SPT- Childhood Memories (don't forget the hair)

Last week when I read Lelly's challenge, I was excited because it's a perfect way for me to post about my birthday! I know, I know it's 9-11 but... 9-11 has been my day for 32 years. I'm not discounting the tragedy at all, I really mean that. It's just too depressing to hear about every year on your birthday. AND I get teased a lot about having a crappy birth date. Well thanks, I don't think so.

Here are some childhood memories accompanied by photos. I couldn't decide between some of these cute, hideous, funny pictures so I decided to post my favorites (or not so).

Even as a little tiny girl, my mom always did my hair. Remember I mentioned my first perm at 18 months? She meant business when she wanted more body in my baby fine hair!

I'm about 4 in this one and can you believe she got me to sit still for this? My hair is so round! C'mon mom, how much hairspray here? Or was it all back combing? You might think otherwise but I love this one. Kyle and I look so happy smiling for mom. Me in my short dress with tights and Kyle in his 70's romper. What cute kids.

This one is for my mom. She loved my hair here (me too, it's somewhat flat). I loved the dress. She was always so good about getting our pictures taken. I was ok with Nathan, dropped the ball with Dane and once Kathryn came, it all went down the drain. I love all the photos I have to look back on. Can I possibly recommit to taking more that can be famed with a new baby on the way? I hope so.

Every Christmas eve I spent the night in pink curlers (you know the ones). And every single Christmas morning, until I was successful in the whining, I looked like this. I eventually did win out (and then looked like a rag muffin). This must have been a special year with the flower and all. I always had ringlets.

This one almost tops the cake. For a ward talent show, my best friend and I got our hair cut the same way (courtesy of mom), wore matching dresses made by mom and recited the Shel Silverstein poem Saturday together. Now isn't that cute? I still remember it.... 'I cannot go to school today said little Peggy Anne McKay.' (My friend hated, hated her hair. I'm not sure she was ever the same again, ha!)

Every year at the county fair my mom would get the old fashioned pictures taken of us. We have at least 5 different ones. They aren't as cute (or cheap) as they used to be so I haven't ever done it with my kids. Maybe once for old time's sake.

I might have posted this one before. In fact, Kyle might not appreciate it a second time if I did. But me, I love my big hair (cough, cough). In fact, this is not the biggest my hair was in some pictures. I'm serious. A big memory I have from growing up is getting perm after perm in my mom's salon. Oh my I'm not sure I could count how many I have had through the years. But I do know I had one at the end of every summer, right before school. Hence the way my hair looks in most all the school pictures. Is there any other way my hair would have stayed like this without a little body? At least here it was curled, sometimes it was just wash and pick that baby out. Which meant a big puff ball of hair on my head. I would cry and whine but my mom would prevail every time. I'm pretty sure my last (unapproved) perm was in the 6th grade. I did opt for one as a junior in high school. It wasn't that bad since I wanted it then.

But..since my mom always did my hair I had no idea how to do it myself. This is in the 7th grade and I was having a hard time doing my hair for picture day. I asked her for help and this is what I ended up with. It was so, so big. I spent the first 2 hours of the day squishing it down and this was the result. Whenever I see this picture I think, 'I was born in the 70's and I took them right with me into the 80's.', HA! (Don't even ask about the animal shirt. It frightens me every time I see it. I don't even think it was mine, did I borrow it on purpose?)

And I had to post my senior picture. When Kathryn saw this in the pile of photos she said, 'Is that you? You looks so young and pretty. Kind of like a teenager. You have long hair with curls, I love it.' I was laughing so hard! I told her that I was a teenager when this was taken (17) and she looked at me like I was a celebrity. She had Nathan and Dane come over and look at it. They were so funny, I wish I could have their voices on camera because it was adorable. Totally questioning if this is me and looking at my face to to believe it. Nathan told me I did look the same, just older. Apparently today I look every bit of my 32 years to them.

*Maybe somehow all of this contributed to my choosing hair as a profession?*

Milo went out of town yesterday afternoon not to return until late Thursday. I don't expect a big hoopla on my birthday (never have) but he has been missed today. Marion and the kids are 'surprising' me with a party tonight. I know about all of it because Dane was NOT into keeping anything a secret (are any 4 yr olds?). In fact, he told everyone that he was going to tell me all that they did. I plugged my ears (heard it anyway) and the big kids think I don't know. They are going to be so excited tonight. And crash at bedtime. Perfect since I'm on duty by myself.

I have some birthday Good Mail to post about and tomorrow I'll have a party recap. Thanks for all the birthday wishes, emails, packages and calls. I love this feeling of 32. It's a great place to be. Here's to the next 12 months....