Just call her Fiahanna....

Friday started off innocently enough.

I said to Princess Petunia on the phone as I was driving home... "I'm going to go get my nails done tonight, want to come with me - and you need a trim, we'll get your bangs done at the hair salon next door.".  She was excited for her "Girls Night" - because we go out, do fun things and typically get dinner before coming home.  It's fun, quality time for us.

When we're driving to the salon she says to me "I'm going to do more than trim my bangs.  I'm going to cut my hair short."  Me:  "Really?!?!"  Her:  Yup.  I want it like Rihanna's.  Really short."

I'm thinking she wants something like a long but severe bob.  Okay, I'm good with that.
But she starts looking at the magazines while we're waiting, and each of the pictures she picks are severe pixie cuts. 
Seriously?!!?
Seriously.

She's as serious as a heart attack.
I've got to be honest -- I tried really hard to talk her into less drastic styles.
She got really pissed off at me.  No two ways about it.

The stylist senses my concern, and takes it upon herself to not quite give her what she wants.  She gives her a much softer and adorable bob; and while it's shorter than I'd like - it's beyond adorable.  Princess Petunia is not happy.  Not even a little.  She basically tells the stylist that it's no where what she wants or asked for and practically storms out.

Am I embarrassed?  HELL yes I am.
But.....I can relate.
(How often have I been upset because I didn't get the cut I wanted...and maybe I didn't say so.
Good on her for speaking her mind, though rather uncouthly.)

So, I suggest she sleep on it.  See how she feels in the morning.  Try this on for size and if she still doesn't love it we'll go and get it cut tomorrow.  Sure enough, this morning, first thing she's like "this is cute and all, but nothing like I wanted.  I really wanted a fun, almost boyish cut.  Like Rihanna...".

What's a Mom to do????

Off we go, to yet another salon where we explain what she wants.  The stylist is hesitant - and that's an overstatement.  How many girls, or even women break down when a mere inch more than they realized is taken off???  And yet here is this soon to be 8 year old girl demanding a pixie cut.    The stylist takes a deep breath and announces the beginning of the cut. 

He's more than  half way done when Princess Petunia really sees herelf in the mirror and she announces "I love it!! It's exactly what I was looking for."  Boy, did he breathe a sigh of relief.  And I'm not going to lie - throughout the whole cut, I had incredible pangs of anxiety.  It's her hair - she wears it how she wants, but oh my....is it short. 

And yet it fits her personality; it's sassy and fun.  It's spunky.  It's perfect for her impish personality.  And she LOVES it.  I think my big anxiety is that I worry that the girls in school might tease her for the big change; but her attitude has been "don't blame me for the cut, blame Rhianna - it was her idea!".  I love that she's comfortable in her own skin, it's one of the most important things that we as parents hope for our children; and I love her to the moon and back that she has it.

It is an absolutely adorable cut on her.  And this is exactly what it looks like!