bye, bye, dreadies

you were loved. but there's something terribly unfair about telling a four year old that he can't roll around on the ground, do headstands, or otherwise put his hair near anything that may or may not get incorporated into the still-forming dreads. alas, we bid you a fond adieu after 2 full months of adoration. we may see you again on the other side of preadolescence, or whenever it is that he won't need to be told to not rub his head on the rug where dozer the dog lies down. at least, i hope someday he will be able to figure that out for himself. he really adored his dreads and was heartwarmingly proud of them, showing them to everyone he played with (even strangers at the library or parks). :sigh:

i have lots of thoughts on dreading and can basically say i LOVE knotty boy products and techniques. their products are all natural...which is not what i found to be the case with the products the loctician used when we had them started (and paid an arm and a leg for, btw). to wit: while i was taking out the locks this week, i was still combing out the glue-like substance she glopped on his hair at the 2nd appointment. ew. plus, i did a much better job of dreading and incorporating new growth, if i do say so myself. (i used a technique that works best for hair with a smoother cuticle since khary's hair is really smooth.) anyway, i digress.

here's my beautiful boy with his beautiful dreads, in mid-december:

 

...and this is him now, having bid his dreads bye-bye until some yet to be determined future time when he is no longer rolling around on the ground and playing like a healthy four year old. i've got to say, i did miss these curls:

 

 

 

 ...and again i find myself babbling about khary to the exclusion of the most adorable 22 month old in the whole wide world, so here's a pic of him from this week:

 

khalil, playing in the cubbies at khary's xtreme gymnastics homeschool gymnastics class thursday afternoon. our friend eden is on the left, and eoin is on the right.