Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Bad Hair Days

So, I've been avoiding the topic for a while. But since you all keep bringing it up, I guess I have to address this issue of Baby Jay's hair. Just like his sister, he was born with a beautiful head of hair. As a chemist, I keep think it might be a good idea to develop an African-American hair product based on a synthetic version of amniotic fluid. That stuff works wonders! (I digress..)

As the story all too often goes, after only a few days out of the womb, Jay's hair turned for the worst. It developed somewhat of a split personality - "do I want to be curly, or straight?" ... "how about both? . A few months later, the signature bald spot became apparent in the back of his head. Next came the thinning around the sides. All the while, the top continued to grow. Each strand pointed in a direction of its own choosing. The result of all of this is what you all have referred to as a "back-in-the-day Kid 'n Play high top", a "mushroom topper", "a bald fade".

I have refused to comb it, because it would stand about 4 inches tall. And we all know what the Williams kids look like with an afro! Check out this picture of Janai at about 6 months old.


And what about this one from just a few months ago?



So...I had been trying to convince James to let me give Jay a few cornrows - but he was, is, and will forever be vehemently opposed to it. Nevertheless, during the trip to Chicago a few weeks ago, the in-laws psyched me up enough to do it anyway. The braids lasted long enough for me to snap this picture, and have James to be pretty upset about it. Me posting this picture on the blog may be grounds for divorce! So take a quick look, you'll NEVER see this again!


For my friends who may not know, there is a method to my madness. As the old tradition goes (that mean grandmama and 'em used to say), baby boys aren't supposed to get their hair cut before they turn one year old. Rest assured, that Jay's appointment with Uncle Juan (our friend, and -more importantly-a fantastic barber) is already scheduled for November 25th, 2008 (You guessed it... Jay's first birthday!)

In the mean time, let's just all agree to keep pretending that high top fades are still in style!

Peace.

5 comments:

Christy said...

I think lots of cultures have that 1 year "rule" for hair. Both of ours had cuts before their birthdays - Amiya's first was at 4 months when it was in her eyes and all over the place. I love Janai's afro (the older one, especially!) and James looks very sweet with those corn rows. (But then just about any baby looks sweet when curled up asleep!)

Aundrea said...

I think it looks better with the cornrows, but I guess the husband wins if he is totally against them.

Aundrea

M.Owens said...

"Girl Girl Girl" Them kids head are jacked up. You need to come home to VA, so I can help ya out. Wait till I tell everyone how you treat them kids. Since James don't want cornrows tell him that you are going to have to put Jay's hair into little ponytails. He may agree to the cornrows. Tell Nai, I need some of her hair for my edges.

nana nell said...

Nana nell says Jay looks sexy7 cute.Tell James he might want to talk with his brother in laws. Looks like Jay has the Finnell trait (Swirls). take an excellant barber to cut those. Tell Jay that his uncle Rob had platta until he was 2yrs.

Alveda said...

Thanks Mother. But, I'm sure you mean Jay's uncles. Brother-in-laws would mean that Janai is married!!! :-)