When I was little, my friend’s mother taught my tomboy-mom how to French braid hair. From that point on, it became our go to hairstyle. There are tons of pictures of little me, with a long, perfect French braid down my back. Even now, 25 or so years later, I still braid my hair from time to time, especially since it is trendy again.
I always wanted to be a mom. Not in the crazy, mothering everyone I know sort of way, but I always knew I would be. For me, my life wouldn’t have been complete if I didn’t have children to raise.
When we had Little Miss, I felt like probably lots of other moms who have their first daughter. I was excited to buy everything pink. I dreamed of ballet lessons, and tutus. Though I am not a fan of giant bows on tiny, baby heads, I was thrilled when Little Miss grew enough hair to gather into a hilarious, off centered pigtail.
Her hair, though thick from birth, has taken its time to grow. It was always so short on top that it required clips to keep a ponytail in place. We went to swimming lessons and I saw girls a year younger than her with long, luxurious ponytails and it drove me crazy! Little Miss’s mixed length hair with all it’s curls was remaining frustratingly pinned to her head, giving me not much to work with. At her first haircut, the stylist told her she looked like Snow White. Poor kid wanted to look like Rapunzel.
Well, she is now a month and a half away from four, and her hair has started to make some progress. I’m not sure if the curls are going to last since the top layer seems to be straightening out, but the length is finally there.
A couple months ago she asked me to braid her hair like Elsa. She just didn’t have enough hair to get a hold of so I pulled and she cried. In the end she had two giant gymnastics clips holding everything in place and it only lasted a few hours. On Monday while we were getting ready for swimming, she again asked me for an Elsa braid and as I started to cross the strands, one after the other, I noticed the ease in it. While her hair only falls to her shoulders because of the curls, it has actually grown to reach the middle of her back when you stretch it out.
The end result of our braiding experience was a perfect, tightly formed, beautiful French braid. Being the cheese ball that I am, I wanted to cry. In a flash I remembered being little and sitting while my mom did my hair. I still remember so vividly how her hands felt as they scooped up my hair and tucked it in. It was the feel of her braiding that taught me to do it myself. And now here I am, a mom, with a daughter of my own with hair to braid.
It has all come full circle and I am so grateful for all those moments with my mom while she did my hair and even more grateful that I get to take on that roll now for my daughter.
Yesterday Little Miss requested Anna braids for her swimming lesson, so we got into position, I parted her hair and worked the magic my mother taught me. I look forward to years of these moments I can share with Little Miss. I just hope she will let me braid her hair for as many years as possible.
I always wanted to be a mom. Not in the crazy, mothering everyone I know sort of way, but I always knew I would be. For me, my life wouldn’t have been complete if I didn’t have children to raise.
When we had Little Miss, I felt like probably lots of other moms who have their first daughter. I was excited to buy everything pink. I dreamed of ballet lessons, and tutus. Though I am not a fan of giant bows on tiny, baby heads, I was thrilled when Little Miss grew enough hair to gather into a hilarious, off centered pigtail.
Her hair, though thick from birth, has taken its time to grow. It was always so short on top that it required clips to keep a ponytail in place. We went to swimming lessons and I saw girls a year younger than her with long, luxurious ponytails and it drove me crazy! Little Miss’s mixed length hair with all it’s curls was remaining frustratingly pinned to her head, giving me not much to work with. At her first haircut, the stylist told her she looked like Snow White. Poor kid wanted to look like Rapunzel.
Well, she is now a month and a half away from four, and her hair has started to make some progress. I’m not sure if the curls are going to last since the top layer seems to be straightening out, but the length is finally there.
A couple months ago she asked me to braid her hair like Elsa. She just didn’t have enough hair to get a hold of so I pulled and she cried. In the end she had two giant gymnastics clips holding everything in place and it only lasted a few hours. On Monday while we were getting ready for swimming, she again asked me for an Elsa braid and as I started to cross the strands, one after the other, I noticed the ease in it. While her hair only falls to her shoulders because of the curls, it has actually grown to reach the middle of her back when you stretch it out.
The end result of our braiding experience was a perfect, tightly formed, beautiful French braid. Being the cheese ball that I am, I wanted to cry. In a flash I remembered being little and sitting while my mom did my hair. I still remember so vividly how her hands felt as they scooped up my hair and tucked it in. It was the feel of her braiding that taught me to do it myself. And now here I am, a mom, with a daughter of my own with hair to braid.
It has all come full circle and I am so grateful for all those moments with my mom while she did my hair and even more grateful that I get to take on that roll now for my daughter.
Yesterday Little Miss requested Anna braids for her swimming lesson, so we got into position, I parted her hair and worked the magic my mother taught me. I look forward to years of these moments I can share with Little Miss. I just hope she will let me braid her hair for as many years as possible.