Isaac's First Haircut

 BEFORE

 AFTER

We have been taking Jack to Pigtails and Crewcuts since we moved to Chattanooga. His first haircut experience was great, but subsequent ones were more of a challenge. But then we discovered P&C and Jack has loved every haircut since.

He calls it "his hair cutting place that has movies and bubbles."

For the last month or so we have been feeling the need to cut Isaac's hair. It was approaching baby mullet in the back and his bangs were constantly in his little eyes. But I couldn't bring myself to get it cut before his first birthday, so we put it off.

But this week we agreed that it was time. Daniel had a light work week so he was able to meet us at the haircut place.

We let Jack go first so that Isaac could observe and then our littlest guy took his turn.

The kids love that they get to pick a vehicle to ride in. Isaac was totally enamored with getting to drive his own fire engine and ring the bell. He only fussed a couple of times, but I think that had more to do with not being able to find his hands under the cape than it did with the actual haircut.

Pigtails and Crewcuts cost a bit more, but we always have a good experience.

Haircut milestones are bittersweet. Our little guy no longer looks like a baby and Jack is looking more and more like a big kid these days.

Jack BEFORE

Jack AFTER

Hair

At age 35, I have come to accept that I have some issues when it comes to my hair. Namely I hate to get it cut. It makes me incredibly uncomfortable to go and have a stranger chat me up while they cut my hair. I don't know why, but I have been like this most of my adult life.

This translates to me getting haircuts about once a year. And since we seem to move fairly often, I always feel awkward knowing that I will probably only visit that hairdresser once.

Also, they always try to sell me on products, even though I am very clear about the fact that I am a low-maintenance gal. I don't color my hair. I don't style it. The best I do is put it in a pony tail or top bun. On a bad day, I wear a hat.

So, I always dread hair days. Always.

However, post baby I have been in major need of a cut. Around 3 months post partum I lost a ton of hair. It was falling out in clumps in the shower. For three months it took me an extra 15 minutes to shower so that I could pull out all of the loose hair. For a girl that only takes 15 minute showers to begin with, this was having a serious impact on my life.

Around 6 months post partum, the hair finally stopped falling out and started growing again. All of a sudden I had this little fringe of baby bangs. And it was noticeable. My mom actually asked at Christmas if I had cut my hair.

The problem was that while I sort of had bangs, I didn't really. There were too many long hairs mixed in. So I finally committed to getting it cut.

A friend recommended someone in our town. I called last minute, hoping to get in and she had an opening. I arrived and this lady talked with me about my needs and then proceeded to cut my hair without a lot of idle chit chat. Score! 

And then when I was ready to leave, she said they only took cash (which I did not have), so she said I could just come back whenever. Luckily I had money in my car, but who does that, who just says, "no big deal, come back whenever." Did I mention it was super cheap and she did a bang up job? (pun intended as I officially have bangs).

This cut was a long time coming. We went shorter than planned because I had a lot of new growth in the back and she needed to cut it short enough to accommodate the new hair. I'm just glad to have a good hair cut that didn't stress me out and that I didn't have to make small talk with a stranger!

First Haircut

Over Christmas break, Jack hit a big milestone: We had his hair cut for the first time. 

For the last several months we had been feeling like we needed to take Jack to the barber. We were even tempted to give his bangs a trim at home, but weren't confident in our abilities.

December was so crazy that we couldn't seem to find a moment to take him to the barber. But while visiting my parents during Christmas, Daniel decided that enough was enough and he found a barber shop in Searcy with good reviews online.

Jack is such a laid back kid that we weren't overly concerned about the experience. But I was glad that there was a little boy getting his hair cut when we walked in the doors. Jack was able to observe before we stuck him in the barber chair.

He did so well. Mostly he was curious about what the barber was doing to him. He kept trying to swivel his head around to see what was going on.

Toward the beginning he did get a little frustrated at having a cape draped around him, but getting to hold on to some race cars cured him of his frustration.

Bruce at Race Cuts did an excellent job with our son. We are so glad this was a good experience for all of us.

No more ladies in the grocery store telling us they love our "daughter's" curls!

I kind of miss the curls though!

Thursday Things (Random, April 2012)

I like my electronic devices set to the brightest setting... Daniel likes his on the dimmest. 

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Bangs are not for me. I like having a short hair cut, but bangs, not so much.

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Are there rules about taking a baby out in a canoe? According to Outside Magazine, you can do it as soon as they can ride in a car... We have Jack's life vest. I think once he can sit on his own we may have to take him out.

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Current shows we are watching via Netflix: Burn Notice, Top Gear (UK) and HIMYM. I was watching Downton Abbey (love) but Netflix only has season one (boo).

Hair

Hair cuts are the very last thing I get around to doing for myself. The reason for this is twofold. One: I have been the recipient of a couple of bad hair cuts, which really shake a girl's confidence. Two: committing to a hair stylist means accepting that we are officially a part of a community.

