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First Haircut

She'll be 2 1/2 in a couple of weeks, and today was Elisabeth's first haircut (unless you count the little trim of her bangs last month. I don't). I found myself being the sort of mother I didn't think I'd be: not wanting to cut my child's hair for emotional reasons. "She doesn't need a haircut--it's baby hair!" But now that the weather is getting warm and I see her sweaty little head and curls that stick out to the sides, I finally gave in. Here are some before pictures, taken yesterday:




See those precious locks! How could I cut them off? That goodness for Texas humidity. On dry days they look more like this:


I told Elisabeth on Sunday that we would get her hair cut today, and this morning we talked about it a lot. I told her she would sit in a big chair and have a cape around her neck and would see herself in the mirror. I was sure she would cry and wiggle or be afraid of the stylist or something. We went to the YMCA this morning, and when I picked her up from childcare, she came running over to me saying, “Go get your haircut!” I took that as a good sign, but I was still sure there were some rough spots coming. I also thought, as a nostalgic mom, what if they mess up her haircut? But I realized if I could think a girl with crazy frizzy curly sweaty hair was precious, then a funny haircut wouldn’t change anything.
We arrived at City Cuts, right next to the grocery store, Elisabeth still exclaiming, “Go get your hair cut!” Once inside I told the stylist that this was Elisabeth’s first haircut. She must have just finished cutting a child’s hair, because she had a little cape/gown in her hands, with animals all over it. She put a booster seat in the chair and I plopped Elisabeth in the chair. She was amazingly still. The first thing she wanted was her snack (as promised—my little means to keep her still). The scissors came out and the stylist (I mean, can you call her a barber? It just doesn’t seem the same) snip snipped the hair. She carefully saved some, and I was snapping photos the whole time. I didn’t cry, but I felt a funny nostalgic sensation. It was just over a year ago that she still hardly had any hair at all, and now we’re cutting it off! I was surprised at how I felt, and yet . . .the end result was still my precious Bitsy! The stylist even blew it dry a little bit, and still Bitsy just sat there, looking at herself in the mirror.

I never thought a first haircut would be one of those landmark days, but somehow for me it is. Just a little something that hasn’t been altered has now been altered. It is also the first of many haircuts, and that is the sign of continuing change as well. Also with the warmer weather, Elisabeth’s been wearing some of her dresses from last summer (which extended into October) so they still fit, but are quite a bit shorter. It just shows me in one more way how much she is growing up! The other day I put a shirt on her and it was too tight. I said, “Elisabeth, you just keep growing, growing, growing! Say, ‘That’s what little girls do, Mommy.’ “ Obediently she said, “That’s what little girls do, Mommy,” and added, “grow up into BIG girls!” Oh my. Today after getting her big girl haircut she wanted to wash her hands by herself for the first time ever. Normally she doesn’t like to wash her hands at all.

Thanks for reading. Love, L

Here's a couple more pictures: all dressed up for church . . .and getting ready to ride to church in the bike trailer!

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