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