Week 8 and chugging along

Here are my week 8 pics. I don't think I look any different. It's like watching paint dry taking pics so often. I'm going to start taking them once a month.

Here is my smiling face.

Hmmm ... I usually don't like how my hair looks from the side, but I like this one.

And what in the hell is that? Just kidding, I know what that thing on the side is. My hair is locking. I have a few of these throughout my hair. I can't stand looking at them, so I tuck them into my hair.

Stretching my hair out so that I can see the little monster better. The hair at the base of my head stretches to about arm pit level. About 10 inches, I'd say.

And here are a couple of pics of my outfit today. Straight in from work. My office is a business casual environment, only the upper level executives wear suits (3rd line manager and up). Usually I will wear slacks, skirts, or jeans (and shirts of course silly).

Here's my daughter making an appearance (or is she trying to make a run for it?)

Going on vacation

I'm going to visit my in-laws this Thanksgiving. And what am I thinking about? My hair, of course. How are they going to react to it? Why am I so worried about what they will think of my hair? Do I care about what my family thinks about it? No, not anymore. Not for years. I know their attitudes about nappy hair that's not combed, and it's all water under the bridge. Do I care what my manager and coworkers think about it? No, actually. I'm out and proud at work, lol. I walk up in there, and my hair is not a concern of mine, and if they look at me funny, I don't notice. Do I care what the grocery checkout girl, daycare provider, and maintenance man think about it? Doesn't even cross my mind to care. Do I care what my husband thinks about it? Yes, I do, I want to feel sexy around him. Luckily he likes it. He'll grab a handful of hair from time to time (it feels good). So, if I don't care what anybody else thinks of my hair besides my husband, why do I have a problem with how my inlaws feel about it?

Week 6 pics

Here's how my hair looks at 6 weeks. First of all, I HATE the hair shape. Ugh! But I think I can see a little difference between week 1 and now. More of my hair is grouping together. My hair is so easy to take care of. I just shampoo and condition 2-4 times a week, and separate when damp or dry. Some mornings I spray a leave-in conditioner in my hair (to help with the bedhead). Fluff and go.

small freeform locks

Somehow, I decided that I want small locks. So, as my hair forms these little coils, I make sure that they don't join to form large locks. Meaning that I separate them after I shampoo, while my hair is only slightly damp, or even dry. Which is fine, but my hair being the length that it is, it seems to want to tangle a lot. I'll be glad when it starts locking, I think it'll be easier to separate. Plus, since I'm just separating them from the coils, I'm unsure I'm doing it correctly. I don't want them to be too small, I just can't really see the size of the base. I can't always see where to separate them. The sides don't even form coils, so how will those develop? The top is a wavier texture, so I don't really know how to separate the top either.

It's crazy, because at every step of the process, I'm doubting myself. I'm thinking that I shouldn't do small locks, that it will be too much maintenance for me keeping them separated. I'm thinking that I should not have chosen to do it freeform, because it's kinda difficult to make small locks with my length of hair starting freeform. I have to keep reminding myself that no matter how many lock inspiration pics I look at or how many forum posts I read, I really can't imagine or predict how my locks will end up. I can guide them, generally speaking, but the locks will ultimately be what they will be. They will be mine. And they will fit me, and I will love them.