Jon Loves Haircut Day — The Smile That Stopped Us All 😊
Jon loves haircut day more than almost anything else in this world. The countdown starts days before the appointment. He wakes up ready. He is the first one out the door. Somewhere along the way, a trip to Miss Alicia’s chair became one of his favorite days of the month — and watching him light up from the back seat every single time is one of my favorite things about being his mom.
Look at that smile. Miss Alicia has been cutting Jon’s hair for a while now and she gets him. She talks to him, she listens, and she knows exactly what he wants. This visit she did something new — she shaped his eyebrows for the very first time. Jon was not sure how he felt about that part going in. But when it was done and she handed him the mirror, the look on his face said everything.
The ride to the appointment is half the event. He sits in the back seat and he is already grinning before we even pull out of the driveway. I asked him what he didn’t like about his hair before the cut — he pointed right at the front, where it had been hanging down into his eyes. That is the part that frustrates him. He knows what he wants and he knows what bothers him, and I love that he can tell us. He wasn’t always able to do that as clearly.
After the cut I asked him: are you handsome? He said yeah. I asked if Miss Alicia did a good job. He said yeah. I asked what his favorite part was — the way it feels in the front, or the way it feels in the back? He picked the back. It’s not on his neck anymore, he said. Yeah. That’s the thing. He noticed every detail and he told me every one of them, in his own words, in his own time. I wish everyone loved something as much as Jon loves haircut day.
Jon came home to us through adoption. He has Down syndrome. He has had big surgeries and hard days and moments that took our breath away for all the wrong reasons. But there are also days like this one — where the whole story fits into a car ride and a haircut and a grin that could light up a room. Those are the days I want to write down. Those are the days I want you to see. If you want to know more about Jon and how he came into our family, his full story is on the blog.
Jon Loves Haircut Day — More of Jon’s Story
If you’ve fallen in love with Jon (which, obviously), here are a few more of his moments on the blog:
- Jon’s Adoption Story — Down Syndrome, Big Surgery, and the Baby Who Changed Everything — where it all began
- Jonathan’s Last Buddy Baseball Game of the Season — Three Hits and a Home Run — the game that ended the season with everything we had
- Jonathan Was Fighting for His Life While the Roof Came Off Tropicana Field — a story about perspective, survival, and full-circle moments
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Jon Loves Haircut Day — About Stephanie Longstreth
Stephanie Longstreth is the home cook, mom, and storyteller behind StephanieCooksForACrowd.com. She cooks for a family of seven in Florida — five kids, two cats, and one husband who appreciates a good meal. Four of her children came home through adoption, and family stories are woven into everything she makes and shares. Find her crowd-friendly recipes, sourdough journey, and real family life on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest @stephaniecooksforacrowd.
