The Chickadee

Did you know that Chickadees do not fly south for the winter? When the world is cold and the days are short, these little birds tough out the winter and offer cheery little songs through it all.

Emma is our Chickadee. Our family went through its own winter when Hannah was diagnosed with autism; not long after that, Emma started having seizures. I was also having health problems....Life, in general, was tough. But little Emma was always smiling and ready to laugh. We are so thankful that God sent her to us when he did.

Lest you think Emma is the perfect child, perhaps I should let you know that she is also our Drama Queen. Everything is...big. The smiles are big, the tears are big. And so is that "brown nose." Anytime someone gets in trouble, Emma is there.... When Thomas is disciplined for lying, Emma will assure me, "Mommy, I nevvveeerrr want to tell a lie." If Hannah lost control and hit someone, Emma will make sure that I know, "Mommy, I nevvveeeerrrr want to hit anyone." I think you get the point.

Emma and Thomas are fifteen months apart and very close. They have a love-hate relationship, which I suppose is normal for sibblings. Last Christmas, as in 2007, Emma and TJ had... their own personal war. About two weeks before Christmas, Emma snipped TJ's hair with scissors. Now, she knew better than this. We've had...issues...with scissors, and all of the children know that they are not to cut clothing, hair, etc. They also knew that if they ever cut anyone's hair again, their mommy would shave their head. So, I'm not sure what Emma was thinking.

Nor am I sure what TJ was thinking when he chose to handle the retribution himself rather than telling his mommy. But that night, sometime around 4, TJ climbed up onto the kitchen counter and retrieved my kitchen scissors from on top of the refrigerator. Then my four-year-old preceded to Emma's bed and began cutting her hair. He cut, and he cut, and he cut. Emma finally woke up when the scissors were pressing against her scalp. She literally had bald spots all over her head, except for the little circle that had been resting on her pillow. TJ was quite thorough; the longest lock was about half an inch long.

I woke up that morning with Emma inches from my face, holding handfuls of blond hair, and crying hysterically. It took me a minute to realize what had happened.... I have never been so upset in my life. For the first time as a parent, I was too angry to discipline my children. I had them sit down against the wall in my bedroom while I calmed down.... Once that wave of fury passed.... I looked over the damage, cleaned up the bedroom (there was hair everywhere - yuck!), and shaved a couple of heads.

Emma cried and cried. I shaved her head, but, to be honest, I'm not sure I could have done it had there been any other option. Did I mention that Thomas was very, very thorough? I also explained to TJ that as long as Emma had to be embarassed by her haircut, so did he. He was given a reverse mohawk.... My friend Amanda thought that was just awful, but she didn't see the same potential that TJ did. I found him in the bathroom the next day driving Hot Wheels cars down his "road".

Needless to say, TJ and Emma are only allowed to use scissors when I'm watching.

Did I tell you that Emma was distraught? The first time we had to go to Walmart, she begged and begged to be left behind...at five. Of course, she had to go in the store. Picture this, bald- headed, chubby cheeked little girl... She had five different old men stop her and tell her she was beautiful. One tried to give her a candy, and one tried to give her money. I finally realized that people thought she was a cancer patient. We were buckling up in the car when our Chickadee chirped, "I don't mind being bald; I'm still beeeauuutiful."

Hmmm..... Maybe we need to do a few lessons on the true beauty of character....