A NEW LOOK

Yesterday we went to the hairdressers after nursery. They chopped over 3 inches off Alice's hair, I'd like to say that she has a chic new style but even after cutting it again I still don't think it's right, better, but not right!

MILESTONES

I'm not sure what today's milestone would say.

Today we put the highchair away, it's been replaced by a travel highchair that we're using as a booster seat.

But also today I took Alice for a haircut (following yesterday's incident with the scissors), they cut an inch and a half off the length and suddenly she looks so much younger again.

TO FRINGE OR NOT TO FRINGE

I've been procrastinating about haircuts. My hairdresser went on maternity leave last October, I continued having appointments at the same salon with a different hairdresser, but it's 30 minutes away and I'm not overly impressed with the substitute (she's fine but she's not M!)

Alice hasn't had a trim since mid December, neither have I, we both need an appointment (should have had cuts before the wedding). I usually go every 4-6 weeks and it's been 4 months!

I've been asking around for recommendations for a while, but today Alice forced my hand. She cut her hair. I was sitting next to her but I was engrossed in a book, ugh! For once I didn't get cross, she looked so angelic (and innocent, despite evidence to the contrary) that all I could do was laugh! Then I Googled hairdressers again and in 24 hours time Alice has an appointment nearby for a haircut.

All I need to do now is decide if I can live with the short bits or if they need to be turned into a fringe!

THE NEW 'DO' REVEALED

MY LITTLE STAR!

Tomorrow Alice gives her first performance! She needed a star costume, Mummy did the top half and C did the trickier bottom half - thanks C! I think Alice looks fantastic!

But today she was a star as well - sitting beautifully still to have a proper haircut, they cut about 3cm off, it looks much tidier and even though it's shorter I think she looks less babyish too. The staff at the hairdressers couldn't believe that I turned up without the pushchair - Alice walked in and sat in a big chair before sitting on a high stool for the actual cut (transfixed by S*hrek and a pot of grapes!

My little star.

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

A good night's sleep . . . hurray!

I feel so much better. Not enough sleep, but continuous for more than 6 hours is a HUGE improvement. It probably seems like I'm obsessing over sleep - it becomes increasingly significant as it becomes just a distant memory!

And the bad news? My hairdresser's gone on maternity leave. She's great, but I don't have such a good working relationship with her replacement - so I've got an unexpectedly short haircut.

A PARENT'S PEROGATIVE?!

GFN couldn't believe it when he saw how long Alice's hair was!

HAIRY GONK?

. . . no, just Alice - she always has to sit in her car seat when she sees it, regardless of whether or not it's actually in the car!

HAIR AND NAUGHTINESS

Hair - we both went to the hairdressers this afternoon. First I had my haircut and then it was Alice's turn - I'd choose for it to be the other way around but it's beyond my control. We both had a quick trim and we both look smarter for it! Alice was beautifully behaved throughout. The hairdressing staff couldn't believe how much she'd grown in the past 6 weeks and how well behaved she was.

Whilst we were at the hairdresser's Alice flirted outrageously with both the male stylist - fluttering eyelashes, wicked grins and the eyebrow game!! The eyebrow game has only been played with me until today - she raises and lowers her eyebrows to change expression (see the second photo), sometimes quickly but sometimes slowly - she wants you to copy her and finds it hilarious when you do - it's been a great bonding game that we usually play in bed over the morning or nighttime bottles. My hairdresser found the expressions of the eyebrow game hysterical, but Alice would only play it with the men!!

Since I tried the 2 fountain hairstyle last week, I've also tried the 'single spray' - both styles remind me of her hair last summer whilst also reminding me how much she's grown and changed since then. This evening's 'single spray' is an easier style - no partner to try and match with! But since trying hair bobbles Alice is more inclined to rip out hair slides, the bobbles remain untouched (for now)! (Note the toast crumbs in her hair on the final photo!)

And the naughtiness? Attitude over supper, including dumping most of her toast over the kitchen table - she knows how to provoke me while I try to stay calm, little pickle!

HAIR!

I finally found a way to keep Alice's hair of her face - not sure she'll appreciate photos like this in years to come though.

