I started the day 3 hours earlier than usual, with one of my recent “Wake up at 3:00 and be unable to get back to sleep” nights. Do these happen to you? For me I’m afraid they’re a genetic inheritance from my mother, along with a seemingly endless interest in having more children.
I’m PROBABLY growing my hair for Locks of Love. This started as Meaning To Get My Hair Cut, and then turned into Trying Unsuccessfully To Schedule An Appointment, and then turned into Well, Now It’s Long Enough To Put In A Bun So Never Mind. One of my physical upsides is that I have thick, fast-growing hair, and so it seems like a good idea to take advantage of an idea that combines so well with my natural disinclination to do anything with it.
But I say “PROBABLY” because it’s also making me feel crazy (so! tangled! and ouchy!), and I can just see suddenly getting it cut off when I’m half an inch short of 10 inches, which is close to what happened accidentally last time: I hadn’t even thought of Locks of Love until I saw the pieces on the floor and said, “Hey…” and the stylist measured and they were just under 9 inches long.
I got SO MUCH done yesterday. I’d gone out to the store after lunch, and when I got back it was 3:00, also known as The Soggy Gross Dregs of the Weekend. Paul and I looked at each other over the heads of our roiling mass of loud, talkative, argumentative children, and we realized we needed to either start drinking or take action. We took all five outside, and I gave them all haircuts on the steps, and Paul played with whichever four weren’t being sheared. The two older kids took showers after their haircuts, and I gave baths to the three younger kids. Then I scrubbed the tub. Then I made muffins. Then I paid a couple of bills. Then I wrote some Postcrossing postcards. Then I filled my pill-a-day container. …Okay, I’m running out of things to say I did. But it felt REALLY ACCOMPLISHED at the time.
Elizabeth wanted her hair SHORT, and I wasn’t sure what to do. One, because it’s just FINALLY getting long enough to do stuff with, and two, because it’s also been getting tangled and difficult, and three, because I don’t know how to do shorter girl haircuts: I can cut boy hair, or I can trim girl hair, and that’s it. So we compromised on MEDIUM: it was shorter enough to please her, but long enough to keep me from feeling discouraged. I nearly got into trouble with “making it even,” but I managed to make myself stop.
Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths program only requires a minimum on 8 inches of hair. They make wigs for cancer patients as well.
My HUSBAND actually grew his hair and donated 14 inches! He always had a job where he should have short hair just for appearances, but after changing careers and opening his own business he could what he wanted with his hair. I liked it long, but I am a bit glad it’s short again.
Elizabeth looks so grown up in that pic!
“of” — sheesh, it’s not that early but I apparently need another cup of coffee! :o)
“Making it even” is going to be the death of me one day.
Elizabeth does look quite grown up in that pic.
I too suffer from the “wake up at 3am and unable to get back to sleep” CURSE. Except mine is usually 4am. This always happens on days when my 15 month old decides to sleep in until 7am. I gave up on worrying about it. I just won’t ever sleep again. SIGH.
My dad has this problem too, so I’m pretty sure it is genetic.
Elizabeth’s hair is SO CUTE.
Try braiding, swistle. I pretty much keep mine braided, and when I’ve grown it out enough that cutting off ten inches won’t make me look like a plucked chicken, I donate it. It also helps that it appeals to my thrifty side–if you donate your hair, most places will cut it for free.
For Elizabeth, well, detangler is your friend.
I gave my hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths – only need 8 inches, they make wigs for cancer patients, and they actually use your hair instead of selling it.
I’ve done locks of love and pantene beautiful lengths 3 times. I’m always shocked at the short hair, but love that I can give back with such an easy task.
You were busy I’m so impressed!
I didn’t get to say about the cat naming, but the fact that you referenced LA Story makes me love you that much more. I think there are about 12 of us who have seen that movie!
I too have the wake-up-worrying-in-the-middle-of-the-night syndrome. I don’t have kids, but my mom has it. It must be genetic.
Word of warning with donating your hair: if you’ve used bleach at all on your hair in the past 18 months or so, they will not accept it. It’s got to do with the chemicals they use to help turn it into a wig and how the bleach residue won’t work with them. I was just talking to my stylist the other day about donating my hair and she’s the one who told me. (To lighten my hair last spring, she used a little bleach in with a lighter color hair dye).
When my twins cut off all of their beautiful, long, baby hair, the stylist said that Locks of Love changed their requirements to 8 inches. She sent it in (they both had over 9 inches) and we got a card from Locks of Love. Who knows though… may have went in the trash…
I also heard you can send your hair to the gulf, as it’s used to soak up oil? Anyone else heard of that?
In any case, Elizabeth looks ADORBS… so old!
I am struggling with how big your kids are. Elizabeth’s hair turned out great, though!
Elizabeth…so big…my GAWD!
I’ve been up in the middle of the night pretty regularly lately. Worried about Lucy and Kindergarten and this generic letter we got from the school district saying that to save money, they’ll be consolidating bus stops so kids may not be picked up in front of their houses any longer. And that if we are concerned about the kids being out of sight, we should know that as parents, it is our responsibility to monitor them at the bus stop. SERIOUSLY! And they will let us know the last week in August what the deal is. So I will worry about it until then.
The real question here Swistle, is what are you going to do with just one house child?
I donated my hair to LOL and went with a slightly shorter cut than I had intended to make it work. My only advice is to do it in the fall so you have the winter to grow your hair to Ponytail Length by summer’s heat. Short or Long, there is no room for Medium Hair in the summertime.
oh, she is so cute!
I liked the look of Beautiful Lengths, too, but they can’t take hair that’s been permanently colored, and Locks of Love can (as long as it hasn’t been bleached).
cute pic:)
I’m impressed that you can even trim girls’ hair as I certainly cannot and do not trust myself with scissors!
I have never cut my kid’s hair. I learned my lesson after attempting to cut my brother’s hair once. I said “Oops!” one too many times to ever trust myself with scissors again.
My daughter has that same shirt Elizabeth is wearing. $2 on clearance at Target! Woot!
@Jen, my daughter has that shirt too! Target clearance lovers unite!! :) Love the haircut Swistle, you are braver than I am. I use clippers on my son, but take my daughter to get a “real” haircut because my mother could not cut evenly and could.not.stop.trimming. and it traumatized me.
My four year old daughter has wavy blonde hair almost halfway down her back. I love long hair on everyone– men, women, kids– and I love her hair but it gets really tangled. Hair brushing can get ugly, even with conditioner and detangler. So I’m thinking when she turns five I might leave it up to her– short, long or in between. But for now, I’m keeping it as is.
I hope you get a good night’s sleep tonight.
I love that feeling of accomplishment!
I wake up in the middle of the night when I have too much on my To-Do list that needs to get done. When I have that sort of nagging, roiling feeling that something is hanging over my head. I feel it today, as a matter of fact. Maybe if I do a super productive day like you did, I will feel better…..here’s hoping.
Elizabeth is SO PRETTY! =)