A Ray of Sunshine

As mentioned earlier, the ninth month, for whatever reason, has been the most impatient.  My hair seems boring to me.  My hair doesn't seem to be growing out.  Nothing, in my view, is changing.  Until yesterday.

Yesterday was a beach day with friends.  Friends keenly aware and supportive of my transition.  One commented on my reaching the half-way-there mark.  Really?  I hadn't noticed!  One commented that a female co-worker had made the decision to go gray.  My friend gave her my blog info.  The gesture was a nice boost to my ego.

Then came the big ray of sunshine on my transition slump.  Someone I hadn't seen in several years happened to be at the beach and didn't recognize me at first.  When they did, the comment:  What SEXY hair!!!

Wow!  Someone thought my natural silver hair was SEXY!!!  I wish this glorious feeling on all my lovely Silver Sisters!!!  We should all be told our natural color is the most sexy.

 This photo is not from the beach outing but taken the same day.

Ninth Month Milestone - update

Here it is, the Ninth Month Milestone.  While I could have given birth to a baby in this time frame, it seems I can't quite give birth to a full head of silver locks.

Hey, I've made it this far.  There is NO STOPPING now.

5/16/2012
Addendum to my ninth month milestone.  For most the difficult period seems to be somewhere around month four or five of the transition.  Why, I don't know, but I seemed to sail through those months with a swift tail wind.

For the last two weeks I have have been at level 10 frustration with my hair.  There is zero intent to go back to coloring but I'm feeling SO OVER IT!  This morning I found myself pulling my hair straight up and out from my head to see if I could handle a chop of the old color.  Although I have about 4 inches of out-growth, I know chopping off the old color and going short would be a huge mistake for me.  My hair is just too fine and my patience to thin to spend hours a day styling and I know the end result would never make me happy.

It seems my only current options are to pull the hair back and hide the old color from my vantage point.  Looks like (for at least the next few weeks) I will be sporting a lot of ponies, braids and up-dos.

I've gotta just hang in...

Long Forgotten Thrill of Baby Steps

This week I have entered month 9 of my transition.  Hard to believe I'm this far along.  Hard to believe how much farther I have to go to reach my goal.

The last two weeks or so I've been in a slump of sorts and I didn't know why.  I hate every new picture of myself.  Even after a nice fresh haircut I hate looking in the mirror.  I've been happy with my hair up until now and I sailed through what was to be the difficult months (4 and 5 btw) of the transition period.  Its caused me to reflect back to the beginning.  Why was it so much easier when I started this journey?

This morning it came to me.  Its the baby steps.

A baby's first steps are so miraculous.  One little step is a celebration.  Two little steps amazing.  Walking the length of the coffee table without falling a feat.  The beginning is new, exciting and each step a momentous occasion.  And then eventually, the thrill wears off.  Walking across the floor is the expected, the norm.

The first baby steps of letting go of the color in a box was amazing.  Every we check the hairline.  We check for new growth.  A quarter inch is a feat. The next month we are at 1/2 inch of gray and its a celebration.  Each new quarter inch becomes an amazing, unexpected journey.

And here I am today.  The thrill has worn off.  I still love the new color of my hair but no longer is each quarter inch of growth exciting.  Its expected.  Its expected and its not happening fast enough.  I am growing impatient. Imagine that.  Me, Mrs I want it NOW, impatient.

It will pass.  I know it will.  A new form of baby step thrill will find its way into this journey and I will again embrace it.  But for now I'll just keep plugging along.

The start of month 9