My Day. Mood Hair. or Hair Moods?

I had plans to do a blog tonight with Asher’s birth story.  Wee Ash has been starting to hit an earlier bedtime all on his own this week, and it’s left me with a few minutes to myself most evenings thus far.  It’s a strange feeling, but a good one.   Of course, the night I actually planned to write a blog, is the night he is up a bit later, and I feel kinda crappy.  I don’t want to post about the birth of my beautiful fourth babe in a negative light, so again, I will save it for a happier day.

Today was a long day.  Dave is pulling a 14 hour day at the school with a year end banquet he has to MC and do a bunch of stuff at.   There is something about 5:00.  I hit this wall.  I feel like I can handle things pretty well during the day, but I eagerly await Dave’s return home from work.   He brings a joyful energy into the house (most days-lol) and I tend to just defer all child arguments and questions and family decisions over to him at that point of the day.  It’s nice to just kind of let go of the reins I have been frantically trying to hold onto all day, and let him be the leader for a while, and just enjoy the fam.  

Anyways, today was a full day flying solo.  Robyn was being a bit of a bully to Janna.  Jesse was endless with his questions and requests, Janna was a bit extra pouty, and the baby a bit extra cryish. ( I like to make up words.  It’s genetic.  My mom has the same problem, except that she believes hers are real) I had lots of housework to do, lots of homeschooling to get in before the break, and the girls needed constant mediating.  Often I let them try and work it out, but it was a bit scary today as Robyn hasn’t napped in a few days, which leads her to this place of angry rage, where I sometimes DO THINK she might just smoke Janna across the face and push her down the stairs.  I got bit by the overtired Robyn yesterday, and it was only after making her put some pants on.    I am also trying to teach Janna to stand up for herself a bit more, so that is all a very stressful scenario among a crying baby and a 5 year old boy asking something every 6 seconds, “ can I bake? Can I color? Can I go plant a fruit seed? Can I get married? Can I .. Can I...”  He is such an eager learning sponge that I do not wish to squelch- only fill, but it can feel a tad overwhelming by times.

I knew I’d be battling the urge to freak out or scowl or mope or whatever, and while I put up a good fight, I feel like I failed today.  Like, I raised my voice a few too many times, like I showed my annoyance at Janna’s wimp-strength, like I disregarded some of Jesse’s questions, etc.  Ugh.  I felt angry by 6, and just put everyone to bed early.  After a good email rant to Dave, and a hot bath with a lovely mango sugar scrub (thank- you Katie S), I am feeling more even keeled.  I snuck into the sleeping kids rooms and gave them a kiss and told them I was sorry and would not be such a  grouch tomorrow.   I am so thankful God made DAY and NIGHT.  I am so thankful for this divide of rest and rejuvenation.  I am thankful for Grace. 

So, while I was soaking in the tub, I had this strange realization, and this is really what I want to blog about.  It’s kinda dumb.  But, I realized that I am FRANTIC lately to have my hair done a certain way.  Like, not that it needs to be nice, I refuse to spend more than 2 minutes on my hair.  But, I just get panicked all of a sudden with this urging overwhelming NEED to have it a certain way.  If you could hear in my brain it would sound like  “ BUN! SLICK BUN!  I NEED A SLICK BUN!  I NEED A SLICK BUN NOW!!!”  or “ BRAIDS. I NEED BRAIDS.  I NEED DOUBLE BRAIDS NOW!”  And then I really do drop whatever I am doing to attack the hairstyle I need.  AND LORD HELP ME, if I can’t find an elastic.  FOR REAL.   I have been this way for a few months now, and I always just thought that since my hair is getting longer it’s a bit more in the way, a bit more weighty, and I want it out of my face.  But, I have these feelings with wanting my hair down as well.  So, today, it hit me in the bath, that my mood totally affects how I want my hair.  So, here I sit and blog about my hair moods.  I know, deep, eh?

DETERMINED MAMA=SLICK TOP OF THE HEAD BUN

When I am feeling like I have a lot of work to do or wake up feeling super rested and like I want to tackle a bunch of extra chores or tasks, my go-to is the slicked back top of the head bun.  It’s like, POWER HAIR!  It’s out of your face, it no fuss, it is tall and I’m sure intimidating whatever task lies ahead.

RELAXED MAMA= DOUBLE BRAIDS

When I have had a good sleep, or am just having a great day with the kids with minimal work to do, I want the double braids.  They keep the hair maneagable, but look decent and as I am feeling, RELAXED!

STRESSED MAMA= MESSY BUN

Just get the freakin’ hair out of my face! I don’t care what it looks like, just get it back there!

DEPRESSED MAMA= Low pony. 

I’m just so tired, I can’t lift my arms too high to do this hair... I’m also losing hope on what I look like.... When can I go to bed???

HOPEFUL MAMA= Hair Down

Surely I won’t get any gross body fluids in my hair today (that is always wrong by the way)  Maybe I’ll get 7 minutes to talk to Dave interrupted and I’ll flick my hair a bit flirty like.

Does anyone else have mood-dos? I would love to hear about them. Anyways, 9:00 has arrived and so I must be signing off of this rather scattered blog.  I just realized my hair is half-pulled back, then is joined to a braid down the side.  It’s kind of scattered.  I don’t do this one too often.  I think it must be my scattered mama-do.  Off for some sleeeeeeep.  Thanks for reading! I’m out.