Baby hair, don’t care.

Timothy’s Hair was straight as needles when he was born. It surprised me how black and straight it was. I would give him a side part and just brush it. He was my preppy, dougla baby boy.

By the time he was about 3 months old, the hair towards the back of his head started curling. It would become even curlier when wet. That represented the first sign of him no longer having my dougla or creole like fine, straight hair. It was turning into his fathers full, thick black hair.

What would I have done if he was a girl? Brush, comb and add pretty bows and headbands. I even pictured cute turbans with matching dresses…but for my son, I opted to putting loose braids and twists.

He hated getting his hair combed and twisted. By the time he was 9 months old, our weekly wash and comb regimen still seemed tortuous for Timothy. He would start crying even when his hair was touched. I was careful not to twist or plat (as we say in Grenada) it too tightly but he still cried. When I tried doing it as he slept, he would eventually get up whimpering.

I pressed through the tears, singing and talking to him. I would sit him in front of the mirror and also let him watch him comb my hair. Now at 22 months, Timothy rarely cries while I plat his thick, black hair. I have cut it about 3 times, mostly removing the top. I gave him a lollipop once which helped keep him still and quiet.

I do not feel obligated to comb his hair as long as it is clean. Some days we afro it out. Other times, I do what we call granny plats or I put his hair in small rubberband pom poms.

From straight and manageable to course and thick, Timothy’s hair change represents what it is like from newborn to infant then toddlerhood.