Yikes! Stripes! Fruit Stripe Gum!

My tiger-stripe highlights are finally growing out! 😅 

I have been getting highlights for several years now but my previous hairstylist (who moved away… #tears) always did a great job of making them just piecey and random enough that they looked pretty natural. I found a new stylist who is a lovely person but I just felt overwhelmed with the stripes.

(Me last October) 🐯 

Anyway, I am maybe going to try highlights again with a third stylist, but I’m nervous.

Maybe I’ll have Polly do hair chalk on me instead. 

Accidental productivity

My hair is now longer than it's been in 9 years. I was forced into this situation by a circumstance that many of us know well: Pandemic Hair. Aka hair that is normally maintained on a regular basis but that hasn't been touched by a stylist in many months.

While having my hair this long is annoying, it also feels almost like an accomplishment. The kind of accomplishment that you're forced into by circumstance.

A few other accidental/circumstantial accomplishments that I can boast about this week:

I read the Wikipedia entry for Roger Daltrey in its entirety--an academic achievement if there ever was one--and I can safely say that he seems like a huge jerk. Regardless, I still think his stuttering in "My Generation" is one of the best devices ever used in a rock song.

I have wanted for months now to teach Polly how to ride a bike. Every time we tried, either my patience or Polly's ran out before we found success. I outsourced the job to Ida a few days ago--on what happened to be the hottest day of the year so far--and after two hours of listening to them argue, I looked over to see Polly riding the bike. With pedals. All on her own.

While I listened to them argue in the heat, I absentmindedly and sweatily moved several dozen large dead branches that had been driving me a little bit nuts because I imagined rats nesting in them. No rats. But now also no dead branches.

As I mentioned in a previous post, someone (may have been me) turned the sprinkler on next to a window well this weekend and then forgot about it for a few... hours. Our basement office flooded and the ancient carpet was ruined. The ancient paneling on the wall is also going to need replacing. It's possible that we also need foundation work. In the process of evaluating the damage, Matt and I came to a consensus that we'll likely move forward with cutting an egress window, adding a door, and making the office into an official room where Matt can close the door and actually get some work done at home. Not to mention the room (and the adjacent room) will get new carpet. Matt suggested I had forgotten the sprinkler on purpose, but I really didn't.

Basically, through almost no intentional effort, it's been an incredibly productive week.

Thanks for my hairstylist

I love my hairstylist, Kelsi. I’ve known her since Ida was a baby. She is always honest with me about what my hair can and can’t do. I don’t splurge on much—pretty much just my hair, and ice cream. And babysitters. Yeah, pretty much those three things.

Thanks, Kelsi!

Frasier Crane

Matt pointed out that Lars has Cheers-era Frasier Crane hair.

You really have to know Larsy in real life to appreciate it. Trust me that it's awesome. (definitely more awesome than Theo's Charlie Bucket hair) It's probably time to trim off the mullet and the wings but I just can't bear it and wouldn't know where to start anyway. So, Frasier Crane he will be for a while longer. At least I trimmed Ida's bangs today. If I were in an Olympic competition for cutting Ida's bangs, however, I tell you I would not even place. She's a squirmy one.

Bieber fever

I got another haircut.
This one was inspired by Julie Andrews with an unintentional touch of Justin Bieber.

P.S. I totally just blogged from my phone!
I have now entered 2006

Who wears short shorts?

Not Theo. Well, his pajama shorts are kinda short, I will admit. All boy PJ shorts are just short, OK? But anyway, really it's his hair that's short now.


SHORT! (not the best angle, it does not look that Spockish.) And look at those eyes. I get lost in Theo's eyes. And I feeeeel my spirits rise, and soar like the wiiiiiind, is it loooove that I am iiiiiin?

