D tries out the 'Beckham circa '03' look. PA
Unfortunately, my entire life schedule is carefully coordinated around D's sleeping patterns (clearly a mistake, considering a toddler is probably not the most reliable person to depend on), so I've spent this week frazzled, tired and eating brownies for breakfast (which, sadly, only made me more exhausted and irritable).
For lack of anything better to do with D at 6am in the morning (I am fighting the urge to turn on the television and plop her in front of cartoons for as long as possible), I decided to style her hair.
I've been obsessed by Diana's no longer-insignificant locks from the early (and the not-so-early) bald days. She still has baby hair - so fine, so soft and so naturally blonde. As an un-natural blonde for most of my life, whose blonde days have been less than glamorous (over-processing left my hair looking dry and damaged), I find it hard not to be in awe of D's gorgeous, pristine hair.
D shows off her bunches, and her 'Mad Scientist' coif
This is partially why I haven't booked her in for a haircut yet, although I suspect she needs one rather desperately. Her hair is that sort-of awkward in-between length at the moment, and can look rather wild and untamed at times. But she's 18-months-old, and not a contestant on Toddlers and Tiaras, so I'm pretty relaxed about it.
But I saw no reason not to try accessorising and pulled D's hair into bunches. Amazingly, she didn't seem to mind and even kept them in for several hours.
And she looked adorable - in an instant, she went from looking like a baby to transforming into a little girl - I am still dumbfounded at how quickly she's growing up. I'm so in love with the look that I've recreated it every day since; unfortunately, every time she wears a hat (which in this weather is a non-negotiable), the elastic bands fall off, so I'm thinking it's more a seasonal hairdo.
Inspired by the morning's success, that evening, after her bath, I tried something different: pulling the top of her hair into a mini-ponytail, a.k.a. 'The David Beckham circa 2003' hairstyle. Which was also pretty cute, until I took it out, and D's hair resembled a mad scientist's with a faux-hawk.
That's the extent of my styling expertise - so far. I thought I'd quit while I was ahead, and it occurred to me that I still have bigger fish to fry like teaching my toddler how to be a functional, respectful human being who doesn't violently throw objects or hit people or pet dogs. Styling tips can follow after that.