First Haircut

Before:the mullet

When our first child was only a few months old, I suspected that her first haircut would be a long ways away.

This last week, my prediction came true...She was born with scant brown hair, most of which fell out by the time she was 4 months old. By 12 months of age, she still did not  have enough hair to brush. A few months ago, suggestions to cut her "mullet" started coming in. She still did not have a lot of hair, but she had a few long strands at the back. 

I resisted cutting her hair mostly because it looked rather cute when put up in a ponytail, or two small pigtails. However, for several months now, coinciding with her increased assertiveness, she refused to let me coif her hair.

So one day last week, I decided to trim the "rat's tail" as my husband referred to it. She was bathing at the time, one of her favourite activities, and did not take notice the scissors. While far from a professional job, I think it looks rather nice. I may not be able to put it up in pigtails anymore, but at least I will stop fielding questions about her mullet!

After: mullet-no-more

Baby #2: Bald &  chubby

She is NOT a boy!

CC enjoys a swim with her papa

I recently read an interesting article (http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/babiespregnancy/babies/article/995112--parents-keep-child-s-gender-secret) about a Toronto couple who had decided to raise their third child genderless.  They have kept the gender of their now 4-month old baby a secret from everyone (except the baby's older brothers and the midwives that delivered the baby) in an attempt to limit "the constraints of gender stereotypes". After publication of the article, the parents found themselves in a firestorm;  they were criticized by parents and experts alike.

My first thought was that they must be very hands-on parents; they would be handling all of the diaper changes themselves!  My second thought was that regardless of what they were told, people would have their own ideas about the baby's gender.  Case in point, our 15-month old daughter.  At least once a day, I hear "oh, what a cute boy".  Initially,  I would correct them, and also point out the pink flowery clothing that she was donning.  I have come to the conclusion that their opinion is based on our baby's hair, or lack thereof.  She currently has what some refer to as a mullet; long in the back and short in the front.  I find it very interesting that although I dress her in girl's clothing, and mention her (very feminine) name, people still think she is a boy. Perhaps I should stop correcting them, and run a little experiment of my own.  Would those who thought she was a boy speak to her less in that "googoo-gaga" tone that so many tend to adopt when speaking to infants?  Because if that were the case, I would be all for it!