Monday, October 18, 2010

The Great Gum Wars...

I'm sure you've heard of it. Many of you have probably fought in this war yourself or with your child. It's a sticky situation for sure (get it? sticky? gum? Haha! I crack myself up).

Anyway, it wasn't until last year that I even LET my kids chew gum (only sugarless mind you) because their DENTIST (of all people) told me...in front of the kids...that it would actually be a good idea to let them chew sugarless gum. Well then, being the rule follower that I am, and the fact that my kids HEARD him say that (of all times for them to actually listen to someone) I let them chew gum.

I set the ground rules first:
1. Keep it in your mouth.
2. DO NOT SWALLOW.
3. Wrap it in a tissue or piece of paper when you are done.
4. Throw trash in the trash can
5. Refer back to #1 and DO NOT GET IT IN YOUR HAIR!
6. Oh yeah, don't chew it with your mouth open or smack it because that really drives Mommy NUTS!

Fast forward to last Monday. Lucy's treat when I pick her up from school is a piece of gum. She asked for a piece when we got in the van on Monday and was happily chewing away...like a cow mind you...she hasn't quite mastered rule #6 yet ;p #'s 1 & 2 are hit and miss, but she's always been really good about #'s 3 & 4.

Anyway, we had to make a stop and during this time she asked for a snack. I had forgotten about the gum she already had (non-stop repetition of the same 5 Veggie Tales songs on 1 cd kinda makes me lose my marbles a little) so I gave her one...a snack that is.

We got home and I reached back to unbuckle her straps on her car seat. As she is trying to get down she starts fussing that her hair is stuck. It has gotten tangled in the chest buckle before so I reached back and was able to get her loose. When I brought the hair forward however I saw it...the arch nemesis of long hair (second only to lice...PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE don't ever make us fight THAT war!)...a big ole wad of bright pink (watermelon flavored if you were wondering) gum all tangled up in her pretty blond tresses! I was horrified and did the only thing I thought I could do at that moment...I whipped out my phone and called my hairdresser! She wasn't working that day and the other hairdresser was booked solid...YIKES! I was told to try rubbing ice on it to get it out...it only made it worse.

I tried combing it out and her hair is so fine and flyaway that it only made matters worse. I broke my heart but the only other thing left was to get out the scissors. The gum had a death grip on a pretty long stretch of hair so I held it in my hand...closed my eyes (no, not really)...and did something I never planned to do (myself anyway) until AT LEAST next year...I cut of a hunk of my baby girl's hair...several inches long. I couldn't let her go for the rest of the day that way (her appointment was set for 10am Tuesday) so I had to go all the way around. She was upset and wouldn't keep her head still so it was just a tiny bit lopsided.

On Tuesday we headed to see Ms. "J" and she "cleaned it up a bit" for us. Lucy wasn't too thrilled t be standing there (she refused to sit down). Ms. "J" even gave her a mini candy bar to eat while she stood there. It completely melted in her hand because she wouldn't eat it.

Does this look like the face of a girl excited to be getting a haircut?

A smile just wasn't gonna happen!

We left and I wanted to get another picture of her hair. She stopped at the van door and finally smiled for me. I think she decided she liked her hair...she just wasn't telling anyone :)

Here's a little smile...
COMPARISON...
BEFORE (taken on her birthday)

AFTER

Wanna know something funny? Lucy actually asked me on the way to get her haircut if she could have a piece of gum! I laughed and told her no. She asked why and I said...just look at your hair Lucy. She said, "Oh yeah, I forgot!"

2 comments:

Kmama said...

She is adorable with her short hair! I know that broke your heart to cut it though.

Sara @ Domestically Challenged said...

Oh dear! That is such a little girl thing, isn't it!? She looks adorable either way, but what a lesson!!