She didn't touch them and they stayed in all day, hurrah!!

STILL BUSY, ISH

. . . we both look better for a haircut but I'm still feeling rough. Other than our hair appointment it was a quiet day - socially and literally! I'm bored with feeling ill and fed up with not being able to phone friends in the evenings - talking hurts and my throat feels like I've swallowed razor blades, hopefully the antibiotics will take effect soon.

TODAY'S CLIP

ALICE'S HAIR

Alice's hair continues to grow, it's no longer standing up (except for bed-head mornings!) Luckily GMA and Father Christmas have provided a few hairclips - they're not as easy as you'd think to put in!

TODAY'S NEWS!

We had a quiet morning. After the school's carol service and staff night out last night, I was slow to get going and Alice was her usual amenable self and let me go at a leisurely pace!

Today's outfit was another lovely pressie from GMA and her family - a gift from their Florida holiday, from Gymb*ree (could become my favourite store!) I admired another IAP's daughter's outfit recently and in the process I was introduced to Gymb*ree. Unfortunately they don't have any shops over here any more, but you can shop online, so I did! I ordered some clothes (for next winter and Christmas) on Sunday evening, paid $5 extra for express delivery and they arrived this morning, 36 hours later!! Incredible and the clothes are fabulous too, I will be ordering again.

I've had another shock with Alice's clothes recently - the baby grows that are on the small size are a size larger than I'd thought, she's nearly out of M*thercare's 12-18 months, at 14 months!

For fun I tried some squeaky shoes (bought in China) (shoes that squeak as she walks - to encourage walking) on her this morning. I'd bought 3 pairs, the smallest are already too small, sigh. Anyway, Alice really loved the shoes, they didn't help much with walking, but she did a lot of bouncing and had great fun. I know that there are differing opinions as to when a child should wear shoes - I'm going to keep Alice in the soft leather slippers until she's properly walking, but occasionally we'll have some fun with the squeakers!

I also keep meaning to post about her hair. I know that Alice is looking a little 'hippyish' at the moment - that's what comes from trying to grow baby hairstyle out into a bob! I see a hairdresser's appointment in the near future!!

NO HAT REQUIRED!

Hair washed last night. All fell down with no 'help' from a hat!

WOULD IT BE WRONG . . .

. . . to put your baby to bed wearing a hat to avoid 'morning bedhead'?

(Seriously I understand that it wouldn't be safe for temperature regulation reasons, would never do it, but it is tempting after this morning's quiff!)

HAIR

We both had our hair cut on Thursday, because Alice's hair had 'fallen down' she needed to have her fringe cut, not because I wanted her to have a fringe but because that's the way it was falling and it was shorter at her temples and longer in the middle of her forehead. So they had to cut it quite short, it was necessary but brutal and the final irony - to even it up with the way it was now falling they had to cut off just enough that it's now standing up again!!

The first photo is from Thursday, post cut but pre-wash (Alice is eating her new favourite food, satsumas - she gets more like her Mum every day)! The second photo is from Friday morning, having had her hair washed before going to bed the night before, some days I think I should have called her Elvis!

MORE ABOUT HAIR!

Is definitely falling over at the front! Looking back over the photos from the last few weeks it hasn't just happened, the 'fringe' has been getting thicker gradually - I just hadn't noticed til now.

Alice doesn't seem to mind though!

Next hair cut, Thursday next week.

HAIR, AN UPDATE

. . . or should it be a down-date? Yes, you've got it, Alice had a hair-wash tonight and when her hair dried IT DIDN'T STAND UP!!

I think that we may have reached the critical length. It's not totally flat, but her forehead is now covered. The style isn't so striking, but hopefully that means that other people will keep their hands off! She still looks beautiful and she still a cutie - those are the important things.

FALLING DOWN AND HEALTH UPDATE

. . . not Alice, just her hair!! It's getting longer so it might be because it's getting too heavy, but I think it's just because she slept with her head against the side of the travel cot.

As for her health, she's finished the antibiotics, she's still got a nasty, wheezy cough, but the cough is looser and her temperature is back to normal, she's a bit more like herself too. Much better, but still not quite back to normal.