cutie cut

Random D.C. sighting o' the week: Less traffic on Hwy. 66! A very good thing. Makes this commuter much happy in the morning. It must be August, or something... the humidity has chased the other commuters away. All hail the humidity. (I have no other use for it, however. Except for fireflies. They make me happy, too.)

Random thought o' the day: Whatever happened to Corn nuts? I used to love those things. I see them occasionally, but it's rare. I'd get them on family car trips, which my dad hated, because he said they stunk up the car. Aww, lighten up! Crunchy goodness. Comes in many flavors. I think ranch was my favorite.


Last night, the Lizzard and I had salon appointments with my hair goddess, Cheryl, at Pentagon City Bubbles. If you want a great haircut or color or really anything, go to this lady. But be prepared to pay dearly. She is worth your top Bubbles dollar. Lizzy was very good -- we boosted her seat with some pillows and she sat there, eyeing herself through her dripping wet bangs, and scrunching up her face when water streaked down it. She mostly angled her head when Cheryl told her to, even. She has had previous salon haircuts -- Cheryl does NOT charge top dollar for children, if their mommies or daddies pay top dollar every so often -- but had sat on my lap those times. So this marked her first really, truly big-girl haircut experience.

I had a moment while I was watching her -- a moment that has become familiar to me as a parent. When you notice some new, more mature response or skill, and you think, "Oh, wow. My child is more advanced than I realize." Then you have to do a little mental adjustment to catch up. It's not so extreme now as it used to be -- as I recall, the period from about 18 months to age 2 was the most dramatic in this way. It seemed like she grew and gained new skills and new understanding EVERY DAY. The truth is, she probably still does, but it's less startling now when she has a new vocab word. It's really a trip when they're just starting to do all that.

But still. She's a little girl now. The only babyish thing left is the cheeks, and, frighteningly regularly, the crying jags. But we'll just have to beat that out of her. (hee.)