Friday, May 29, 2009

Curly

My Curly has always known that her hair was her "thing." Since she was about one year old she's gotten at least one compliment on her hair per outing. It's her signature, her defining feature, the thing that gotten her called everything from "Shirley Temple" to "Felicity" to, well, "Curly."

When she was just 3 her Daddy combed her hair after putting on a leave in conditioner. She came downstairs to see me bawling into her towel, genuinely devastated over something I couldn't discern between the sobs. When she could catch her breath she wailed "Daddy combed my curls away!" Even that tiny she knew the importance of her beautiful hair.

She's had her hair trimmed a few times, but it's always been quite long. However, with summer on it's way, and swimming and heat making knots of epic size in her tresses, I gently broached the subject of a haircut.

"Okay!" she said, without hesitation.

"Really?

"Yeah. How much are we going to cut?"

"Well that's up to you." I took a breath "Would you like to donate your hair?"

"What's donate?"

"Give your hair to people who will make wigs for people with no hair."

"How come they don't have any hair?"

"Well, they are sick and the medicine they need makes their hair fall out. So they get a wig to wear made out of hair that people donate."

"How short would it be?"

"Your hair?" I asked and when she nodded, I showed her, expecting her to say "NO WAY!"

Instead she smiled and said "Yeah!"

So today was the day. In honor of her Auntie who is fighting the fight against cancer and all the others who are fighting too, my Curly cut off more than 10 inches of hair.







It looks great and we have the ponytail bagged and ready to go to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths Program.

When I tucked her in tonight she asked me if her hair would help make someone better. It hurt a little to have to tell her it would not. But when I answered her honestly she said "But it will make them feel happy and that's good too."

Indeed it is, Sweet Girl. I could not be more proud. I'm pleased to know my baby's beautiful inside matches her beautiful outside.

3 comments:

  1. It's proof positive that you're raising a generation of caring, thoughtful, giving children. Kudos to you and Husband!! And way to go Curly, it looks beautiful!

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  2. Way to go Curly!! My neice did the same thing 2 years ago after we found out my dad had cancer. She did locks of love at Relay for life.. I think she gave about 10 inches too!
    That is awsome that she did that, so again WAY TO GO CURLY!
    -Kim

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  3. In rereading this, I thought I should comment that Curly has made me a very proud Auntie. They all make me proud with the little things, but she went above and beyond, especially with her understanding of making them feel happy.

    :)

    Give them all kisses from Long Distance Auntie.

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