Locks of Love

Ryley’s goal for three years has been to grow her hair out long. She loves the “idea” of long hair, though taking care of it has proven to be a struggle. It gets hot, it gets in the way, it gets in her food, it gets tangly, it gets sunscreen in it…Let’s just say that it has been a rough summer for those long locks! Most days she doesn’t even bother to run a brush through it after her shower, which gives it the straggly hippie look we’re not too fond of. :-)

To this point, we’ve indulged her and allowed her to have it as long as she wants. But today she asked me to make her a hair appointment. So I did. And then she spent the next five hours wondering if she was making the right decision. She’s always toyed with the idea of one day donating her hair to Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children with cancer and other diseases that cause hair loss. We looked at before/after pictures online, and I made it clear to her that though I thought she should cut it, I wasn’t going to pressure her or make the decision for her. And in the end, she decided to go to the salon and ask them what they thought about how much length would be left over. She didn’t want to be left with a short cut.

So here’s before:

We went to a place we’ve gone to off and on for years, and they handled everything so perfectly. They were really enthusiastic and encouraging, and they answered all of her questions.

She was so nervous!

10 inches! And plenty left over!

Voila!

Slight layers in the back

We think she’s gorgeous both ways, of course! But we love the new cut and are so proud of her for making such a hard decision. And some little girl will be grateful for the beautiful wig!!

She is still wrapping her head around it (literally!)…still mourning it in some ways. But I think this will make her life so much easier, and she will start 5th grade with a fresh look! Yay!