Hairstylist To The Stars! To A Star. To A Doll. Whatever.

Sometimes I forget that my child is four years old and think she's much older because she's able to do so many things. But then, every once in a while, she does something that is so completely age-appropriate that it catches me off guard and I have to sit back and laugh.

For example, (this is posting #6 934 regarding Rapunzel or Tangled or both) the other day she came up to me and said, "I didn't cut Rapunzel's hair."

I said, "Ok. Uh, did something happen to Rapunzel's hair?" and she, enthusiastic that she is not in trouble, said, "Yes! It's CRAZY Momma! When Rapunzel's hair got cut it didn't turn brown!" 

I said, "Can you show me what you mean?" Knowing full well what she meant, but stalling to figure out whether I was going to have to be mad or dismayed or not upset at all.  I think the reason Motherhood isn't an actual Game is that there are no rules, there are a ton of suggested ways to play and you don't know whether you "won" the game until like, 20 years later when your kids either are or aren't productive citizens of the world. But I digress.

So Kiddo #1 showed me Rapunzel dolly-- with half her hair cut off at the nape.  I said, "Kiddo #1, what happened to her hair?" and she hung her head and said, "I wanted to see if it would turn brown like in the movie."  Oh, Disney, what a clever thing you did with the changing hair thing. Now kids everywhere will be cutting their dollies' hair and will therefore need replacement dolls. Or at least overpriced Barbie-sized wigs.  

At any rate, I figure, if the doll's hair isn't growing back, and it's already cut, and I happen to have LOTS of dark brown hair dye in the house (not for ME of course, since I'm so youthful, but for, uh ... ah crap. It's mine.) why not try to dye Rapunzel's hair brown? 

Off I went to the bathroom (once Kiddo #2 was napping and Kiddo #1 was tucked away colouring her Flynn Rider poster I printed out) and began the process. Feeling much like a gigantic hair stylist, I took off Rapunzel's outfit (Wait? You don't get naked when someone dyes your hair? Then why do you pay so much for it?) and mixed the colours.  I applied the dye to Rapunzel's hair, making sure not to get any on her scalp, shoulders, neck and torso.  I waited.

Kiddo #1 and I played Candyland while Rapunzel read the latest (tiny) versions of OK! Magazine and People. I went back a few times and played with the hair (I don't know why I did that-- I don't know why my stylist does that to my hair, either) and chatted with Rapunzel about what's she's up to and whether she thinks the Royal Marriage will last (Kate and William's, not hers).

And, an hour later (I let it really sit) I rinsed. The unveil was rather anti-climactic, I must say. In fact, now she just looks like she has brown roots she needs to take care of, instead of having brown hair. It's unbelievable. I think her hair must be made of Magic Eraser or something else that takes dye and Sharpie out of things, otherwise why would it have taken NONE of the colour? It's blonde. The dye is dark brown. Trust me: it works on my hair every three weeks. 

Explaining that to a toddler (and really, to me, since it makes no sense here either) was a little trickier. So I just said, "Kiddo #1, I don't understand it! Your dolly must REALLY have magic hair-- we dyed it the same colour as Mommy's, and here she is! Still blonde! Isn't it incredible?"  She giggled and I felt like a real scientist: I had a hypothesis, materials, method and the conclusion, while baffling, occurred. I'd continue to do the trials, but I actually don't care enough to bother. (which is also why I'm not a 'real' scientist)

All I have to say is a big thank Heaven my white, white roots aren't made of whatever makes up Rapunzel's hair.