It could have been worse...*

FYI: This post happened about a month ago, but I didn't upload pics onto computer then.
Warning: You will get more of these backlogged posts...

BEFORE
Notice: Adorable bangs. Adorable dimples. Adorable smile.

AFTER
Possible Headgear for the next few months: Helmet?

Naaaah! She is still as adorable as ever.
Notice: Adorable (though forced) smile, Adorable shirt and piggy tails, and a little less than adorable bangs.

How can I get mad at this sweet thing?

The cool thing is, she fits in quite well here in Hungary with those bangs. The sad part is that I didn't get an actual shot of the damage. I fixed it before taking the pic. I just didn't want to validate any part of her cutting fiasco. But now I'm sorta regretting it...

I guess it happens to every child once. They get some crazy idea in their head and when you ask them why they did it, they exclaim, "I don't know." I just thought my kids were smarter than that. I mean, they are Chapmans, right? We learn from other people's mistakes. ;) (yea right) But c'mon, cutting your hair with scissors? That's not even fun. (Okay, so I totally did it too when I was her age and even cut my brother's hair along with it. I have no idea why either.)

So I have to first tell you my experience with Haley cutting her hair 2 years ago. She was the same age as Maleia. (It must be the age where their "cutting your hair is bad" braincells are on back order.) I was setting the table and Haley comes to me with both hands behind her back with a VERY guilty, sad face and right away, I knew this was bad.

Haley: "Mommy. I made a very bad choice."
Me: Really? What happened?
Haley: slowly brought one of her clinched hands from behind her back and held it in front of her and sighed. "Look."
Me: I don't see anything. What is it?
Haley: starting to cry and opening her hands so I can try to see better, "I made a VERY bad choice mom and I am very sorry." tears started flowing as she brought her other hand around from behind her back and that's when it became clearer. Scissors.
Me: I still didn't see what it was in her hand, but as I looked closer I saw maybe 6 or 7 strands of hair. I couldn't even tell where on her head she cut it, but we had a long talk about scissors and rules and hair and how she made a wrong choice. She couldn't use scissors for a long time. I don't remember how long actually, but I am sure at least a week.She was cured.

Then there's Maleia's story on Sunday.

I was making a dessert in the Kitchen and was walking from the kitchen to the study to check the recipe on the computer and passed the bathroom. As I passed I heard someone gasp and something metal fall to the ground followed by the fast pitter patter of feet running out of the bathroom. Oh no. I backtracked to the bathroom, saw the pile of hair and the scissors on the floor, and yelled, "You've got to be kidding me!!! Someone is in big trouble!" So I yelled the obvious choice, "MALEIA!!!"

She stuck her head out from behind the couch and said it a little more chipper voice than I expected, "What Mommy?" As if she had no idea what I would possibly want to see her for. "Come here right now!!!" Now it was my turn to gasp. It was bad. It ended up being better than I first thought, but it was still bad. Let's just say I thought I taught her how to cut better than that. I kept asking Maleia why she did it, and I kept getting the same answer, "I don't really know, Mommy. I just don't know," then she shrugged her shoulders and gave me that blank stare of concern, as if to say, "Man, mom, I think this is harder for you than for me. Bummer." sigh.

So then here is some of my lecture: "Maleia, you are beautiful. Your face is beautiful, your back of your hair is beautiful, your eyes are beautiful, your body is beautiful, but your bangs are definitely NOT beautiful right now. You usually make such good choices, but this is a VERY bad choice." Then I went through the things that we can and cannot cut and told her she will not be able to use scissors until Preschool starts. (2 weeks)

Now she looks like an 80s rocker with really short bangs. It definitely could have been worse, but good thing we just got family pictures taken and that the wedding we are going to isn't until December. Grow hair, GROW!

The other funny thing that happened was that we had friends over and they have a little girl who is 2 1/2. She stood there right by me with a devastated look on her face and apparently hung onto every word that I said to Maleia becuase the next day when her mom took out some scissors, little Scarlett ran toward her mom yelling, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!" And was almost in tears when she was trying to explain to her mom the wrong choice in using scissors. SHE is the one who learns from other's mistakes ... or maybe that lecture was just that good. I decided that giving lectures might be a good career choice for me. I rent out if needed. I guess that would be a counselor. Hmmmm, on second thought maybe not.