Change

We have decided to stop combing the YaYa Sister's hair. The reasons are numerous, but most of all because she will have the prettiest head of dreadlocks that any of us have ever seen. A close runner up reason is because I have spent more time now doing YaYa's hair than I have spent on my own hair in my whole entire life. I just have to ask myself: Is this quality time? The fact that she is often screaming and crying and throwing herself on the ground and if she could cuss she would suggests not. I know that my blended race daughter is only experiencing what young black girls all around the world experience: super kinky hard to deal with hair, but fortunately in this family we believe in dreadlocks.

Her hair is perfect for dreadlocks. I will probably miss the little braids and twists and all that, but adding a newborn to the mix has shifted me over to the nappy side. Elena pointed out that I will be saving a ton of time by letting her hair dread up. It's true that I spend probably half an hour on it every other day. Time that I will now spend picking up toys. Those feet stabbing dinosaurs are a big pet peeve.

The other big piece of news around here (other than the fact that I really don't like this hole in my neck and can't wait for it to heal) is that yesterday my superstar husband bought his airplane ticket for Turkey! At least one member of this family is going on a journey. A long and far away journey. He'll be gone for three weeks in April and he almost reconsidered when it hit him that the kids will change while he's gone. Especially the little Leaf baby.

We'll miss him, but I'm so glad that it's settled that he's going. He needs it, you know? He's headed for a peace gathering, and it's going to be a raging adventure.