Theo did fabulously at Janine's salon. Jessica usually cuts his hair at our house or her house, but she was busy this week and I considered it somewhat of an emergency (really--he could not see through his hair). So it was his first time at a salon, minus The Yellow Balloon last summer which I'm sure he doesn't remember since he kept his eyes closed and screamed the whole time. Ah, The Yellow Balloon, what a travesty that whole situation was. This time was 100x better than last summer, both the experience and the cut.

Also it is nice to know there was actually a little boy under that mop all that time.


I miss the mop though and am thinking I will grow it out again. To a slightly less moppish state. I think Theo's hair is just meant to be long.

Photos courtesy of Alisha and Hannah, respectively. Because, when do I take pictures anymore? Rarely.

Ease my troubles, that's what you do

When I was little and desperately wanted long hair, my mom told me...very diplomatically, I am sure...that my head was too small.



And, as usual, she was right. My hair has been short for so long now that to me, it looks like I'm wearing a wig in this picture. At first glance, my hair is like a third the length of my body.

Freaky.

Speaking of tiny heads. I wish that I had a copy of my first-grade school picture (when I had longish hair) to illustrate her point even better. My head was even smaller and my hair even more overwhelming.

Speaking of overwhelming. I wonder sometimes if my long-hair days are over. It seems kind of sad to think so, but seriously guys. Aside from the fact that I can't style long hair to save my life: blow-dryers. HOW do you blow-dry long hair day after day without setting your alarm clock half an hour early? Or is that what people do?

Speaking of blow-drying. Matt and I watched One Fine Day the other night (inexplicably) and I remembered how, when I was a 9th-grader watching it in the theater, I wished for Michelle Pfeiffer's hairstyle. Little did I know that 12 years down the line, I would pretty much have it, though not on purpose. It's what my hair does on its own when I wait too long to schedule a trim.

Speaking of One Fine Day. I also remembered how I just HAD to have the soundtrack for that movie. (Who wouldn't?! "Have I Told You Lately"; "Mama Said"; "The Boy from New York City"; the country hit "Love's Funny That Way"! "For the First Time" by Kenny Loggins!) I don't know about you but when I just HAVE to have something, sometimes I pull out all the stops to get it. It was true when I was 14. Somehow I convinced my saintly dad to take me to Barnes and Noble at 9 p.m. on a school night to scratch that particular itch. Will I be such a saint when Ida is 14?

Speaking of the One Fine Day soundtrack. I still have the CD if you ever want to borrow it.

Bonus post: Hair

Poor Ida....
...so much balder than Theo ever was.

Second-day hair

My hair always looks better on the second day. Sleep flattens my poofy hair in a way no product or tool can. It took me a while to figure this out, but once I did, there was no going back. Two questions I have about this, though:

1) How can I make first-day hair look like second-day hair? Sometimes I can, actually, if I am able to take a nap before my hair dries completely. But really...if I wash it and let it air-dry it can be disastrous, particularly in humidity. But I don't do flatirons, blow dryers, or curling irons anymore...maybe I will take them up again someday but to be honest I don't even know where I've put them or if I still have them...so, any suggestions?

2) How can I take advantage of third-day hair so that my hair looks halfway decent 2/3 of the time instead of 1/2? Since I usually use a little bit of product on both the first and second day, by the third day things can get a little scary by the roots even if the shape is OK. I have thought about baby powder or dry shampoo. Do these work?

I suppose I could just ask my Personal Hairstylist these questions, but I am interested in your answers too. Plus she reads this blog anyway. (Except that she had a BABY last night! Welcome, Baby Sterling!!)

It's fall, must be time for a pixie cut!

Jess is cutting my hair on Wednesday and you know how I've come to depend on my fellow bloggers for second, third, fourth, fifth opinions.

Let me preface with: as I have discussed with you before, I know a haircut won't make me any less pregnant. But I like getting shorter cuts in the fall and I don't think Jess or I will have much time for haircuts after our babies our born (due at the same time).

