Her First Haircut is DIY
The other day I was busy getting ready for a trip into town, and the kids were occupying themselves nicely and being quiet.
They were being very, very quiet.
It was one of those “I know something’s going on, but I just want a moment of peace” times.
My younger daughter has never had her hair cut. I think she’s simply gorgeous, and I was beginning to develop sentimental attachments to her uncut hair. Similar to Samson and his strength, my daughter would be uncommonly beautiful, all because those locks of blonde were untouched.
In other misguided assumptions, I used to be baffled by stories about kids who drew on sofas with permanent marker. How could this happen under proper supervision? What were their negligent mothers doing?!
Don’t ask why we have washable slipcovers now. You don’t wanna know.
Self-inflicted haircuts fall into the same category: Things that Happen to Other Mothers.
If your kids have never done anything like this – I don’t wanna know!
I think I can pick my little daughter’s hair out of the mess. I salvaged a few locks for the scrapbook. They’re messier than I would have liked for a “baby’s first haircut” page, but that’s part of the story.
(Photography note: I’ve still been shooting mostly in aperture priority mode. In the picture above, though, the camera wasn’t getting the exposure right – underexposed without flash, overexposed with it. I’m happy that I remembered which buttons and dials to adjust to get the exposure I wanted. It reminds me: I need to review the manual and practice the things that are hard for me so I’m ready when I need them!)
The older two kids got in on the hair cutting fun, too.
Did I mention we had pictures scheduled the next day? Our first non-studio photo shoot? It’s the one I mentioned here, which kept getting postponed. We had it done Monday at the kind lady’s elegant home. Par for the course, my shy eldest daughter wanted to crawl into a corner, and the baby spit up on the lovely sofa… twice. I told her she was very brave to offer a photo shoot with so many small children.
I had nightmares that night about awkward social situations.
At least the kids didn’t go after their baby brother with the scissors. He doesn’t have a lot of hair to spare yet.
I was most relieved that my daughter left the little waves next to her cheeks. I will protect that hint of curl from the scissors as long as I can.
Things often do not go as romantically as planned. We disappoint ourselves… we disappoint each other… nature disappoints us. Precious things get ruined. Even God fails to comply with our expectations.
In all this, I want to drill into my daughter’s head that she always will be uncommonly beautiful to me, whether she has a head full of hair, or if every last inch of it is gone. No matter what.
I hope it will make it that much easier for her to believe when Someone Else tells her the same thing.
Huge lump in my throat and very wet eyes. And again, the second time I read it. You do have a gift for writing, Debbie. And did you know that you are uncommonly beautiful to me? Outside and inside.
Thanks, Mom! You and Daddy have done a great job of communicating that to all of us.
Well, I was tear-free until I read Mom’s comment! It reinforces that absolutely everyone needs to hear those words from their Mamas. I hope I remember that when my kids do frustrating things.
My daughter did this, playing “Indian” under the orange tree. She left her hair an inch or two long in that spot. It’s the only haircut she’s ever had, and it’s past her waist now. It’ll grow! Samson’s did, too, if you’ll remember. AND she wrote on Grandma’s couch, in green permanent marker. I about turned in my Mama-card on that one!
I think if I had an orange tree in my yard, I might feel tolerant of hair cutting under it.
I liked sitting on Grandma’s green-markered sofa. It reminded me comfortingly of you!!! 🙂
And now I really miss Grandma.
My mother followed a trail of hair into a closet…and found me with a fingernail scissors. I ushered in the pixie haircut of the 60’s. Blessings on you as you relax into the beauty of life that is found when things don’t go as we plan or expect. Blessings on me as I do the same 🙂 Love to you all.
Thank you, Shelly. As always, your words are thoughtful and well-timed! Love right back to you.
Your writing is uncommonly beautiful!! Your post took me through a whole range of emotions all at once. Your last few sentences left me with tears. On a different note, your aperture priority shots look great! If you ever have questions as you switch to the “M” setting, let me know!!! I always love to talk photography 🙂
Thank you, Emily – I appreciate that so much! I need to switch over to manual and just start practicing…
Your last post had me breaking up quite a bit, too. What you offer grieving families is… beyond words.
My oldest also did the same thing with manicure scissors and then lectured me…”WELL (quite indignant), SOOOMEBODY shouldn’t have left the scissors out where I could reach them!” In my defense, they were up in the medicine cabinet! But then I had to cut off all her little baby curls and I was very sad. Sassy thing. Fast forward a few years and her hair grew out enough that she cut it off in braids to donate to locks of love!
Great post! You’ll have to email me sometime since we seem to have somethings in common!!!
Oh no! It cracks me up that she tried to blame it on you. 🙂 Locks of love would be a great way to redeem this experience someday. I’d love to do that with my daughters.
I was so glad to find your blog. We do seem to have commonalities! I’ll send an email off to you soon!
We’re rolling, Debbie! Josiah experimented with scissors about 1 hour before our friend shot our portraits last summer…. down to the scalp! Ellie gave herself bangs sometime ago…Abby embellished a recent cut of JO’s… where’s the negligent mother in all this? Your children are all beautiful!
Kerstin, you’re a great exampling of taking these things in stride, striving for the things that are more important. Hair grows, right? Your kids have such beautiful curly hair… short or long!