No, not the blog. Hayley’s hair – so LONG. And then I snapped and it was farewell.
I’ve said I was going to do it but I always shied away in the end, but last night was the final straw for me, and for her too, apparently. I washed it and then I loaded it up with conditioner and when I tried to untangle it, there was a lot of screaming involved and crying. I’ve often been afraid of having the cops knock on our door because the knots were always so bad – no matter how many times I brushed them out – that she would end up screaming, “stop it Mommy! Please Mommy, please don’t! Not so hard, Mommy STOP!” I swear, it must have sounded like I was in here beating her senseless and I’m surprised the neighbors never ever called the cops on us.
Last night I imagined doing the same fight every single day and imagined trying to do it at 7 am before school and that was when I snapped. I asked, “Do you want me to CUT YOUR HAIR?!”
And with a dramatic sniffle she answered, “Yes.”
It wasn’t the first time she had said yes, so I said, “Okay. Tomorrow, we cut it.”
I reminded her today and she really wanted to do it so we got all set up.
All.that.freakin’.hair.
Gathered up:
Snippity snip!
Ta-da!
She’s actually thrilled with her new hair – the only reason she looks unimpressed in this shot is because I dared to interrupt her movie with a photo request. Please pretend her lips aren’t blue, I have no idea why there was a blue lipstick in her play makeup set.
I know that so many people loved her hair. I heard it all the time, how beautiful her hair was, how incredible it was. And it WAS. But it was an enormous pain in the ass for me and it was just painful for Hayley. After I cut it I wet it and then blow dried it. Then I ran a brush through it and it offered no resistance at all. Not one knot. And tonight she went to bed without braids for the first time in ages. She’s so happy to be able to leave her hair down if she wants now; before it had to stay braided or it got tangled if the breeze blew.
I love it. You know, except for the fact that she looks so much older all of a sudden.
My Meredith’s hair is long and gets very tangley (tangly? tangledly? whatever already!). We have to do a cream rinse in the shower and only wash every 3rd or 4th day.
Like Hayley, she goes to bed in a braid (well, if her hair is wet – otherwise, we put it up in a squinchy). I can NEVER brush through her hair once it is dry. Not. Ever.
Although if I ever say, “Hey, let’s cut your hair.” She’ll scream and cry and beg me not to cut it. She loves her hair and has learned to keep a stiff lip when we’re brushing.
Though the cream rinse really has helped where conditioner didn’t make a dent.
I think Hayley’s hair looks lovely – and wow, blue lipstick. Well you guys just KEEP THAT over there!
Oh Sherry, I feel your pain with the snarls!!! There are definitely days where I think about doing the same thing! Alyssa’s hair also gets SO many comments. It’s so long and thick too, though it doesn’t have Hayley’s curls. But we have the same issue DAILY and she will NOT let me tie it back or put it in braids overnight, so you can imagine what it’s like to deal with in the morning. Besides, I think she’d look cute with shorter hair, but Michael would have conniptions (sp?) if I ever cut it short. I’m so torn, but I think we are definitely going to go for a “trim” and get a few inches cut off soon.
I think Hayley’s hair looks great and I’m envious of how easy it will be for you to deal with it in the mornings, especially after school starts!!!
Her hair is still quite beautiful and still pretty long!
My mom, who had straight hair, had a HORRIBLE time keeping my LONG, curly hair knot-free as a child. I think it was mostly because she was treating my hair as she treated her own, which just doesn’t work with curly hair. For curls and waves, the easiest way to get out knots is lots of conditioner and using your fingers as a comb. Using actual combs and brushes just makes it worse. I haven’t used a brush on my hair (except to pull stray hairs into a ponytail) in YEARS.
I’m pretty sure I have the book Curly Girls sitting somewhere around this apartment which I’m almost positive has a chapter devoted to taking care of childrens’ hair if you’d like me to find it and send it to you.
I’ve always thought Hayley’s hair was so similar to Kya’s… now even moreso. Kya’s hair looked exactly the same; it was down past her waist and SO amazingly beautiful. It was just also such a pain to take care of and tangled constantly. After the third time with a snarl so bad that we were both in tears I asked her if she wanted it cut. Ever since we did, it’s been SO much easier to take care of and just looks so much healthier.
Hayley’s hair looks adorable; I’m glad she’s happy with her new do. 😀
I VERY vividly remember the day my hair was snipped for the same reasons. I had baby fine, flyaway hair that knotted just from looking at it. Brush, it was beautiful…but, alas, try keeping a 7 year old’s hair brushed! I didn’t care that it was shorter – I was loving not having the hours long untangling fests!
It looks even better now! Nice and healthy at the ends, and still really long.
My cousin did the same exact thing last Thursday for the same reason. Except, they donated 11 inches to Locks of Love and her daughter’s hair is now at chin level! That was a shock! (But cute.)
I had hair like your daugheter when I was little. I remember my best friend’s mom standing on a chair to brush it. My parents refused to cut it – so what was the first thing I did upon moving out of the house after high school? Yup, I cut it all off.
Of course now (13 years later), I regret it 😉
Y’know, as much as I loved Hayley’s curls, I think this new length suits her better. It *does* make her look older though!
Now I’m getting worried. My daughter, Duck, had hair that went down to her bum when she was younger, but I cut it shoulder length when she was 4. Now she wants to grow it really long again…But I’m not so sure I want her too. At that age it’s more the mother who looks after the long hair than the child…
I remember crying one time when I was about 6 and my hair was down to my butt. My dad was trying to get tangles out and I was screaming. I ended up getting a spanking out of that one. One of only 3 I ever remember getting from him.
It is cute short and she does look older.
The hair looks good and you will be able to look after it better now. The picture of Breanna with thhe baloon is just priceless. And hey, if you can’t eat it, what good is it!