In Cookeville, it took me two years to find a hair stylist I liked. Then we moved.

In Charlotte, I haphazardly went to various places. I just couldn't commit. I liked most of the places I tried, but at the time, I felt like I was terrible at making small talk, so I just avoided putting myself in that kind of situation. We lived in Charlotte for six years and I would find myself waiting to visit my sister in Memphis or taking a trip home to Searcy, to get my hair cut. Kind of ridiculous.

Well we have been in Hollywood for 1.5 years and I decided that it was time.

Actually my hair was shouting at me that it needed to be cut. Post-pregnancy hair is the worst. Mine was super long {for me} and it was falling out like crazy. I had read that this is normal, but it was getting out of hand. It would take me an extra 10 minutes in the shower just to get all of the loose hair off my hands {this was doubling my shower time which is not good when you have an infant}. Further more I was finding my hair in all sorts of ridiculous places – like Jack's diapers. I would check carefully whenever I changed his diaper but it never failed, on the next change I always seemed to find more hair.

Also there is the problem of dust bunnies on my wood floors. Daniel kept telling me to brush Sophie to help with the dust bunnies, but the sad truth was that over half of the problem has been my hair.

So I finally decided to commit. I asked my kickboxing instructor who she recommended {she grew up here, so I figured she would have a good idea} and she pointed me in the direction of Andrea, who I called right away to set up a Friday appointment. 

Granted it was not like going to a salon like I might visit in Charlotte or Nashville, but I really liked Andrea. And the whole experience felt more like a scene from Steel Magnolias – where you sit around and learn about everything that is going on in town. We talked for over an hour and not once did I feel uncomfortable. Maybe I am just more secure now that I am older, but I felt like Andrea was genuinely interested in me and it wasn't just petty small talk. At the end of our session, she even gave me a hug. I left feeling like I had made a new friend.

The best part is that my hair was long enough to donate to Locks of Love.

Thursday Things (Random, March 2012)

After reading several different posts on various blogs, it has come to my attention that when nursing, women often spend money on nursing shirts... who knew? Since I spent a very minimal amount on maternity clothes, it seems odd to spend money on a nursing-specific shirt. Am I alone in this?

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Jack finding his voice.

Over the last week, Jack has really seemed to find his voice. He likes to talk {loudly} to us. If music is playing it sometimes seems like he is trying to sing along. It is truly funny. Daniel thinks he sounds like the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Toons.

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Jack and Daniel engrossed in Top Gear (UK). 

They were watching a car (a Touareg) race two snow mobiles 

down a ski slope and across a lake. The Touareg won.

We asked Daniel's dad {a doctor} if he thought Jack might develop ADD or ADHD later in life because we occasionally let him watch television. To which Daniel's dad replied, "Jack is not going to develop ADD. His personality is way too laid back for that." Hopefully he is right. We are enjoying our very chilled out boy.

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You know how Media Mail is super cheap {for shipping books and the like}... Well, way back when I was in college, I tried to mail books and the post mistress asked me if I was ONLY sending books. Since I cannot tell a lie, I said there was also a card enclosed. Then she refused to give me the media rate!!! I should have lied! 

In all seriousness, I think she should have given me the cheaper rate... it cost me a fortune {to a poor college student anyway} to send my package :(

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I am in desperate need of a haircut... more on that soon.

Hair Cutting Woes

A few years ago, we were in Searcy for Thanksgiving and I went to get my haircut. It turned out to be the worst haircut of my life! I rarely cry, especially not over piddly things, and I ended up crying over this haircut - it was so bad it was practically a mullet.

Anyways, I have had a really hard time getting my hair cut ever since. I think it freaks Daniel out that I have such a hard time. Also, I generally try to get Angela to go with me when possible for moral support.

After today I think that I am finally over my hair cutting woes. There is a girl in my life group who cuts hair from her home. So last Sunday, I bravely asked her if I could schedule an appointment. She cuts a lot of different people's hair that I know and that gave me confidence in her.

Anyways I went this afternoon and it turned out to be a really great experience. We visited the whole time and I left we a really cute, short haircut. Best of all there was no crying involved... I will definitely go back to her and hopefully I am over being afraid of having my hair cut.

hair cut

Last Saturday, I finally bit the bullet and got my hair cut for the first time in over a year! For some reason I have the intense aversion to getting my haircut - I think due to a really bad hair cut a couple of years ago.

Anyways, since we have moved to Charlotte, I have never committed to finding a hairdresser. Generally I put off getting it cut until I am visiting my sister and then she will go with me for moral support.

So for the first time in a very long time, I struck out on my own and got my hair cut. I am very pleased with the results, much better than the long, lifeless hair that I always kept in a ponytail.