Parents, if you want wonderful pictures of your children, never teach them to say "cheese"! Please learn from my mistake or you will have thousands of photos just like mine - squinted eyes, scrunched up noses, clenched teeth, and an image that just screams "say cheez!!!". Join me while I search for that one perfect shot that doesn't conjure up images of dairy products. Oh, and unless you like that *messy* look, you'll probably want to clean their faces before you snap away. I never seem to remember myself.

An imporant sidenote is to make sure you document your life! Recording the little details of the who, what, where, when, & why makes for wonderful stories and captures your life for years to come. Because if you are like me, you'll forget it all 5 minutes later!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

A Big Day

Miss M has had the most beautiful hair since she was born. It is thick and wavy and gets these gorgeous sausage curls when the humidity kicks in. Whenever anyone sees her, they always comment on what beautiful hair she has. She loves to have it it pig tails, braids, free flowing, and "tinker bell" buns. I've always felt that little girls should have long hair - for me it represents a certain innocence and carefreeness that is so "little girl". I suppose I've thought that as long as she has this long hair, she is still my little child.

But there is one problem with long hair...Miss M HATES having it brushed. HATES is putting it mildly. Brushing her hair has become torture for her and me. I dread it, and she runs and hides whenever the word "brush" is merely whispered. She had a haircut last fall with about 4-5 inches cut off. But the battles with brushing her hair continued and I've grown old and weary. Plus I've become a bit concerned that at some point she'll start to believe that her hair is her identity and I never want her to develop that ridiculous sense of self. She is so much more than her hair and I truly want her to learn this. So I made the decision to get the locks chopped off. We talked about the Locks of Love program and she was excited to have a "big girl" haircut. Actually, she was overjoyed!

While I admit that I did quietly shed a tear for all of the emotions I was feeling about this big day, I'm so incredibly proud of her and thankful that there are programs like Locks of Love that help children.

Maya, I love you and you are so amazing and beautiful through and though.

Before:
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The Big Day:
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After:
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9 comments:

Esther said...

Definetely a little lady! She loves getting pampered! :) That last shot is sweet...and the haircut really does look perfect on her.

Chell said...

LOVE her new hair cut, she had beautiful hair but look at that smile with her new haircut, and how great to donate it to locks of love...

Anonymous said...

She is adorable before and after the haircut!

Anonymous said...

I am proud of you Maya! Love, Aunt April

Jess said...

Oh my GOSH could she GET any cuter! I am so proud of her for donating, now a deserving child will get to have beautiful hair again, what an amazing gift! xoxo

Reds said...

YOu have one amazing daughter! So great that she donated it! And she was beautiful with long hair - but she is as beautiful with the new hairdo!!

Nicki said...

I just love her hair cut. My daughter has T.H.I.C.K. curly hair - I'm hearing you on the H.A.T.E.S to have it brushed - we also went short when she was young and I don't regret it for a moment (cutting her's was the only way I could keep from pulling mine out)

Angela2932 said...

What a gorgeous little girl! I like her new haircut, and very nice "photo-journaling!"

Unknown said...

I think she is more beautiful than ever now!!