Vienna's hair

Vienna is getting some hair! I have been slowly buying hair products over the months, saying to myself, "This is for Vienna. When she gets some hair....." It's not very thick hair but it's growing longer. I can put some tiny snaps in it. Barrettes still slip out. The other day, I had 4 little pony tails in the top. It was very cute.

I'm almost afraid to try to start braiding. I need to find an expert! Or maybe I can borrow an older child to practice on. It's not really the kind of thing that I'm brave enough to approach a stranger about. You know, borrowing their kid.

I have been brave enough to approach a few women and ask them what they use in their hair or their kids' hair. They all take pity on the poor white girl and spill all their beauty secrets! I love them for it! A woman even offered to go to a store in a different neighborhood to buy something for me. She works at Costco. I told her that I wasn't intimidated by going anywhere and I thanked her for the information. I went to the store and I felt like I needed at least 3 hours there so I could read all the labels! I did find the jar of stuff she was talking about and I bought it.

Some of the information I get about hair and skin is from two different yahoo groups I read. Some of those moms have gone off their rockers with the products they recommend. I have a hard time paying $30 for shampoo for a baby who barely has any hair! I met a woman in an elevator and asked her how her baby's hair looked so nice. She told me it was from Vaseline. I mentioned it to someone on the list and I nearly had my cyber head bitten off for suggesting it. I think that there's got to be some middle ground somewhere. I want my daughter to look nice but I don't think it needs to cost a fortune.

My white daughter has long blonde hair. I trim it, brush it and wash her hair with the cheapest shampoo on the shelf. And it looks great! I don't spend a lot of time braiding it or putting it up in bows. My black daughter is not even a year old yet and I've probably spent about $100 or more on shampoos and lotions and hair stuff. (Don't tell John that).

Is black hair destined to be expensive hair? I completely think that her self esteem as a black woman is worth every penny I need to spend to make her feel good about herself. But what do I really NEED to spend? That's the real question. I absolutely believe that her skin and hair need special care and I spend a lot of time putting lotion on her skin and rubbing oil on her head. I believe I'm doing my best for her and I hope that's good enough for everyone else, too.