Two-year-old Rebekah in January 2008.
Then she got into the habit of sucking on her hair, which caused snarls, which caused trauma when it came time to brush her hair. So we chopped it off, and she had it short for quite a while.
Four-year-old Rebekah in March 2010.
When she promised she had kicked the hair-sucking habit, we allowed her to grow her hair out again. It took her a year or so, but her long, golden locks returned. However, the battle over brushing resumed, and when I suggested that a haircut would make washing and brushing easier, Rebekah decided to chop away. We rushed her to the salon, and she was able to donate eight inches of her corn-silk hair.
Bekah's long hair before the cut.
After the cut and holding her donated pigtails.
Before the stylist started hacking, Rebekah told her how she'd like to look after the haircut.
Rebekah: Do you know what American Girls are?
Stylist: Yes.
Rebekah: Do you know who Kit is?
Stylist: I'm not familiar with that one.
Rebekah: I want to look like Kit.
Andrea: She wants a chin-length bob.
(Here's Kit, for comparison's sake.)
I'll admit, I kind of miss Bekah's long hair. I FINALLY figured out how to French braid someone else's hair, and I was having a fun time doing new things with it. And on Sundays when I'd get out the little curling iron and curl her golden mane ... goodness. Her hair was gorgeous.
But every other day of the week when she wouldn't let me touch her hair, it didn't look nearly as put-together or lovely. I'll admit ... with her new cut, it's much quicker and easier to do her hair, and she can finally wash and rinse it on her own. As for snarls, they're pretty much nonexistent. It's a trade-off, but with a headstrong second grader, it's for the best.