Love and Roller Derby: Talons

A little known fact, when Elise was born her thumbnails were SUPER long. The rest of her fingernails were about normal for a baby I guess but those thumbs were sporting some serious talons(further proof that she's actually part velociraptor). To this day they still seem to grow twice as fast as the rest of her nails to where I find myself having to trim them up about twice a week. I'm not sure what it is about baby nails but they're a sharp as kitten teeth when she grabs a handful of skin. Ouch!!

Cutting her fingernails has become a bit like surgery. That is surgery where the patient is awake and very interested in anything you have in your hands these days. The lucky part is that I get to hold one of her hands so at least that cuts down the odds to 50/50 of losing control of the clippers. Today I ran into a new challenge. Toe nails.

You're going to do what to my toes? Gotta get 'em from me first!

You see, I've not really had to trim her toenails too much since she's been born. Just like adults, baby's toenails seem to grow slower than fingernails. Up till now her toenails have had this magic way of just breaking off when they get long enough to even think about trimming. That is until today. I was getting her out of her pajamas and noticed that the nail on her big toe was getting pretty long, not talon like yet, but definitely on the way. No problem right? I've trimmed her nails plenty! Yes, but when it comes to toes she now has TWO hands to grab at the clippers, and her feet, and my hands, and just wiggle in general. I think I sweat more cutting that one toenail than I did at The Lair last night during practice. Okay, maybe not that much but it was intense.

After many minutes of shaking hands, fending off small fingers, and whispered prayers I wouldn't cut her toe I managed to de-claw that foot, for now...