Weigh in Wednesday!!!

I am seriously starting my weight loss journey this week, I have gained 10 pounds since this summer. I was on the right track and after my surgery in July, I fell off of my meal plan bad. I finally decided to start my meal plan again, counting my calorie intake daily and maintaining strict restrictions on the foods I eat. This is the first Weigh in Wednesday, where I will be tracking my weight each week. This week my weight is 163.3 pounds....stay tuned to see my weight continue to drop.

Why Do You Keep Looking at My Hair?

Saturday night Kito and I went to dinner. We were talking and laughing and every now and then I would notice him glance up at my hair. I asked him "why do you keep looking at my hair"? He said "I am not, I am looking at your forehead". Yea right....I know the edges of my hair is completely natural now and it waves up. I had to pin them back last night for our date. I asked him did I look younger with the clips in my hair and he said yes, it made me look about 22 years old. I took it as a compliment but then again I didn't wanna look 22. I went to the ladies room and removed the clips and let it fall back in my face....he then stopped looking at my forehead as he said....LOL, men are so funny when it comes to a woman's hair. He didn't even tell me my hair was cute last week but when I came home from the salon Thursday with a head full of curls, he asked why didn't I get it done like last week because he liked it. I didn't think he liked it all because he didn't compliment me or even say a word about the style. He said he liked my hair this week, but he liked last week better. I know my hair is changing, after all I am transitioning, so I know he is wondering why isn't it straight like it used to be. I think he will love my natural hair when it completely grows out and he won't be able to keep his hands out of it....we will see!

Happy New Year

Sooooooooooooo, it has been almost a month since my last post. I am very ashamed of myself but needless to say I have been busy but most of all speechless. My hair has been flat ironed and I didn't really feel the need to post. I had a disastrous hair-do that made me want to give up but I politely went and got it done over. I was able to go on with my life after that.  I had a great time out with my girls for NYE. My hunny and I had a great time. His birthday was on December 21st and I we both had a great Christmas.

My Christmas hair was flat ironed............then I came back to prepare for NYE  and that is when the bad hairstyle came about. I am now rocking a style that I kinda like and it lasted the entire week, I was very happy for that. The picture here is day 6 of the style. I will get it redone tomorrow. I am not sure what I will get, I might get the same thing because it lasted so long.

So for 2011, I promise to get on my diet! I must lose weight for Jamaica. I also have a new puppy, His name is Prince. He sure has brought some fun into my days this past week. He keeps me busy and he is a handful, babies always are. He stays exploring around the house and getting into everything. He is sleeping now Thank God!!!!!! Anyhoooo, I hope this is my year for many more blessing and happiness to come. I do want to pursue ny administrator certification this summer so I hope that works out for me. I just need to put my mind to it and study. I need the administration on my certificate to have more options in my career. Keep your fingers crossed for me and I will start studying as soon as I get back to work and get my bag. We have been snowed in this week and I absolutely LOVED it!!!! So even though I am late I will try to do better with my post because it has been one month today since my last post (ashame).... Below are the pics of the hairstyles and my new pup.

Christmas 2010 My cousin and I (flat ironed hair)
The edges started to get a little fuzzy on week 2 so I added a head band

The next three pics are of the disaster hairstyle

Sorry about my facial expression but I was so sad and I hated it!

My hair fixed for NYE (I feel much better now)

My new puppy Prince!!!! I love him so much already!!!!

My baby Pennie........she is 9 years old so she has to get used to Prince

Pennie and Prince are getting better but have a long way to go to becoming brother and sister!!!!

Style for the Week

I did this style after I washed out my bantu knots. I think they would have lasted a little longer if my hair was completely dry. I will be revisiting the bantu knots again soon. Friday night I twisted my hair all over and rolled the ends. I twisted individual twist all over my head. I used my smoothie cream, kinky curl spiral hold, cantu leave-in conditioner and herbal essence long term relationship on the ends. I love how moisturized this was. I have to continue working on blending my natural hair with my relaxed hair. I think it is a little difficult because my natural hair is so much different from my relaxed hair which is bone straight. Overall, I loved this style and will try again soon. Today is Sunday and it still looks pretty good. I plan on wearing this until Thursday. I know I will end up putting in up in a bun or pony before then. Let me know what you guys think.

after taking this pic, I closed the gaps with my fingers

It was very moisturized, probably a little too much but I think this is why it still looks nice today.

Here is what I need work on...blending this in more, it might be hard though b/c my natural hair is thicker and wavier than my relaxed hair.

