Hair

Dear Em,
When you were born, you had a head of dark hair. I remember your grandpa looking at you, looking at me, smiling, & saying "thank you for this hair." I guess your daddy had been a baldy baby. I wasn't surprised by your thick, dark hair. I had had a head of thick, dark hair when I was born.

Then something surprising happened. Your dark head of hair fell out. It wasn't all at once. It was little by little. We just kept noticing that your hair was getting shorter, lighter, & less thick instead of the other way around. Most people were shocked that as it came back in, you were a blondie. I guess that shouldn't have been a big surprise. Your daddy had bleach blond hair as a child. I've always had dark brown. You're a true mix of our childhood-selves.

Still, I think we all had pictured that you'd be a little girl with dark, curly hair. Actually, when I was six months pregnant, your Daddy & I were on the Boston subway. We watched a sweet little girl with a mop of dark, curly hair dance around her parents. She was probably two. Your daddy looked at me & smiled, "I just know that's what our little girl is going to look like," he said.

Instead, you were a beautiful, semi-baldy baby with fine, blond hair. Your daddy was pretty thrilled he had a while before he would have to worry about doing anything with your hair. I, on the other hair, had tons of bows but no baby hair to put them in. Don't worry, I went to plan B. You wore lots of hats & headbands your first year.

It's not that I need you to have long, elaborately fixed hair. Have you ever sat in a circle of girls? There's almost always girls playing around with other girls' hair. I'm not really sure why. It's just what you do as a silly, little girl. Having a little girl enables me to be a silly little girl again, as I can play around with your hair. Little girl hair is the best. You can go a little wacky & a lot of fun.

By the end of your first year, I could finally put one top pony tail in your hair. It kinda stuck right up in the air, but it was cute. When you were 1 & 1/2, your nonnie put pigtails in your hair for the first time. They were so sweet, but she had also used half a bottle of hair spray to plaster them in place. I didn't try pigtails again for a few months.

Your hair is so long now, blond with beautiful, curly ringlets on the bottom (I just chopped mine & for the first time ever your hair is longer than mine). I'm We're having a blast with different hair styles & accessories. Your hair was in pigtails a lot for a while. When we realized we could pull your hair up into one ponytail, that's what you requested almost everyday for a while ("I want one pony, just like Mommy!"). Then I started playing with putting your hair in a bun after your bath. After that, you wanted a "bunny bun" everyday so that you could be a ballerina. 

Recently, we've gotten more creative with "two bunny buns." It's a nice do in the summer heat.

A few weeks ago I realized your hair is long enough to braid. I almost teared up as you rocked your very first braids. The best part? The wild, crimpy hair you have when we take the braids out.

Then yesterday, Nonnie put two french braids in your hair. Oh Geeze, I'm going to have to learn how to do french braids. But seriously, you looked so stinkin' cute. Sigh, having a little girl is so fun.

Your very favorite hair style right now? It's what we like to call a "messy bunny bun." It's quick & easy & you're happy. You're also super stylish. Haha.

I can't believe how lucky I am that you will patiently sit for me while I play with your hair.

I love you so,

Mommy