Part of feeling “ready” for the upcoming school year was fitting in a few appointments. Dekker has been insisting on his long hair, but the other day, I mentioned a haircut and as you heard, he jumped at it.
By now, Dekker is an old pro, and had no issue getting into the chair and wearing the cape, which used to be the biggest issue. Don’t ask me why, but he hated that cape. Laela was far less fearful of her haircut, but they have such different personalities, and she’s also quite a bit older than Dekker was for his first. Laela will be four at the end of the month! So it was time. She hung out in an extra chair and watched everything go down for Dekker, while playing in the mirror and making faces. She was only mildly skeptical.
When it was her turn, she willingly got into the chair and wore the cape. Carlinna asked what I was hoping for, and Laela piped up with “To my chin!” I quietly asked Carlinna if there was any hope of a ponytail with hair that length, and she said there wasn’t, no. So we decided to leave it a little longer, but basically as short as she could have it while still having a ponytail.
She sat really well and cooperated beautifully as the cut went on. Once the bulk of it was done, I was commenting on how pretty her new haircut was, and Laela shook her head. She was not happy. She insisted “To my CHIN!” She poked her chin and stared at me. I told her she couldn’t have a ponytail with hair to her chin, and without missing a beat, she reminded me that she doesn’t like ponytails. And really, she was right. She hates having her hair up, and the only reason I push it is because her hair gets SO tangled. With it being so short, it wouldn’t tangle even close to the same amount, and she really wouldn’t need to have her hair put back. So I agreed, and Carlinna dove back in to give her the short cut Laela desired.
See that look of “winning” on her face? Yup. She did win.
Except she still wasn’t happy!! She insisted over and over “TO MY CHIN!” Carlinna and I squatted down with her and tried to problem solve. Laela kept touching her chin, and finally switched her request to “ON my chin.”
“On your chin? Like a beard?” I asked.
“Ya!” she exclaimed!
Carlinna and I both laughed, and said that wasn’t so much part of the haircut. She wouldn’t be able to walk out of the salon with a beard. She just looked straight ahead and reiterated, “to my chin.”
Out of nowhere, Carlinna said “I’ve got it. How about I curl your hair under so it touches your chin?”
Well that was the ticket, let me tell you! It was clearly what Laela had wanted the entire time but didn’t know how to ask for. Since her mommy never does her own hair, she hasn’t learned the terms or the styles at all. (Makeup is another thing, haha!) But as Carlinna curled Laela’s hair, she finally smiled into the mirror. She was SO happy.
All three big kids got lollipops and happily said their thank yous and goodbyes. Behold, Laela 2.0!
Is the candy background not perfect for her making this face? Hahaha!
Laela’s first haircut was a HUGE win! In the day or two since her cut, she is just constantly bouncing. You can tell she feels lighter and happier and refreshed. I’m so glad we finally went through with the cut, even though the simplest outings feel so big. This one was definitely worth it!
Though now I’ll forever have to intentionally style her hair…