Sparkly Princess has hair much different than I did as a child. Mine was stick straight and thick. Luckily I had a Mommy who has her beauticians license, so it was always pulled up immaculately smooth. Give yourself and instant face lift tight. It took me until my early 20's, and many brushes thrown across the room, to give up trying to emulate her pony tail.
It's a good thing I did, because I could never accomplish that on Princess' hair. She got Daddy's hair. Baby fine with lots of curl in the back, but more like loose wave in the front.
To say it has been a challenge for me is an understatement. I can pull her hair up in a ponytail, and five minutes later she looks like a disheveled street urchin once again. Keeping those whisper fine curls in place is not easy. She wants to try wearing it down? Good luck. Brush it and as soon as you blink, the tangles are back. Yet with all her curl, the amount of product needed to keep her hair evenly curly is just way too much for a 7 year old to use every day.
My sister and mother have been able to french braid for years. I never managed to pick up that skill. It was much more fun to have my hair braided than to learn how to do it myself. They've both french braided Princess' hair for her in the past. I love that it keeps her hair back from her beautiful face, and I especially love that it actually stays in place through pirouettes and wrestling matches with Daddy.
So I've decided I finally need to learn how to french braid. Like any good information junkie, I searched the web for the best tutorials I could find. I came across some really amazing blogs about braiding little girls' hair, by mothers who can be considered nothing other than artists. At one of these, we came across a tutorial on how to basket weave hair. It looked way more complicated than french braiding.....and of course, Princess LOVED it. She wanted me to do that to her hair. She even voluntarily took a shower and washed her hair so it would be wet enough for me to weave it. Such enthusiasm! Mommy, however, was not so enthusiastic. But I love my daughter.....I love my daughter......I love my daughter.......
Tiny elastics hunted down and sopping wet hair prepared, we went to the living room couch so that she could lie down somewhat princess-style to get her hair fixed. (Princess-style is a phrase in our house that refers to having one's hair blow-dried by Mommy while lying down on a pillow, with your hair up over your head. I have yet to convince Superman to do this for me......) This time, it was leaning against the arm of the couch instead of on a pillow. You can see what I mean in the tutorial. Two failed attempts and an aching back later, this is what I managed to pull off:
Not exactly like the tutorial. Elise's hair will never be that straight without a flat iron or chemical relaxers. But she's happy. Go upstairs, put on a tutu and ballet shoes, and twirl around happy. I'd call that a success! :-D
For the tutorial I used, and a million other amazing hairstyles, check out The Story of a Princess and Her Hair
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