My New “Do”

Before having children, I was devoted to getting my haircut every two months.  Even if I didn’t want to take any length off, I would at least have the ends trimmed out, and my hair thinned out.

That’s right-thinned out.  I have very thick, curly hair.  My siblings used to call me “hair helmet” when we were growing up, because it was curly, thick, frizzy, and I had a ton of it.  

I realized a week ago, that it has almost been a year since I have had my hair cut.  A YEAR….gasp.  The last time was last July, right after Cole had been born, and my sister was visiting me from out of town.  She offered to stay with the boys, so I could go get it cut, and I took her up on it.

Needless to say, I needed a haircut desperately.  I have been reliving my “hair helmet” days.  I think I have beat my old record and have worn my hair in a ponytail for probably three months straight now- it is the only thing I can do with it, when it gets this way, so it isn’t totally frizzy and out of control.

It is funny how something that was SO important to me before having kids, now barely registers on the scale.  In fact, if I didn’t have a family wedding coming up, with several parties, in the next few weeks, where I actually have to stop and figure out what I am going to wear, and then-oh-yeah- what am I going to do with my hair? pops into my brain, I probably wouldn’t have thought of it.  

I guess when the only people who see me day in and day out, is a three-and-a-half-year old, and a one-year-old- who hug me and kiss me all day, no matter what I look like, how my hair is cut, doesn’t matter that much to me anymore.  That being said, I do want to look nice at these family events and am glad that I finally got it cut. My neck feels about 5 pounds lighter, and my head feels a lot cooler, without all that extra hair hanging around.  No more ponytails for a while!

Here is a picture of me the night before I got it cut- no make-up on, and in my tie-dye shirt that I bought at the little studio where we took Ryan and his cousins to make their shirts at: (please don’t laugh too hard)  🙂 

Here is a picture of me from yesterday, at my future sister-in-law’s bridal shower, and I am holding my niece.  I’d like to point out that actually have dress on, AND make-up:

I was feeling very nice, and pretty, on my way out the door to the shower yesterday, and then Ryan saw me.  Here is how that went:

RYAN: Mommy, why are you dressed like that?

ME: I’m going to a bridal shower for Aunt Kat.

RYAN: Why are you wearing this for the shower?  (walks over to me and touches my dress) What is THIS? (scrunches up his nose, like I am wearing a burlap sack or something)

ME: This is a dress honey; Mommy wears a dress, for special occasions.

RYAN: What are those things on your shoes?

ME: Those are called high heels.

RYAN: I don’t like those…where are your flip-flops?

ME: These are nice shoes to go with the dress.

RYAN: I don’t like the dress…where are your shorts?

SIGH…. obviously my son doesn’t see me dressed up very often.  He’ll be in for a surprise when he sees me in the dress I bought for the wedding.  It is probably one of the nicest dresses I have bought in recent years.

But I have to admit, it did feel nice to get dressed up, even though it was a very hot, day- about 100 degrees, and it was lovely to go to a nice tea, and eat little finger foods, and not have to worry about cutting up someone’s food, or making sure they didn’t break a tea-cup or a dish, or answer “Mommy Why?” questions all afternoon, or try to soothe a crying baby.  When my niece started to cry, I got to hand her back to her mother, and that was a switch- usually I am on the receiving end of a crying baby.  Most of all, I enjoyed talking to other adults and having uninterrupted conversation for 2 whole hours! 

Maybe I need to get out of the house more, but darn-it- I’d have to get my hair cut on a regular basis then.