We are wrapping up 2 days of Jac being gone.  It included 2 nights away as well, one of which was filled with a puking Gemma.  Now, I am fullyl aware of and pray for those spouses who handle deployments and exteneded absenses.  Those folks are incredible and made of firmer stuff than I am.  The point is, my husband carries a lion share of the responisibility around here and is present and available to us most of the time so his venturing out is keenly felt.

This afternoon I reached my limit and was in a rather zombie-like stupor.  I carried with me 20+ pounds of sleepless baby because Lucy is teething and cannot and WILL not tolerate being alone.  I don’t know why I did it – you can’t explain crazy – but I did this:

 

In my defense: I have had 4 baby girls and – due to complete and utter exhaustion – I have not gone over the top with the cutesy or frilly or girliness while they have been infants.  I was taught young to abhor “brain squeezers” and so have steered clear of the darling headbands that are so popular as a result.  Well, that and the fact that the girls have all been blessed with my head which just so happens to be the wrong shape for headbands.  Sure, we can rock them loose and limp around our ponytails or riding our eye-brows, but where they should be?  Forget about it.

So I did pig tails in Lucy’s hair and it was adorable.  The kids called to each other to “Come and see Lucy!” and each viewing was met with gales of laughter and 

“She’s so cute!”

We enjoyed the ‘do through supper then I took pity on her and her poor head and took them out. This was the result:

 

Again with the laughter.  Again with the fawning.  Then Max declared, “She looks like a Macaroni penguin!”  That led to this:

 

We all agreed.  And that’s how she became Macaroni Lu.  

“We should do her hair like this every day!” Max suggested.  If it means that Jac doesn’t leave again for a very long time, I’d do whatever it takes.  Apologies in advance to Lucy.