What to do with the hair

Natalie's hair and what to do with it has been a topic of discussion throughout her life.

The first few months, I lamented that they had shaved the side of her head (both sides!) in the NICU to put an IV line in her head. The nurses weren't successful at getting a line in (they ended up getting one in her foot) and then it took many months for her hair to grow out. In the grander scheme of things (learning of the lifelong challenges Natalie would have), this was really not a big deal, but I'm reminded of it every time we look at pictures.

Her head was never big enough to fit the cute baby headbands...and if we found one small enough, it surely wouldn't stay on during the day. Here's her baby announcement picture...the headband was for the picture only, in an attempt to disguise her shaved head.

When her hair finally grew out enough to put something in it, we used tiny elastics to hold her hair on top of her head. But that ended up seeming too babyish, and my hairdresser said the constant pulling might damage her hair.

We tried clips, but she took those out right away. So she went without anything in her hair for a while. Her hair looked great for 5 minutes after I blowed it dry, for about a week after her hair was trimmed. Sorry, I can't blow dry her hair every day, or get it trimmed every week.

Then I put a hair clip in her hair one day before she went to school. The teachers asked me to keep putting clips in her hair, because they thought the hair in her eyes was keeping her from concentrating well. I told them I'd put clips in her hair as long as she didn't take them off on the bus and start chewing on them. She does pretty well on the drive to school, but often in the car she will take the clip out and chew on it.

And then there's Konrad. He takes her glasses off AND takes her hair clips out. But I still try to keep a hair clip in every day (her hair seems to grow forward toward her eyes). Sometimes I have success, and sometimes I don't. Boys are soooo much easier in the hair department!

Today I tried a ponytail for the first time! Let's see how long it lasts...between Natalie taking things out of her hair, and Konrad taking things out of her hair...who knows? I remember I liked ponytails a lot when I was a kid, so we'll see how Natalie likes it!

Update #1: Natalie took the ponytail out on the way to Costco, and again on the way back. Hmmm....it's not looking so good.

Update #2: Tom reminded me of this post, which is relevant to the subject.