Loved it overall though!!!!

My First Bantu Knot Out

I got sort of fed up with my flat twist out style, it began to look really rough. I began thinking about trying to keep the style because I scheduled a hair appointment for Thursday and it was Tuesday night. I just could not wait until then because when my hair is not cute, I don't feel cute. So I started searching the Internet for more transition styles. I begin viewing a few youtube videos where naturals, transitioners and relaxed ladies were styling their hair with bantu knots. My mom would always put my hair in bantu knots to dry after she washed it when I was little (before the relaxer) and I always loved how it looked. I would always ask my mom if I could wear my hair like this. After hours of looking at pictures and watching videos I decided I was going to try it. I washed my hair and began to hate the twist out, my hair was so tangled on the ends. I detangled, conditioned and sat under the dryer. I wanted my hair to dry before I styled it. Once my hair was dry, I prepped my scalp with my non drip coconut oil. I sectioned my hair off into four sections and begin the bantu knots by adding my Shea Moisture  Coconut & Hibiscus Hold & Shine Moisture Mist, Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Strengthening Elixir, Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Hold Smoothie and setting lotion. I made sure the knots ends were secure and many of them I had to secure with a bobby pin because they kept unraveling. I was very nervous about this style because as I began to create the knots, I noticed how thin my hair was. I have very fine hair and it is even worse being relaxed. My bantu knots were very tiny and I didn't think they'd turn out like the good videos I viewed. Some videos I viewed had me nervous as well. There were many transitioning females whose bantu knot out did not look too good. I was worried needless to say and didn't get any sleep worrying about what it would look like. I dreamed about my hair all night long. When I woke up I got completely dressed first so I could spend all the time I needed on my hair (I was still late for work). I was a little worried when I began taking them down. I think my next bantu knot out will be better because I learned it is important on the position of them, this helps the style form and it is also important to let them dry completely. I did sit under the dryer last night for 30 minutes but that wasn't enough.......they take a lot to dry. I also had one or two where the ends were not secure like I wanted them and one where the knot wasn't wrapped around correctly and it made a very tight curl. I  began each knot as a two strand to the point where my natural hair ends, this was to prevent from having puffy roots. Overall, I am very pleased with the results. I like this better than the twist out and the braid out thus far. Below are pictures of the process and the finished product...kudos to me!!! I think it looks good for my first time and I received a lot of compliments at work today. I will try it again this weekend and crossing my fingers that it is even better.



Hair is growing but I need a trim

New growth at 4 days before the 6 month post relaxer mark

all finished, hoping it looks OK in the a.m.



after taking them out before separating....notice the one that wasn't wrapped right, it came out strange

these came out nice

Here is the back, the middle knot was not dry and this is why it looks like this but it wasn't too bad. I will know next go around.

The finished product!!!! I clipped the sides up

I like the results!



Product review

I purchased these products from Target, they also had other natural products that I want to try in the future. They had Miss Jessie's products as well as Jane Carter and I have been eager to try them both. My stylist uses Jane Carter's products on me when I go but I am not able to use them like I want to at the salon. All of the Shea Moisture products smell great and they really moisturized my hair. I used the Cantu no drip Shea butter to oil my scalp while the flat twist were in. I used the Hold and Shine Moisture Mist to apply my rods on the ends of my twist as well as the reconstruction Elixer. I love the reconstruction Exlier and mist because not only does it moisturize but it helps with the frizz. I plan on using these products for awhile and can't wait to try the shampoo and conditioner from this line. I also would like to know how it will act on my natural hair once I completely natural. I will continue giving feedback on these products as my transition goes on, So far so good!

camera caught me off guard but it is a good shot of the hair! Ignore my facial expression!

I love how defined the waves were

prepping for the style with my flat twist and rods on the ends

Trey Songz and Usher Concert in ATL

OK, so I was so excited to attend the concert that I forgot to take a picture of my hair before I left. I had flat twist in my hair and I took them down before the concert. I wore the flat twist from Thursday until Sunday. I had them in a bun, I roller set the ends before taking it down for the concert. I think it turned out pretty good. I purchased some new products and will post a review of them in my next post. I thoroughly enjoyed my self at the concert. My friends and I had a ball and today I am off working recuperating. Trey Songz is a young guy but he is still very attractive and well Usher....what can I say, he is FINE too. I enjoyed watching both of these men perform and I didn't want the concert to end. I stood up almost the entire concert. I had a change of shoes in my purse (LOL). I knew I would be standing up all night. Here are few pics of my hair and the concert!!!!