Snipping snippets

I am very lucky to have my friend who is a hair dresser, come over to my house to do my hair. Or am I? Lucky, that is. I don't know, last night would make one wonder.

Sue came over last night, my house a complete wreck and in upheaval because of our washer/dryer crapping out this past weekend. When I got home my husband was making preparations for the delivery of the new washer/dryer. The kids were buzzing. While I stayed home to feed the baby and get ready for Sue to come over, my husband ran out with the 4 YO to grab a pizza.

Sue arrived and got down to the business of my roots and split ends. Soon after my husband and daughter arrived back home. When my daughter saw Sue doing my hair, she got so excited and asked her to cut her hair too. Except when we asked her how short she wanted it cut, she grabbed the back of her head, hand close to the base of the clump of hair she had clenched, as if she was grabbing a cat by the scruff of it's neck. Her point? She wants it super short.

I got my hi-lites. The baby nursed to sleep and I was holding him. While my hi-lites set, Sue trimmed my daughter's hair which has so much chlorine damage from this summer, it's sad. Her beautiful blonde locks, turning blonder and blonder and dryer. On one hand, I'd love to do a short cut for her hair, but it makes me sad to think about cutting it off. My husband was shuffling around and at one point muttered, "don't cut her hair short". Glad he spoke up. Also even more torn. When sue was done trimming about 2 - 3 inches off and my daughter saw herself in the mirror, she got very upset and insisted Sue cut her hair short.

Sue by then was back to working on me. I had rinsed out and washed my hair. The baby had since woken up and sat in his bouncy seat for just as long as he could stand it and I was holding him. My husband was still futzing with the washer/dryer. He was getting it out of the house, so we didn't have to deal with the delivery guys doing it and perhaps putting holes in walls, etc. While I definitely appreciated his efforts, I could've thought of a better time for him to do this task. I don't usually do many things for myself. It had been 3 months since my last hair appointment. I just wanted this one hour of time without wrestling kids.

It was a terrible scenario for me. I had my husband doing his own thing, someone with a pair of scissors over my head trying to make something of my mop top, a 4 year old daughter who was having a tantrum on the kitchen floor in a pile of fresh cut hair because she wanted more hair cut and a baby going through the witching hour in my arms and nowhere to go. Nothing I did made him happy. Oh and I was wearing the hair cutting smock which was making me sweat like a pig as I wrestled the baby and the 4 year old as she threw herself at me every so often. It was the perfect storm and I was the beaten and battered ship.

I love Sue and she did a great job on my hair I'm sure, but it's not what I wanted because it was all we both could do to get through it. I wanted something different and instead she just trimmed in up. I guess I know for next time, make sure there is no one home. Send them all out to the circus, because that's exactly what last night was.

This morning my girl woke up, walked in my room and declared, "mommy, I like my hair cut now." I told her I was glad. She went to the bathroom, came out a few minutes later and declared, "I. Don't. Like. My. Hair." I threw my hands up. I give up. I had no idea what to do with her. What is it that she wants? I asked her a barrage of questions. What do you want it to look like? Why don't you and I look for pictures in magazines for what you are thinking you want to do? How short do you want it? I finally asked the right question. "Is there someone you've seen or know who has the hair cut you have in mind?" she replied, "Yes!" FINALLY, we might be getting somewhere. I asked who. She said her Auntie Lyndsay.

It was good to finally know where her head was, but now what do I do? Now that I know what she wants, and I love Lyndsay's hair, but I can't part with my baby's beautiful blonde locks just yet I don't think. How do I know when the time is right? I remember my mom making me cut my hair when I was little and I hated it. I know it's different because she actually wants it cut, but does she really know that it doesn't just magically grow back? Does she realize it's taken about 6 months for it too grow out from the last time it was trimmed up 2 - 3 inches?

All you ladies out there, when did you get your first big haircut? Did you want it cut? Or did your mom make you do it? Do you remember regretting having it cut? Or did you like it? If you have a daughter, how did you decide to do a real cut and not just a trim? I'm so torn. She won't let it go. She wants her hair cut.

P.S. I think if my husband wasn't around last night and said don't cut it, I probably would've had Sue cut it how my daughter wanted it just to shut her up. I also wanted my husband to know I was listening to him and his opinion because in 2, 3, 4 years from now...if he thinks he's going to be allowed to shave off my son's hair like he's in the military, he's got another thing coming. I do not like the shaved head look at all and I refuse to let my husband do that to my son.