Should I go for a few inches off but retain the same style I've had all year (which I do really love and is super easy--I never blow-dry it and rarely even brush it);

add bangs and keep the sides a little long (imagine Katie Holmes's old haircut in blonde, I think it would work--I am actually imagining this one more stacked in the back);


or do a super-shortie? But also probably stacked in the back. I don't get my hair cut often enough to avoid the mullet that is a side effect of non-stacked coifs. My concern with this one is that it could be deceptively high-maintenance with my hair, which has a tendency towards natural puffiness.

Perhaps I should expand my hairstyle options to include the other members of the original cast of Dawson's Creek.

Beautiful boy

Here are your before-and-afters.



Favorite quote from Dawn: "Now he looks like a handsome little boy instead of a pretty little girl."

So true.

Side note, Theo got out of his crib by himself this morning. What! I heard a loud thump and later saw a red mark on his head, so maybe he's scared away from that adventure for a little while. Cross your fingers.

I prefer "involved"

My mom told me today that I am "obsessive." I remember when I was younger and I got a haircut I didn't like, she always said, "All hair does is grow." It's true, but that never made a bad haircut any better.

Nobody got a bad haircut, but I did take Theo in for a trim this morning and he ended up with a little-boy cut. It's not quite as short as the typical cut you are thinking of, but it is really short. The lady took way too much off; probably because he was thrashing and screaming the whole time. I may cry a little tonight myself, in the dark quiet of my room.

My mom called me "obsessive," by the way, because I mentioned his haircut about 50 times this afternoon.

I know it looks FINE, but I will need a few days to adjust. All of a sudden I seem to have a 12-year-old on my hands. (Or, my first reaction, "Mia Farrow from Rosemary's Baby.") I'm serious, all you need is a haircut on a baby and suddenly they're 10 times older.

I upload an after picture later, but here is a before picture so you can all remember his long locks. (I choose to forget the fact that I took him for a trim in the first place because said locks were getting a little out of control.)

Your hair is everywhere.

I'm kind of obsessed with change. I mean minor changes that I personally control, such as rearranging my furniture or purchasing a Fall '07 wardrobe at the local thrift store.

Then again I also like big changes that don't come around as often, such as buying a new house or a car, moving to an exciting new city, switching to a fun new career, getting married, or having a baby. Inheriting a fortune or winning an election are also good.

I like change in clusters--whenever I move, for instance, I get new sheets for my bed.

I feel like I have seen this picture around the blog world a lot. I don't know what people google to find it but anyway I love this haircut. It reminds me of my niece Esme. You know as well as anyone that I am all talk but every few weeks or so I really get this itch to go pixie.


Then today at the grocery store (while I was buying All-New All-Bran Multi-Grain Crackers instead of Triscuits; also I bought a new calculator) a lady asked me where I got my hair cut and proceeded to write down all the salon info. She liked the 'do that much. Jess you have some new business coming your way.

I realized that my desire for a big chop can usually be traced to needing a trim. That is often change enough for me. Kind of like how I am satisfied with rearranging furniture, or more likely (less work) rotating the area rugs.

Question:

Post #3 of the day. I am almost to 1,000!

Jess is cutting my shaggy hair next week and I am trying to decide from among the following:

growing out my bangs and cutting off the mullet, resulting in a Sienna Millerish look,


orrrr, going back with another Sienna look with shorter bangs, only less trashy/whiny-faced,


orrrrr, attempting to emulate the love of my life, '60s Julie Andrews. (only more boyish, so without the parted-with-bangs look from Sound of Music.)


This is what my face looks like, speaking of 90s hair.


This is what Theo's face looks like (objection, irrelevant).

What would you do?

Try not to let personal feelings get in the way. Clearly I am cooler than Sienna, and Julie is cooler than both of us, but it's about the hair.

Oh me; oh my.

I just ran across this picture from last summer.


All three of us have gotten haircuts since then.


I'll tell you what, I have a LOT fewer bad hair days since I chopped mine. (in my defense I was just out of the shower.)

