Over the year, 2014 that is, I cut off pretty much all of my hair gradually. 3 inches here, 2 inches there and so on. I did a total of 4 hair cuts and by September I was relaxed hair free. I finally had the hair I always wanted except that now my hair was extremely short and hard to style. It was growing but being that I have curly hair you couldn't tell much growth had occur. Later in the year I started to blow dry and flat iron my hair on a weekly basis and over the course of a couple of months I was suffering of heat damage. It got to be very noticeable too since it was all in the roots and bangs. I could no longer do "wash and go" and let's face it, with my schedule I have no time to style daily. And so I kept ironing which only made it worse. 

The past several weeks I've been thinking about summer and how nice it'll be to wear my hair curly. Well this heat damage will not allow me to and that has led me to embark in yet another hair journey. This time my goal is to try and fix my heat damage. At least enough to wear my hair curly over the summer. To get where I want my hair to be by summer I'm planning on doing deep conditioning regularly as well as other hair treatments such as hot oil and protein. I hope I can be strong enough not to use heat and become savvy in doing protective styles and twist/braid outs since that worked well for me last year. The problem with that is that it's very time consuming and my time is precious with school, training and two young boys (the hubby can pretty much take care of himself right?)

So stay tune and follow me on yet another journey (I've been saying that a lot haven't I?)

xoxo
Pamela

Steven, you are the sweetest kid ever. You are eight years old and look like you're 10, possibly 11. Your size says a lot about you but in reality you're just the typical eight years old. What is the typical right year old anyways? You are shy like mommy in many situations but once you become comfortable with your surroundings you are just like your daddy. We're till trying to get you to stop the habit of sucking your finger, we've tried just about everything and nada. You're due to meet with an orthodontist within the next few weeks for a year follow up and maybe this time we'll get news on whether or not you'll need braces. I pray that you don't. Because you're body is growing at a faster rate than normal it seems to be affecting certain things like your jaw and growing teeth making them have a significantly big gap between each tooth. Last year they said that they wanted to wait and follow up to see if it would resolve on its own but of course that sucking your finger is not helping.

Eating: 

You eat just about anything. You've always been this way. Thankfully you've never really been a picky eater, you'll try just about anything from mushrooms to brussels sprouts and cooked sushi. Although you're not opposed as the raw sushi if we'd let you. Meats have always been your favorite. I remember when you were between the ages of 4-6 years old, you would only eat the meat on your plate and would tell us that if we gave you more meat you'll finish the rice or whatever else you had on it. You've never been a candy/junk food eater,  you prefer rice and beans any day before sweets. There's been times at parties were you would tell the host "not to give you cake but if there more food you'll have more of that". You are something else. Currently you don't have a "favorite food", you eat just about anything and everything. If it was up to you you would drink diet coke at any chance you got that's you're only issue and I think it has to do a lot with you wanting to be just like daddy. When we eat out you try to see if you can get away with drinking it too. Sneaky boy. 

Clothing: 

We have the same size in sneakers. I know! Crazy. You are actually at size XL in shirts and 14/16 in pants. Is funny because you wouldn't think of an eight year old wearing those sizes but you're a big kid, especially in height. You're just a foot shorter than me. You've always been above average in charts. For your last physical the doctor said that your height and height match up well and have been steady over the years. Meaning that you're not "overweight" for your weight. His only concern is that as you get older you stop growing in height and not in weight so we have to make sure that you're not over eating and are staying active. He mentioned that playing the Wii system by help you stay active over the colder months and that was imbedded into your brain for life. You'll be home and will ask to play the Wii and followed by "the doctor said...".  You have a unique sense for fashion. Most times we let you wear whatever you want but you're too much into color matching. Meaning you'll wear 3 different color greens and to you that is totally fine because they are all green. Or you will wear all black, from head to toes because black is easy to match. You make us laugh but we let you, you'll be over that soon enough. I hope.

School: 

You love school. Most days that is. At your last parent teacher conference your teacher said you were a good student. You're reading level is higher than expected and you know your stuff. Your only problem is that you like to rush doing things to finish quick so that you can talk to the other students or get time in the computers which prevents you from reading directions correctly and prone you to making careless mistakes. She says that you like to impress her and are always making jokes to make her laugh. She is pleased to have you in her class because she hasn't had anyone like you in a while. When school started you asked if we could sign you up for El Sistema, which is a music program which teaches elementary school age students to play string instruments. You were interested in learning the violin but there was no space. You recently got called in by the program director and got asked if you would be interested in learning to play the viola instead. You did not hesitate to say yes and have been in the program just a little over a week. You actually have a scheduled concert for early March, I'm excited for that. You seem very excited as well to be in the program. I look forward on seeing what will happen n the coming months.

Big Brother Role: 

If there's one thing you love more than anything in this world is your baby brother. The way you care for him and help me with him when is only us three at home trying to get ready to head out makes my heart sing. You truly love your little brother and will get down to his level to play with him as well as bring him up to yours even if his controller is not plugged in. I can see you being a protective big brother which is fine with me. You do have your little jealousy episodes from time to time but that's pretty healthy in my opinion. What child doesn't get a little jealous of their siblings.

Favorites: 

You are a gamer for sure. That's a double inherited gene so I wouldn't expect anything less. If we were to let you you could use the iPad till the battery dies out, then you'll try to play your Xbox for hours on ends, while at the same time be on YouTube listening and half watching videos. You say you like sports and got to play soccer at 4y/o since then we've had you playing baseball for the past 3 years. We've come to the conclusion that you only like to be sign up for it to play with the other kids anything other then baseball. When your dad plays with or and tries to couch you you try very hard because you want him to be proud of you but deep down I feel that you don't enjoy it as much. You wanted to be signed up for football but that worries me. That's a rough sport and you're way past the flag football stage. Your body size makes you look great in the field but I fear that they'll go twice as hard at you and I'm not to going stay too calm with that. I think we should stick with the easy stuff for now, maybe until you get a little faster. We plan to sign you up for soccer this year and let's see if you like that better. For years now you've been wanting to do boys scout (which by the way you recently joined a couple of weeks ago through a school program. Baby steps, I need baby steps). I like it and think is a great way for you to learn real life skills yet at the same time I worry that something bad may happen. I'm starting to notice a pattern here. I know I should let you do these things, it'll do you good but the overly protective mother gene in me is way stronger. Let's see how we feel later this year.

Role models: 

You are in love with your father and uncle Marc. You are definetely a daddy's boy there's no doubt about that. In fact you've always been. You have a lot of his qualities and good looks ;) from what I hear from your grandparents it looks like you get your temperament from him as well. God so help me if this is only the beginning. You are so close to your uncle. He's like your best friend. Everything you do you always do it to impress him and have him be proud of you. Come the weekends you like to sleep over his house and always always give us a hundred reason why we should let you. I don't know what will be of you once he moves cross country this summer. Thank God for technology is all I can say :) Just recently you wrote him a note with four reasons why you love him, it was the sweetest thing. You know, I do get a little jealous.

You're a good kid. You have an amazing heart and mean well. I wish you had more cousins you're age but you don't. All the boys are a lot smaller and those that are around your age are girls and well yeah. You don't share the same interests. You have been one of my greatest blessings Steven as I'm sure your father feels the same way. I hope that you enjoy being my son as much as I enjoy being your mother. I pray that God allows me to raise you to be a God fearing man who holds true to his heart. I want nothing but the very best for you my son. We still have many years ahead and I sure hope I do a good job at teaching you about life. 

I love you my Pollito. We all love you. May God bless you today and always, till the end of times. 

xoxo

Mommy