If Any of Our Boys Becomes a Barber, It Will Be...

...Tobin.  I can see his business card now:

Haircuts by Tobin Fisher, 

Master Barber,

with 20 Years of Experience

"What?" they'll ask. "How can you have 20 years of experience when you're only 23 years old?"

"Simple math," he'll answer. "I did my first haircut when I was three."

And so he did, this very morning.  

He has developed quite a fascination with scissors recently, and I've discovered his handiwork a few times already--with things as meaningless as a Ziploc bag and with things as possibly meaningful as a receipt (I think the one he destroyed wasn't important, but his hand could have landed on one that was) and with things as cherished as the plastic ribbons that hang from the handlebars of our indoor tricycles (which displeased certain of his brothers mightily).  Just a day or two ago, I found him exploring the contents of Daddy's drawer in our downstairs bathroom; and when I saw him reach for the pair of barber scissors there, I told him that they were not toys and he was not allowed to play with them.  Apparently cutting hair doesn't qualify as "play" because, despite my warning, he was caught red-handed this morning.  This was the scene that greeted Jeff as he came downstairs (and I apologize for the blurry picture; it's the best Jeff could do under the circumstances):  

Before Jeff discovered him and demanded that he surrender his scissors, Tobin managed to make a few good cuts of his hair.  See evidence below:

It's a good thing Jeff was already planning to give Tobin a haircut today; but even with the close cut Jeff gave him, there are still two obvious spots where Tobin's work is still visible.  Oh well, it's only hair.  

At least he didn't cut more.

At least he chose his own head to practice on, and not one of his brothers' (which would have certainly been Shav's).

At least he didn't poke an eye out.

At least now we know to put the scissors well out of his reach.

At least his resume is going to look impressive.  ;-)

I suppose sooner or later, nearly every family with young children deals with the crime of Illicit Haircuts.  My own parents had their turn with it when my sister, ten years my senior, cut off my long, long braids while my parents were gone.  I was about seven or eight at the time, and I can't remember for sure but I suppose I thought it was fun.  Now I can hardly imagine my parents' horror upon their return to find me shorn.  Guess what?  My sister, who now is employed as a claims adjuster or some such thing in the insurance industry, worked for many years as a hairstylist.  

I guess there's hope for Tobin.  ;-)