Locks of Love

First....Ella lost another tooth to give her an adorable smile.  That top tooth has been wiggly for months!  Miss Hannah finally had her chance to pull it after school.

Ella has had long hair for as long as she could remember.  We would trim it here and there but nothing too drastic.  She loved her long hair.  Go back to last summer...her cousin Cassidy also had long beautiful hair.  Cassidy let us know that she was growing it long so she could donate it to Locks of Love.  Ella thought Cassidy was "so cute" with her short hair and briefly entertained the idea of doing it herself.  Fast forward nearly five months.  My mom was diagnosed with cancer the beginning of January.  Ella's hair was getting LONG and obnoxious.  We talked about cancer and she remembered Cassidy cutting her hair to help little kids like her.  Because Nana had cancer, the situation became much more personal and real to her.  She wanted to donate her hair, then she didn't and then she did again.  I may have bribed her with a mini gumball machine in the end to make her commit and quit changing her mind.

She was very brave and Matt and I were so proud of her.  Ella was so afraid of "not being cute" and "looking like a boy" with her short hair.  There were a few brief smiles during the cut and a lot of grimaces and unsure smiles.  In the end, she was happy and loved her new bouncy hair after cutting 10" off.

When we got home from the salon and the boys oohh'd and aww'd over her new hair she wanted to address the envelope NOW!  We filled out the certificate together and in the comment section she wrote: "my Nana has cancer and I did this because I love her."  Sniff!  She copied the address in her best handwriting and sealed it with a kiss.  Nana called to Facetime with us and she gushed for Ella's new cut and for doing such a special thing for someone else.  It was a neat moment to witness!  Technology is amazing!  Ella was thrilled to mail herself the next morning before school!  The teachers at school kept teasing her that she was a new student and Ella would just giggle and wrinkle her nose.

Matt and I are so proud of our girl and for the big decision she made to help someone else.  She LOVES her hair and there are no more tears in the morning!