Honey Lately, I've Been Weighed Down

BY MY HAIR, that is.

I was going to post a mysterious "lone shorn ponytail" post but I didn't have time.



(I wanted to be like Hannah, is that so wrong?)

After many months of hating these long and gnarly locks, and the amount of time it takes to shampoo hair that's just going to go in a ponytail because who really has time for blow dryers?, I called my friend Jessica in desperation before we left for Boston. "Jessica," I said, "I am desperate. Please cut my hair! I need it gone!" She had to work until 9 on Friday, but was kind enough to oblige, so despite the fact that we had to get up the next morning at 4:30 to get to the airport, the fam and I packed up and headed over to Sterling and Jessica's at 9:30 p.m. on Friday night to say goodbye to my hair.

The last time I cut my hair short was right after my wedding--over three years ago! This is a long time for me. My hair hadn't been this long since I was 10.


(Note the permanent ponytail crease.)

I am happy to say that for once, I am having no regrets and I do NOT miss it.



Theo slept peacefully in Sterling's "study" the whole time.

I don't even think he misses pulling my hair. I sure don't.

Now I am officially guilty of all three Big Chops: the Big Chop after Arriving at College (check), the Big Chop after the Wedding (check), and the Big Chop after the First New Baby (check). There might be more traditional Big Chops that I am unaware of. I'm sure I'll find out.

Thanks, Jessica!

Jim and Pam and the 2007 Shaggy Bob-Gamine Crop Transition and Why I Can't Concentrate

Jim and Pam?? LOVE HIM, PAM!!!



Okay, so the season finale "cliffhanger" was maybe a bit predictable...but I do so love my Jim and Pam.

Unrelated: I decided to grow my hair out for another year, as you may know.

And I like to plan in advance, as you may know.

So, to the predicament: many short-hair people somewhat close to my age bracket that I have pictures of--Wait-until-Dark Audrey Hepburn, '90s Winona Ryder, recent Natalie Portman, recent Sister Phoebe, 2002ish Mandy Moore--are brunettes. Hair people always say if you're copying a cut, you need to have a similar color/texture/bone structure/etc. for it to work.

Unrelated: Pam from The Office is also a brunette, and my age, and I also have a picture of her as you can see, but I don't think I'll be bringing that to the hair lady.

There are a few "older" (than me) famous blondes whose super-crops I have always admired--Sharon Stone and Meg Ryan come to mind. More so Sharon (vampy and FAUX-HAWK) than Meg (creepy and LIPS). But I can't seem to find any decent pictures of either. (Word to the wise...google-imaging Sharon Stone is not advisable.) Sienna Miller maybe...but she's all like "I'm SOOO Edie Sedgwick and boho chic" and by the way I wouldn't g-i her either, just a tip.

Unrelated: I really liked the name Edie, until Edie Britt burned down Susan Mayer's house.

Unrelated: I really liked Desperate Housewives, until it got all needlessly sleazy (my mom's voice echoes in my head even as I type that word) as I should have known it was bound to do.

So hair: Mia Farrow, maybe.

Or perhaps the command "Let's see a #4 on the clippers, and make it snappy" will suffice.



I'm thinking maybe shaggy chin-length bob to transition to the gamine crop (every fashion magazine's favorite moniker for pixie cuts...and mine too).




I'll probably end up doing what I did at age 12 for my first major chop and that is bring a picture of Dolores O'Riordan from the liner notes of No Need to Argue (good idea) and another one of Sister Bonny (better idea). And Phoebe too. Yeah she's a brunette but we're sisters!

I said, SISTERS!

Semi-related: My problem with the super-short cut is that when my hair is super-short, I feel like I always need to dress cute, abandoning the freedom of the ponytail/bun, which goes with anything slummy OR glam. Anyone else have that problem?

This is why I could never write professionally. Non sequiturs and semi-relateds consume me. I'm in constant need of a commercial break from my point. I blame TV. I need to throw mine away.