I lived my dream, and now the dream is over.

I didn't think I would ever have long hair. As I mentioned in previous posts, I longed to have long hair for most of my childhood. I would have given anything to have had hair that hung in front of my shoulders or down my back. I would have DIED to have had hair that got stuck against the pew at church when I sat down. I never felt very feminine and I felt like long hair would have made me so much more a girl. Over the years, though, the obsession faded as I accepted the realization that long hair was just not in my cards. And as time passed, I even came to like short hair better--to me it was sassy and way more sophisticated. I cut my hair short when I was in college and it was short for about five years--and I was cool with it. However, when I became pregnant for the first time and began taking prenatal vitamins and then as I transitioned into motherhood, my hair began to grow as it never had before. I think the prenatals and hormones were huge contributors, but I think it was also a result of my not doing my hair nearly as often. You know how it is as a mother--taking a shower becomes a luxury, and doing your hair is forced several notches down the priority list. Since I wasn't damaging my hair as much and since I didn't always have the time nor the money to have it cut very often, it just kept growing. And you know what? One day I woke up and I had long hair. (Long for me, that is.) I had long hair! And even though I loved short haircuts by then, I felt like I was living a childhood dream! And I got to enjoy all of the things (for the most part) that long-haired girls get to experience, and I loved it. I loved it until one day a couple months ago when I began losing it by the handfuls. I'm not kidding--i was losing my hair and I was losing it fast. But don't be concerned--it was all in the normal cycle of things. I think we all lose hair after having had a baby. But mine had just hung on a little longer than usual as I continued to take prenatals. Anyway, despite loving having longish hair, I was equally determined to not be one of those crazy girls who has hair that is long alright, but it is also nasty and stringy--lookin' and thin. You know the ones--they usually hang out around places like 7-11. And as sad as it is, I was fast becoming one of those girls. So on a sunny day a couple weeks ago, I cut my hair. I cut it to my shoulders and then had Brian try to help me even it out. It looked alright, but as long as I was cutting my hair, I felt like I should at least get a real hair cut. So last Wednesday I went and had it cut for real. And I'm OK. It isn't exactly what I wanted, but I'm OK. You know why? Because I don't care as much about my hair any more. So anyway... now I'm a short-haired girl again, and I've said way more than should ever be said about hair. Sorry about that.

Everything else is cool, except that my little Danin is sick. I'm not sure what is wrong with her. She's been running a fever for a couple of days now and she is just not herself. I think she only smiled once today and she has just been really tired and lethargic acting. I took her to the doctor today and they prescribed her some antibiotics for the beginnings of a possible ear infection, so we'll see how that goes. I sure hope she's herself again soon. She started walking a few weeks ago and now she's cruising along like a pro.

Jane is as darling as ever, but man, I sure hope she starts going potty in the toilet soon. She has gone poop in the toilet many times over the last year, but it's never materialized into any kind of habit.

Camp is really growing up, and I am so proud of him. He has gotten so much better at not hitting people, he has amazing phone manners, and he is learning to swim.

Brian is doing well also, but I'm not sure he has been thinking about what an amazing wife he has lately. Probably because he hasn't had an amazing wife lately. I really need to kick it into amazing wife gear this week, because starting next Sunday, I will be away from him for two weeks while I stay in Vegas with the kids and I really want him to miss me. I miss him every time I am away from him.