"When will you cut their hair?!"

For so long people have asked me “when will you cut their hair?!”

My answer has consistently been “never.” It’s November 2022 and Bray and Broady literally got all of their hair chopped off.

I’m sad.

Why are some mama’s so emotional when it comes to cutting their kids’ hair? My feelings aren’t everyone’s, but I’m certain some of y’all can relate.

We’ve been talking for several months now about the boys getting “a big boy cut,” and “hair like daddys.” Bray even got the sides of his hair faded when we were visiting family in Florida over the summer. My eyes watered as I watched the barber hand scissors over to Bradford to take part in the first cut.

Bray’s new style prompted more discussion around when they would both get their haircut and what type of look they wanted. To be honest, I rarely entertained these conversations because I was not on board. At all.

It has been a big fight for a while to get them in a consistent routine of washing and deep conditioning their hair. So shouldn’t I be excited about not having to chase and wrestle kids to sit down for a detangle? Yeah, maybe. But why..why am I so sad?

As I watched their hair fall to the floor yesterday at the barbershop, it felt like I was losing pieces of their youngness. That’s just it, they’re growing up and I’m not ready. In my family, the first haircut is a big deal. That first cut symbolizes growth and change! Although their hair was a challenge to detangle most of the time, there was something comforting about the process– gently running my hands through their hair with leave-in–having them sit close and snuggly with me.

What is that saying? We are not our hair? I agree–mostly. But maybe sometimes we are. I’ve been reminded that it will grow back, but when it does it won’t be the way it was before. It’ll be new and fresh.. And so will the boys…ready to take on another adventure.

They spent the rest of the evening either in the mirror or scrolling through ipad contacts deciding who to surprise next.

The boys have fades yall. And they. are. fire.