Girl - step one

Just like most teenage girls Alex has wanted highlights in her hair for awhile. However, unlike most teenage girls (or perhaps not unlike), Alex has wanted pink highlights in her hair. I am sure that idea came from the Disney channel, but I do not know.

I will watch scary movies with my son Tom, love stories with my oldest Courtney, and slapstick humor with my husband. I will take Alex to any movie she wants including the Justin Bieber movie (good by the way), but I have drawn the line at the Disney Channel.

Alex and I have had many conversations about pink highlights in her hair. She accepted my disapproval of this for while and I thought the matter had passed. However, when Courtney came home for Christmas she asked to get red highlights in her hair for her Christmas present. Courtney has beautiful dark auburn hair and I agreed a few red highlights would help her hair sparkle, as long as she also got it cut (a coup on my part). Off we went to Geanna, our favorite stylist.

Alex does no miss a beat when it comes to noticing changes in anyone’s appearance. The moment Courtney walked in the door the “Courtney got red, why can’t I” refrain began. I reiterated my position on pink highlights, and explained she had mousy brown hair color like me and needed bright and light colors to help her hair shine. Okay, I did not use mousy brown, but I did pass that genetic trait on to my extraordinary daughter. We negotiated, and orange became the chosen color.

I conferred (plotted) with Geanna about Alex’s choices so she could help direct her in the right direction. Alex almost never listens to any beauty advice I give, once again those keen powers of observation have recognized I am not Miley Cyrus or Selena Gomez. My credibility has been compromised, and I can not convince Alex that nice hair, clothes and make-up are good things. She does not want to be dolled up, or even a girl sometimes.

Alex and I went for her appointment and Geanna showed her colors from the “orange” section. These colors actually are orange but heavily tinted with lighter browns. Alex liked these choices and I was satisfied she wouldn’t look to abnormal in her 11th grade classroom. As Alex demanded I leave, as she always does, Geanna whispered to me she would add some blond highlights to blend in the orange.

When I returned Geanna was blow drying Alex’s hair. Never, ever have I heard such awe in Alex’s voice. The biggest smile, the brightest eyes and most gorgeous hair looked back at Alex in the mirror.

“Wow….Wow…..WOW” exploded from her month. My heart fluttered and my pride beamed, our world was complete for those few moments. Alex is even more beautiful than before and in her eyes she was pretty for those few moments. Next up make-up and clothes!