We have officially entered your hair-dying era.
I’m sure this idea sparked from your circle of friends, but one day, out of the blue, you asked if we could order a temporary hair dye kit from Amazon. Of course, we said yes. You’ve always been tuned in to your personal style, so this wasn’t a big surprise. The kit arrived the next day, and it works a bit like watercolor paint. You added a bold red streak to your hair and immediately said, “Coooool.” Naturally, your brother wanted in on the fun, and you happily gave him a colorful series for school the next day. Since then, you’ve been choosing colors to match your outfits a few days each week.
Hair dye and bleach were all the rage when your mom and I were in junior high and high school, so you’re catching this trend a bit early—not that we mind. Your Uncle Scott and I used to bleach our hair, though he would sometimes get too close to the scalp and end up with a stinging burn. I can’t speak for your Mom, but I know she once had a misadventure trying to lighten her hair that ended in an unexpected shade of red. These phases are all part of growing up, and they make for some great stories and even better photos.
What really surprised us, though, was your sudden interest in getting your ears pierced. Your Mom and I have always been supportive of this, and in hindsight, we all regret not listening to Nonno and getting them pierced when you were a baby—it would have saved us all a bit of stress!
Over the past few months, as more of your friends got their ears pierced, we’d occasionally ask if you were interested, but you’d always brush it off, comparing it to the dreaded feeling of getting shots at the doctor. Recently, though, you’ve taken to wearing sticker earrings regularly, and it’s honestly the cutest thing. I have a hunch that you’re starting to feel like they’re just not quite the real thing, and the allure of real hoops and studs is pulling you in.
Of course, your brother has toyed with the idea as well, though he’s been back and forth on it. We’ll support him either way. Naturally, we all have to joke about whether his first piercing might be as bold as mine—a single eyebrow ring. Like I said, these phases hit all of us, and I have the photos to prove it.
Love,
Dad