Tuesday, April 14, 2009

My Alter Ego

I have an alter ego that may come as a surprise to you. It's Lara the Hairdresser. Back in the day my Barbies and little sisters had the cutest hair around.

Take this super stylin' early 80's do I created for my sister for picture day one year. I don't know why, since she was the star of the yearbook in 3rd grade, but that was the last year she let me do her hair.

Now I have three girls of my own to exercise my sweet skills on.
Unfortunately one by one, each one of the girls has grown a resistance to my efforts to tame their tresses. My braiding and curling skills are getting sadly underused and it shows. Ellie's hair is much more unkempt than Cami's ever was at the same age.

Unfortunately for me, my own hair has never benefited from my hairdressing alter ego. My efforts to curl, tease, diffuse, part, or straighten my own quickly graying tresses has never been anything short of disastrous. My most common hair do has always been straight down or back in a ponytail.

That's why I've spent most of my life with either really long or medium length hair...it's just the most conducive to my preferred hairstyles.
I guess all this is leading me to why I feel so attached to my girls' hair and why when Emma announced to me that she really, really wanted me to cut her hair, I was sad. I love admiring her strawberry hair glistening red in the sun and I didn't want to see one inch of it cut off.

Alas it was important to her, so a few days ago I held my breath and hacked off about 8-inches of those beautiful locks.

Before: Add Image


After:
Guess what? After I finished I wasn't as sad as I thought I would be. She looks totally adorable with shorter hair, it's much easier to brush now, and there's still just enough left to do little tiny piggy tails.

Plus, it'll grow back. There's always that.

9 comments:

K said...

Emma's hair looks adorable!

Every time I go to the hairdresser (which isn't very often) I tell them to cut my hair so that it's really easy to do and long enough to still put it in a ponytail. Sounds like we like similar hairstyles.

I can't believe I didn't let you do my hair again after that. LOL

K said...

I forgot to mention I have always LOVED that picture of your three girls!

Steve-Rosanna said...

Love your new "do" Emmakins! Your mom did a great job cutting your hair...much better than she did on her baby sister so many years ago.

Too bad that the Crain family was so "cheap" (or perhaps just poor and frugal) while your mom was your age. Although Grandma and I had the best of intentions-afraid that we only embarrassed our poor children dressing them in the latest K-Mart fashions and bowl haircuts in an effort to save money.

Nonetheless, your dear mom has wonderful style and taste and has passed it on to you and your sibs.

Love, Grandpa-Grandma

Deanne said...

Emma's new do looks great! I can relate to your feelings. Sophie has recently told me she wants her hair short. I have to admit I've had the same reluctance.

But alas, if it's what she really wants, I guess we'll take the plunge...eventually!

Denise said...

aw. she's so cute! love the hair do...but i love the old photo more!

Lolli said...

I love her haircut! I tend to prefer shorter on my girls. And I am a low-maintenance hair person myself. I'm really not enjoying my hair right now. ;)

annalisa said...

i really like emma's new haircut! it's way cute:) yeah it will grow out again! that's what i have to tell myself sometimes after i get my haircut shorter than i imagined.

annalisa said...

i definitely like my hair long too for the same reason that i can pull it back in a pony tail when i don't feel like doing it:)

Billykidd said...

i'm feeling you completely here! i have the same relationship with my daughter. i love to do her hair oh so much. i love her to look adorable... unfortunately she's creaping up to the ripe old age of seven and she thinks she knows best. this is what she said to me... "mom, you always do my hair cute, but i want it to look cool." anyways, she begged and begged to cut her hair short too, and i eventually gave in! it looks darling, of course! anyway... i got a kick out of your post! :)
~Becca

PS... your daughter looks adorable with her new short do!

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