How to Fix Cute Hair

I am not cut out to be a hairstylist (no pun intended). There are lots of interesting professions I'd like to explore, but that's not one of them. For starters, I can't cut a straight line on a piece of ruled paper. About four or five months ago, I got annoyed with my hair and tried to trim my bangs. They just recovered. I cut the back of Cate's hair once. Even the dog noticed that it was uneven.

Unfortunately, my lack of hair styling skill goes far beyond problems with scissors. Besides a basic ponytail, I've never been able to do any cute "up dos" or things like that. I can't make "french" braids or cute little buns or anything else. Having a daughter means I must learn to be more creative in this area. Cate likes to wear ponytails and barettes. And because I love her so, I'm learning. I've got a long way to go. Is there a school for this?

Fortunately, the girls at Cate's day care like to fix her hair. A couple of weeks ago, I stopped in to pick Cate up and they were just finishing this little number:


Of course, Cate was sitting as still as could be while her hair was being done. She never sits that still for me. And she loved it. She was so proud to show off her ponies to Daddy when we got home.

Honestly, even though my hair fixing skills leave a lot to be desired, I am glad that Cate finally has hair. It's been a little difficult when she has asked for ponies like her friends at school and I had no way to put them in because she was sporting a Roxette-style do for about six months. This Saturday, we're headed in for her third (I think) hair cut and I'm pretty sure we'll have an actual style with this one. She asked this morning if I would curl her hair.....don't get me started on my shortcomings with heated hairstyling tools.

Happy Mother's Day

Yes, it's a day late, but as you can tell from the frequency of the posts here, I am not exactly on top of things these days. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms -- I hope you had a good weekend.

I had a nice weekend, but the highlight was definitely the present that Cate made for me at day care. I think it's really cute, but the best part was how excited she was to give it to me. She's also been showing it to everyone because she is so proud. When I went to pick her up on Friday afternoon, she ran to me and gave me a big hug, then went to get the present. She gave it to me with such a sweet little smile and said, "Happy Mother's Day."







We went to church on Sunday, although we didn't stay for the festivities afterward. This Sunday was Pentecost and our church has an annual picnic on Pentecost. They had red balloons everywhere and Cate brought three home. Balloons can entertain her for hours. Attire was more casual this weekend and I took a picture of Cate right after church with her balloons. She asked for barettes in her hair and I thought they looked very cute. Her hair is growing so quickly; we are getting another haircut this Saturday. I have a plan to post a few more things here this week, so stay tuned for an update on our activities over the past month. In the mean time, a quick Baby Martino update: recent doctor's visits seem to indicate the baby could come about any time. I believe he is officially full term now, so there's no danger if he decides to make his arrival. And I can assure you it wouldn't hurt my feelings. We have an induction scheduled for Tuesday, May 27 if he doesn't come before then. Everything seems fine -- baby seems to be growing well, my blood pressure and all that looks great. Of course, I am uncomfortable and I like to whine about it. The last couple of weeks are rough, especially when you're trying to chase a toddler. To make matters worse, my sinus problems have returned so I am coughing, sneezing and generally unable to breathe well.

We've also narrowed down our name options. The new little one will be Keaton Martino. We haven't selected a middle name yet, but we have a few ideas. Cate is excited to welcome her new baby brother (or so she thinks) and we'll keep everyone updated when he is born.