I Did It!

...and here's my proof!

(I know, I know...the suspense is killing you!)

So I haven't had a real haircut in almost three years now---yes, THREE years! When Gabe and I got engaged, my hair was pretty short:

Knowing our wedding was on the horizon, I started to grow out my hair because I wanted to wear it up and have no problems getting the hairstyle I wanted. You can see the picture of us in the right margin-that was at our rehearsal dinner. So that's how much my hair grew in about a year and a half. Of course I got it trimmed here and there, but no more than an inch each time.

After the wedding, I was dying to cut my hair shorter. But then I got thinking-if I cut my hair, I might as well put it to good use. The problem was that to donate it, you needed at least 8 inches. And at that point, 8 inches would have taken me super, super short...which I didn't want. The shortest I ever had my hair was around april/may 2005. I can't find a pic from then, but found this one from August 2005. My hair is curled so it's a little shorter than usual, but you get the idea.

So, I decided to keep growing my hair until I had enough to donate. Well, my hair got to be where it is now and it seems to have stopped growing. Whether or not it really stops, I don't know, but it's been at the same length for awhile. I remember this happening when I was a kid too. I always wanted hair to my butt and once it hit mid-back, it seemed to stop! I decided since I'm off of work for awhile and Avery has been finding my hair that it was time for a change. Last night I went to Pasquale Salon here in Rochester and made the cut! Here are some photos of me before I left (yeah I forgot to brush my hair so it looks sloppy!).


Side view:

Back view:

And here is me less than 2 hours later with a new cut and highlite:

Side view:

Back view:

And me with the ponytail I'm donating:

I decided to donate to Children With Hairloss. I had another place in mind but then Heather over at Heather Drive recently chopped her hair as well and I used a link from her site to find a few other hair donation places. The one I originally was going to go with didn't impress me much. I emailed them a few questions and they weren't very friendly and didn't seem too excited or happy that I wanted to donate so I decided to change my mind. The problem was that my hair was highlited already and most sites will not take color treated hair. So my options were limited, but I did find a place which makes me happy. I'm glad my hair will get put to good use.

And my new cut? I like it! I wanted it to be layered (it isn't right now) but he (yes my first time having a man do my hair) talked me out of it. The reason is because I just had Avery, I'll be shedding hair. I guess when you're pregnant, your body retains all of its hair. Then a few months after the baby comes, you shed all of the hair you should have shedded during those 10months. So your hair tends to look a lot thinner and you have new, short hairs replacing the ones you lost. So basically your hair layers itself! He said if he had layered it, then I started to shed, my hair would look extra thin and too layered. So we stuck with all one length for now and in a few months once my hair has adjusted itself, I can get a more "stylish" cut. It is funny running my hands through it and washing it though-there is nothing there! It'll take a few days to get used to that's for sure!