It’s been one of those nights when looking through old pictures of the kids makes me want to go and wake them up long after they’ve gone to bed and squeeze them tight. This one’s from almost exactly a year ago.
Look at my bike! It’s filthy! That’s just how it’s supposed to be. — a very happy boy
I accidentally started a new photo series over on Instagram, and I think I’ll continue. A pic a day all summer long. #moreheadssummer
On May 26, 2004, after a day of exchanging flirty e-mails, Jason and I took a long, long walk in the South Bottoms–much longer than either of us intended, probably, but the conversation came easy and the company was just what we each wanted (and we finally said as much out loud). I wore flip-flops that night, a poor choice, but it didn’t matter a bit, as I was too nervous and excited to care about the consequences for my feet.
Tonight, eleven years later, we had plans to re-trace our steps on that walk, but with two bikes and a stroller this time, we thought the day’s rain might have made the path a bit too muddy. We opted instead to take a walk/bike ride at Holmes Lake. It was joyful and lovely. I wore flip-flops again (yes, out of nostalgia), and again it was a poor choice, but even tonight I didn’t care too much, as we were having such a good time together.
I don’t think we necessarily knew that first night that we’d become a family, but I think maybe we both hoped so (I know I did). I know for sure we’re all glad we did.
So Clara got her first haircut today, and while all’s well that ends well (and, oh my goodness, the cuteness! this ended well), the beginning of the story was full of drama.
The story of our three-year-old daughter’s first haircut began late Sunday afternoon. I noticed on the way to church that Clara’s hair looked weirdly fuzzy. I didn’t think too much of it, as it is super cold and the air is dry. We arrived at church a little late, but the service was just beginning. We headed up to the balcony, and I chased down Clara to try to put her hair in a ponytail.
As I finished twisting the ponytail, I ran my hand down the length of it to smooth it out, and a huge clump — like four inches — came off in my hand. At first I wasn’t too bothered, but then I tugged again and more came out in my hand. It was like pulling apart cotton — it didn’t hurt her at all, and it was alarming how easy it was to pull out. And, the worst part was there was so. much. hair. It was seriously four or five inches of all her hair. I put what was left in a (thin) ponytail and sent her with Jason down to the nursery.
Then I started to worry. And, yes, all the texting and Googling and fretting I did over the next hour was during church. I’m not proud of it, but it was what it was. First, I texted my friend (and stylist) Emily: “Aaaaahhhh! I’m freaking out! I was putting a ponytail in Clara’s hair and like 4 inches was super fuzzy and totally just came off in my hands. Is this normal?!?!?!” And the short answer was, No, not normal, unless hair had been overprocessed. Well, we had used a new detangler, but somehow I didn’t think that was it.
Google offered a few plausible explanations for “the large majority of children who experience hair loss”: (1) a contagious ringworm — no scales, so we thought we were probably in the clear on that one but decided we better wash her sheets at home just in case; (2) alopecia areata, which is an autoimmune reaction that is hereditary — this seemed a very likely explanation, as Clara had recently been sick, and because my sister had this condition in college; (3) ponytails too tight, brushing too vigorously — nope, I think I’ve brushed Clara’s hair four times ever, including twice recently with the detangler I mentioned; (4) a vitamin and/or nutritional deficiency — I suppose, maybe? (5) stress (I wasn’t quite sure how this made a child’s hair fall out; I was skimming) — oh goodness, I yelled at the kids in the car today, do you think that could be it? (6) a thyroid condition — yeah, no way to test that right now.
At some point during the service, I decided I needed to go down to the nursery to get another look — did she have bald spots? Was it as bad as I remembered? She was happily playing and asked to be returned to her friends as soon as I had examined her head and found it to be in decently good condition. The remaining hair seemed firmly attached, and overall her hair looked thinner but no longer fuzzy. Maybe she did just have really fragile hair?
I went back upstairs and found a text from Emily that said she’d be happy to help if Clara’s ends needed to be evened up. I replied, “Ok. I was freaking out, so I went down to the nursery to check it out. She doesn’t seem to have bald spots, which I think may be good? But we’re not talking ‘evened up,’ we’re talking a full Bethany. Which I’m sure will be cute. When can I see you?” (“A full Bethany” is a reference to my friend Maralee’s daughter, who just got a super cute pixie cut a couple of weeks ago.)
Satisfied that I maybe needed to be concerned but not overly, I did try to dial back in for the last third of the sermon and the rest of the service. After church, I told a couple of my friends what was going on, and they too thought it was at least mildly troubling (and later told me they prayed for Clara that evening).
We got home from church, and Jason gave the kids a bath while I warmed up dinner. After the bath, Jason came downstairs with I don’t remember what kind of look (and I really wish I did because we’re getting to the climax of the story here!). Anyway, he said that he had another possible explanation for Clara’s mysterious hair loss (and if you’ve read this far, you may have already guessed by now): “Could it have anything to do, do you think, with the scissors I found on her bedroom floor?” When questioned about the incriminating evidence, Clara happily replied, “I cut my hair during naptime. Sorry, Mommy!”
I tell you, I was so relieved that I wasn’t even a little bit mad.
So many lessons learned here, the most important having something to do with the simplest explanation being the best. Perhaps I should have titled this post “Occam’s Haircut”?
It’s pretty hard to get this one to stand still or smile for a picture, but here’s a glimpse at the adorable denouement to this story.
Around here, December 28 is called “the Birthday” (definite article, capital B) because it is both Ian’s birthday and Clara’s. Ian turned 5 today, and Clara turned 3. It was a happy one indeed. These are some of my favorite shots from the day, but I realize that this little collection is hardly representative of our whole day, which was much more busy and peopled than these few pics would lead you to believe. But for once I was mostly enjoying the time with the family and practically forgot to document. Still, this is a record of what these two little lovies looked like today. Goodness, they are great kids.
I was going to dump this picture because, you know, the kids are blurry and dark and whatever. But then I realized how (accidentally) funny it is (right after this, we had a talk about no more running in the museum).
My poor kids. I don’t think that little railing is going to hold the mammoths back.
DPP pics from past years: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Today was a busy day. So busy. I’m glad, though, that I could take a little break with this nugget and watch her “tricks,” which mostly were “pinning” and “hi-ya”-ing.
“Should I pin one mo time? You want me to hi-ya? You want me to pin? One mo time? Hi-ya!” And so on.
DPP pics from past years: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
On this shortest day of the year we had fun playing with light. It started with the boys using the flashlight on my phone to make sure one of Jason’s gifts was snoop-proofed. Ian realized shining the light through a tube created an interesting pattern on the wall. He then set up the flashlight to make his own shadow-puppet theater (all his own idea; seriously, I still cannot get over the brilliance of it). I remembered we still have my parents’ overhead projector, so we spent much of the afternoon having a shadow dance party.
DPP pics from past years: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
I take photos of my three kids almost every day and of other people (and places and things) when I get a chance. I love to travel. I quilt and read and organize with great passion and in bursts of creativity and motivation with long (sometimes years-long) breaks in between kicks. I like cooking better than baking. Read More...
