Hey Red

I was born with a full head of copper red hair. I grew up being called “Big Red” by a handful of my parents friends. I was a petite little girl with a big ol’ mop of red hair. Both of my parents have brown hair so I was often asked when we were out “Where did you get your red hair?” My parents taught me to proudly say “From my Grandma Crandall.” I have been lucky to retain at least some of the red, as it has now become a strong strawberry blonde.

Mallory was born with a hint of strawberry blonde hair, which quickly became a golden blonde as well as retaining some of her dad’s brown.

When I got pregnant the second time around, I prayed for this baby to have red hair. Brent’s mom has beautiful red hair as well as a few of his aunts and uncles. I knew this had to help our chances. I Goggle'd “chances of red hair on baby”. I asked my friend Cari, who has studied genetics, what my chromosomal, AB AA ab Ab, chances were. The answer? Wait and see.

Wait, I did. Until labor. With the rush of all things hormonal during labor, my mind wasn’t completely fixated on the red hair. As things progressed, and I was doing my best to make sure Mikayla made her entrance sooner rather than later, I heard the famous line “We can see the head! Ohhh she has hair!” And I had to ask, “Is it red???” Seriously Kristie, could they really tell? No.

So I waited. I worked really hard. And then she was born. She was born with lots of dark hair. Red? It certainly didn’t scream red to any first time visitors. Then we took her home and as a new mom I spent lots of time with Mikayla. Feeding, rocking, changing, if you are a mom, you know the cycle… And as the days went on, and the summer sun shone in our windows, I saw her hair with more and more red highlights in it. When I first started sharing my exciting news “she has RED hair!!!” with visitors, I got some goofy looks and pleasing nods. They weren’t believers. Yet.

I will add this one note, my mother in law was always a believer. I’d like to think she wanted a little grandbaby with red hair about as much as I wanted a baby of mine of my own to be struck with the red head gene.

And now, nearly 6 months later, there is no hiding this little baby’s red hair. People in the grocery store comment “Look at that beautiful red hair.” or “You don’t see too many babies with such red hair.” Each time I hear it, I beam. I usually say something really stupid and totally mom like “Isn’t it great!”

There are lot of things in this baby’s life that I cannot wait for. First words and first steps are just a few. And most of you know, that I am not one to wish time away, but I cannot wait for this little baby to grow a little bob of red hair. Seriously delicious.