Call Me "Red"

I got tired of looking like every other West End mama in Richmond who is trying desperately hang on to her youth just a little longer by covering her gray hair with highlights, lowlights and blond hair.

At the beginning of hockey season last year, one of the dad’s from Lucas’ team was trying to drop his son off with me at a rink. He told his wife, later, he had a hard time finding me because all of us hockey mamas looked the same with our blond “West End Mom” hair. That did it for me. It started a little buzz in my head. Do I want to look the same as everyone else? Do I want to blend in?

It took me a while to get the answer…NO, I don’t want to look like every other blond, highlighted, lowlighted mama. It took me even longer to screw up my courage just enough to do something about it.

Red…I went RED! Yesterday I went to the salon for a haircut and color. I came out a redhead! Not just a little red either…really red. I didn’t tell Stan I had any plans for my hair, other than the usual ~ fill in the highlights, trim up the ends and pay an exhorbitant amount of money to not be able to tell any work had been done.

I told one person about my thought to go red. Only Lisa knew. She texted me yesterday and said “Auburn?” I said “Yes.” I already had the color on my hair when she texted me. It was too late to back out. But the nerves were setting in….

What my hair was AWFUL? What if I hated it? What if…

Before you can call me “Red”

As I sat in the chair with red seeping into all of my hair follicles it hit me ~ I wasn’t going to blend in with the rest of the West End mamas anymore but I also wasn’t going to blend in with my children anymore ~ Lucas, my little blond boy ~ Claire with her gorgeous, wavy blond hair and Zach with his blondish tips. I wasn’t sure I made the right decision.

What if everyone hated my new look?? My stylist said I was too quiet. Nerves had taken over. Crap, CRAP and CRAP! What had I done?

I came home to face the music. Zach and Claire were the first two to see my new look. I walked quietly into the house and stealthily into the TV room where those two sat, all holed up. I burst in. After their initial fright at seeing someone who looked nothing like their mama they settled in and said they loved it. So at least I think they like my new look.

I was trying to stay on the downlow until Stan came home. But then the earthquake hit and my new do was revealed to my neighbors. Glowing reviews…not sure if they were just playing nice with me but they all said they loved it.

On to the real reveal. My moment of truth arrived as Stan’s truck pulled into the driveway…

Fall 1991 ~ My little prank worked!

I think it’s safe to say, Stan had a mild heart attack when he walked out on the porch yesterday and saw me sitting there with my new red hair. The expression on his face reminded me of the one he wore the time I pretended to get my hair completely cut off. When we started dating in 1991 I had nearly waist long hair. My mom had short, choppy wig from way back in the 70’s. It was nearly identical in color to my own hair so I decided to play a trick on Stan. I put the wig on and went to his apartment to play out my prank. He wasn’t too happy. The expression on his face said it all ~ it was kind of a “Holy Shit, what have you done!?!?” kind of look. It was identical to the expression he wore yesterday but yesterday I wasn’t playing a trick. My hair was really red. He says it will grow on him. (This morning he woke up, looked over at me and nearly jumped out of bed. He said it’s because he loves my look so much!) It may take a while for my new red hair to grow on him.

I think Lucas is right there with Stan. He’s not a big fan of the red. But I hope it will grow on him too.

I hosted a little party last night and got fantastic reviews from all of my friends. Lisa included. Julie, my blogging partner on http://www.perfectmamasconfess.com/ , recently went blond. And I do mean BLOND! Last night was the first time I have seen her since she got her new do and she looks fabulous! It must be something in the air. A time for change. Maybe it was a good time for a change if the reviews were so positive.

I do wonder if I worked up the courage to change my hair color because I am trying to compensate for my otherwise geeky look. So now, maybe I’m geeky-chic. I think it’s time for some sassy new pictures…well, as sassy as I can be with a mouth full of metal. Jaws (from the James Bond movie) is how one of my friends refers to me. Well, now I’m Jaws with red hair. But at least I worked up the courage to step out of the ordinary, yet again. Braces and now red hair…geeky-chic…how less ordinary can I be?

The New Do

I may not blend in with my children anymore, which makes me a little sad. I certainly don’t blend in with the rest of the West End Mamas, which is good ~ but then again, I’ve never been good at blending in. Who knows someday I may get sick of this look at go back to blending in but for now, just call me “Red.”

Oh, for the love of my children…

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