Mom and Daughter Hair Done

Miss C and I needed another Mommy and Daughter Day.

The last time we spent one-on-one time together was the day before Christmas Eve, when she went to my old office with me before heading out for last-minute Christmas gifts. That was really just two months ago, but it seemed like ages with all that's gone on since then.

It was time for us to reconnect.


So we went out and got our hair cut and colored together Sunday afternoon.

I had about five inches of hair chopped off with some layers sweeping just below my shoulders, and my brown color refreshed.

Miss C had about four inches taken off, too, and fire-engine red streaks put in.

Yes. Fire-engine red streaks.

I've written often about Miss C's gorgeous, but unruly, hair over the years. When she was younger, it was just thin and curly and very hard to contain. As she got older, her hair got so thick that the curls dropped, but about a dozen cowlicks made it grow in a dozen directions.

Oh, and forget about the frazzled hat of tangles we had to tackle every morning. It's often a battle of wills and patience just to get a brush through it, let alone twisted up into a neat hairstyle with barrettes or rubber bands or headbands.

And even if she let me get her hair styled, it would only last a few hours before those barrettes, headbands or rubber bands were pulled out and tossed, never to be seen again by my busy, active, imaginative child who would rather do ANYTHING than worry about her hair.

So, in the past, we've cut it short, like we did HERE and HERE. But for some time now, Miss C's wanted her hair to be long and straight. Yet neither of us wanted to give it as much attention as it required, so I talked with her about cutting it short again.

She was hesitant. She loved her last haircut, but was afraid she's be mistaken for a boy this time. We went back and forth about it until I made the suggestion.

"What if we put in some color to make it clear that you are most definitely not a boy? Like some purple? Or red?"

Her eyes lit up.

"Really?! You'd let me do that?"

For me, the answer was easy. The summer I left active-duty, I put in fire-engine red streaks myself and loved them. Miss C also loves getting those colorful wraps in her hair, as she did this past summer at Kings Island. I don't mind dramatic hair. We ran it by Martin, who thought it would look cool, and double-checked her school's dress code to make sure it would be okay.

Then I reassured myself I wasn't being like that mom who waxes her toddler's eyebrows and I made the appointments.

The same stylist worked with both of us. This allowed for us to sit next to each other for most of the appointment. As my color soaked in, Miss C's hair was foiled. Then as mine was cut, hers was rinsed. Every now and then, Miss C read from her current chapter book, but for most of the appointment, she just talked and talked and talked.

I had to smile when the stylist who washed Miss C's hair came back to tell me about their conversation regarding red pandas and ostriches.

I love my social butterfly.

We were so pleased with both our results. While Martin and I loved my long hair, it just got too long to maintain. I was spending so much time using product and my blowdryer every morning before work. Now, it's much more manageable, but still at a length that Martin likes.

And Miss C's streaks are perfect. Her bangs have the most color, along with a few strands to frame the longer wisps of hair around her ears.

As my mother pointed out during their video web chat, it's very European.

When we got home, Martin and Lola lavished praise on the both of us. In fact, Lola wanted red streaks of her own.

I told her she'd have to wait until she's older for a Mother and Daughter Day at the salon, too. And by then, who knows what my spirited, adventurous second child will want for her hair.

I can't wait.