When I was done I turned her around to discover I had missed on strand on each side of her hair that was just hanging down from the top of her head to below her shoulders. Was my face red. I asked her to let me re-do it. I actually begged her, several times, but no, she liked it. I had had all the time I was going to get with her hair for this day.
So we went uptown and visited some friends and I had to explain that my french braiding skills were suffering. My hair dresser, kind soul that she is, even said I did a really good job. I gave myself a C- and explained the problem with tears and wailing (on both sides) that accompanied brushing Abigail's long, beautiful hair out.
What happened next? My very clever and kind hair dresser said she had a magic brush that did not hurt tangles!!! She, also having very long and beautiful hair, swore that it just "went over" the tangles without getting stuck, but it got them out. This magical item is called The Wet Brush and can be gotten at Creative Edge for only $12. I promptly bought one for Abigail's mother as a Valentine's present.
Abigail allowed me to take out her braid as soon as we got home and proceeded to brush her OWN hair for 20 minutes, without any tangles or crying or gnashing of teeth or anything. It was like a miracle!!!
Back home, I settled the girls in the Princess room with the baby happily looking out the window and Abigail arranging stuffed animals in the cradle. I went into the kitchen to start lunch and just as I was thinking they had been quiet a long time, I heard the door shut. Any mother will tell you that gives you a bad feeling. So I go back down the hall, knock and stick my head in. The scene had changed. The blind was now down, the baby was still on the bed, now happily pointing a flashlight around and babbling. I look down at Abigail, and I don't know why I whispered, probably because it was dark?
"What's going on?" I whispered.
Abigail, busily putting on a pair of my boots that come all the way up her little legs, looks up at me with big blue eyes and whispers back , "I'm being the Queen of Darkness."
I look back up, everything seems fine, and I have left water running in the sink in the kitchen, so I whisper "Okay", and shut the door with no more questions.
Back in the kitchen, laughing to myself, I contemplated who the Queen of Darkness was. I had no clue whatsoever. So when I went back to check, it's a girl in a pretty cool get-up, black boots, a sun hat, and a boa in Mardi Gras colors, who rides tigers in the dark, with her friend the bear. We had watched Brother Bear II the night before. I decided that in my house, the Queen of Darkness is Abigail Lea, and she is a good person, especially in the dark.
By 6 pm that evening we were both losing our minds, so I went out with her to play in the snow. Winters are hard with little ones. People get cabin fever. We have ample snow, in fact, we got 13 inches last week. This week we got a bit of freezing rain and a little more snow on top. Before that, she sunk in up to her knees and she did not like that. Just as Abigail was discovering that she could now walk across the yard on top of the frozen rain layer, I pointed out the full, orange moon coming up in the sky. It was magic. She said it was "the best night EVER." I had to agree. The fresh air did us both good.
I don't think she had ever gotten to play in the snow in the dark before, and she happily climbed a 5 foot high pile of snow next to the driveway and slid down the other side until she was tired. God bless children who get tired in about a half hour.
After that, a warm bubble bath and a movie she went to sleep early. I did not plan it. I was just going with the flow. I realized that I had adjusted back to the schedule of "being home", where there is no set schedule, just a lot of frantic movement and the bare necessities getting "done". I decided to enjoy it as much as I could because it would be gone before I knew it. I watched her sleep, as I have since she was 3 weeks old, and marveled at how she has grown so fast. I thought about all the things she won't remember that I will never forget. I told her that she was going to be going through a lot of changes, and I would still love her through them all. Even the snotty, eye rolling teenage stage and the rebellious years that would follow. She was sure she would never act that way, but I know better.
I had forgotten how hectic, hard, and rewarding it was to have little kids all the time. I had forgotten a lot of things.
I know it was harder on their mom mentally than it was on me physically. I also know that for me, at least, it was worth it.
Tomorrow they go home, and life will go back to normal around here, minus most of the magic. Time to get back to real life. Children last such a very short time. It's a shame you have to raise a few before you realize how fast time really does go.
On the upside of things, though, I am ready to be a grandma for real.
Luckily, I have the room all ready to go. We will be adding another one in June. That's right!!!
I have a grand DAUGHTER on the way.
Back home, I settled the girls in the Princess room with the baby happily looking out the window and Abigail arranging stuffed animals in the cradle. I went into the kitchen to start lunch and just as I was thinking they had been quiet a long time, I heard the door shut. Any mother will tell you that gives you a bad feeling. So I go back down the hall, knock and stick my head in. The scene had changed. The blind was now down, the baby was still on the bed, now happily pointing a flashlight around and babbling. I look down at Abigail, and I don't know why I whispered, probably because it was dark?
"What's going on?" I whispered.
Abigail, busily putting on a pair of my boots that come all the way up her little legs, looks up at me with big blue eyes and whispers back , "I'm being the Queen of Darkness."
I look back up, everything seems fine, and I have left water running in the sink in the kitchen, so I whisper "Okay", and shut the door with no more questions.
Back in the kitchen, laughing to myself, I contemplated who the Queen of Darkness was. I had no clue whatsoever. So when I went back to check, it's a girl in a pretty cool get-up, black boots, a sun hat, and a boa in Mardi Gras colors, who rides tigers in the dark, with her friend the bear. We had watched Brother Bear II the night before. I decided that in my house, the Queen of Darkness is Abigail Lea, and she is a good person, especially in the dark.
 |
| This was the only shot I got--I can't do everything you know. lol |
I don't think she had ever gotten to play in the snow in the dark before, and she happily climbed a 5 foot high pile of snow next to the driveway and slid down the other side until she was tired. God bless children who get tired in about a half hour.
After that, a warm bubble bath and a movie she went to sleep early. I did not plan it. I was just going with the flow. I realized that I had adjusted back to the schedule of "being home", where there is no set schedule, just a lot of frantic movement and the bare necessities getting "done". I decided to enjoy it as much as I could because it would be gone before I knew it. I watched her sleep, as I have since she was 3 weeks old, and marveled at how she has grown so fast. I thought about all the things she won't remember that I will never forget. I told her that she was going to be going through a lot of changes, and I would still love her through them all. Even the snotty, eye rolling teenage stage and the rebellious years that would follow. She was sure she would never act that way, but I know better.
I had forgotten how hectic, hard, and rewarding it was to have little kids all the time. I had forgotten a lot of things.
I know it was harder on their mom mentally than it was on me physically. I also know that for me, at least, it was worth it.
Tomorrow they go home, and life will go back to normal around here, minus most of the magic. Time to get back to real life. Children last such a very short time. It's a shame you have to raise a few before you realize how fast time really does go.
On the upside of things, though, I am ready to be a grandma for real.
Luckily, I have the room all ready to go. We will be adding another one in June. That's right!!!
I have a grand DAUGHTER on the way.
