I do not envy my son the following things: youth, thick hair, brainpower, speed, agility. Or even his dry, quiet humor.
I do, however, envy him his cousins. He has more than a full house of amazing people to live his life with. Two in Chicago, one three blocks from home, and three more in our town. My cousins were not the best. Maybe this was because we were too close in age, we lived too far apart, one of them stole from me, or we spent so little time together that we had little in common.
This past weekend, we traveled to Chicago to begin the process of looking at colleges and universities for our son, a junior in high school. The highlight of the weekend was not the campus tour, the great road trip, or the fantastic food. It was watching my son get his hair done by his cousin, Emily – an untrained but enthusiastic twelve year old.
She of the “super-thick Asian hair” was stunned by how thick his was. Within minutes of greeting him for the first time this weekend, she said, “Tonight I want to do your hair.” Dakota, my son, was pretty much not in full favor, but he played along for the rest of the day, during the walk to dinner – where he was the vehicle – and all through the dinner at a local restaurant while my niece regaled him with the instruments, gels, cremes, clips and equipment she planned to put to use. He playfully hemmed and hawed and told her to pretty much forget it.
She didn’t. When we all got home from dinner, she raced to retrieve all her implements and, clamoring back down the stairs, proceeded to get Dakota to sit up straight in the chair so she could begin.
He gave up and gave in. Before it was all done, they were both laughing and shooting selfies.
I have spent a few days looking at these pictures and digesting the smiles and smirks. These guys love each other and have a trust between them I will never know.
I do not envy him much. Not his cool demeanor, his calm personality, or even his temperament. Those I pretty much adore.
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Great story! Cousins are great fun & friends! But I do want to say I find it difficult to believe that young man is completing his Jr year of HS! I remember when you were pondering over him beginning HS! Time certainly flies when you are having fun! Thanks for sharing! Lots of great cousin memories were brought to mind from your story! 🙂
Jan:
You have a great memory! Time does indeed fly when you’re having the time of your life!
Thank you for reading our blogs.
– sloane
i think his tee-shirt says it all and explains his ability to “sit and have his hair done.”
P. Claire:
He is a pretty funny kid. Light of my life and all that.
Trooper. He’s a trooper.
– sloane
cousins and totems. what is better ? !
Rachelle:
Not much! Don’t you just love the totem shot? It may be one of my all time favorites of the three of them.
Thanks for reading our blogs. You are very kind.
– sloane
I love these series of photos. What a fantastic village in which he has to live. Cousins rule.
This is a stand-up guy you have raised.
Janel:
I agree 100%, but then again I am his mother!
Thank you for reading our blogs and for making such a nice comment about my son. You are too kind.
– sloane