Reflection of 4.5 Months

Not too much is going on with my hair. For some strange reason I think not posting for a week is way too long. LOL! It's been 3 weeks since my last retightening and I have 3 more weeks to go until my 4th retightening. I call this stage my "lions mane" stage. I can't wait for this winter weather to break so that I can just let my hair airdry.

She Is On-A-Roll

The third grade is the first grade level where they receive actually letter grades on their report cards. Baby girl, and in fact all of the kids have done well this year. We recently went to my little "Minnie-Me" Honor Roll assembly. We are so proud of her, she was so excited about making the honor roll too. I can't wait till the day that she makes Principal's Honor Roll.

Sometimes I think this blog is becomming more and more about her. Here is a picture of her holding her certificate. I even framed it and I am anxiously awaiting to frame more of them as she gets them.

Not Exactly Valentine's Day

I had a fabulous weekend. My husband and I went out to dinner and then we went to a family function. This weekend my mom and dad had my kids. Thank goodness for Grandparents. We didn't do anything out of the norm on Valentine's Day so we made sure we did something this weekend. We had a nice evening with intriguing conversation. What was even better was the food. I can get down when it comes to good food, no salad tonight! My husband can put it away too.

I got all dazzled up for him and rocked the hell out of a freestyle. I got so many compliments about my hair that night. Here are a few more pics. Enjoy

SoFt SpIkEs

I purchased Soft Spikes in celebration on becomming 4 months on lockdown. I also have a twist and hairtie in route, but anywhoo... Big ups to the ladies on lockitup. I was unsure of what product to use on my baby locks. I got a lot of good suggestions. The one that I like most was to just use water. That is exactly what I did. I spritz my dry hair with water and used a little bit of the setting spray that came with my spikes. I ordered a lot. I got four packages of the large. I guess I am anitcipating on when my locks get longer. Here are some pics of my Soft Spikes experience. Enjoy!

Month 4

Reflection back on the past 4 months. Enjoy!!

Top left is @ 3.5 weeks

Top right is @ 2 months

Bottom left is @ 3 months

Bottom right is @ 4 months

3rd Retightenting

I had my third retigtening this past Thursday. My appointments are becomming shorter and shorter. My hair was retightened in 2 hours and 45 minutes. I had no slippage and only new growth was retightened. I haven't B&B in 6 weeks. My hair is really holding up. I love the way my new growth grows in, I love the spirals in my hair.

However, it feels like it is snowing everyday. I get extreme dry scalp in the winter. My hair was flaking all over the place. My consultant told me I can start using the Sisterlocks Moisturizer. I am going to try it, I hope it won't make my hair slip. I put absolutely nothing in my hair, this attributes to my dry scalp. Thank goodness my scalp isn't itchy. I almost got chastised for not using the sisterlocks starter shampoo. But I had explained that the starter shampoo makes my scalp itchy. It made my scalp feel as if it was on FIRE. So then it was understood why I used the Knotty Boy Soap bar. It's not a sisterlocks product, but hey it gets the job done! In my opinion it is way better than that starter stuff! (I hope the sisterlocks police don't arrest me. LOL!)

I had so much to do the day of my retightening so here are some after, after shots from my retightening. Oh yeah, I also got chastised for choping off my little antennas. I like the way they are growing in now, I don't mind them be short, they are growing in thick and healthy. Which is all that matters to me.

Blue, Blue and more Blue

So there is nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon. I am a girly girl, so I had some fun with the makeup. I call this look "Moon Walk" Enjoy!

I am always asked if these are my real eyelashes, and yup they are.

Grown and Sexy...

There is nothing like a man with a dream, and a woman who supports him 100%. But this music sh$% better jump off soon! LMAO! Please support them if you like their music. Check'em out on Youtube and also Myspace, and add them as a friend. Much love. Thanks.

OMG... I Think She Likes It

My parents asked my kids over for the Super Bowl game. I was excited, no kids... just husband and wife time. So I stayed awhile at my parents house after the game and my mom and I did some bonding things like doing her make up and she showed me her new excercise toy (which damn near killed me). LOL! She was asking me if she should grow her hair back, I told her no because the short style she wears is very cute on her face. Then I asked if she is still letting her hair dresser perm her hair. She told me that her hair dresser only puts it on the back and on her side burns. My mom has a very loose curl, my curl isn't as loose as hers. A couple of years ago my moms hair started to thin. It was becuase they were giving her a touch up ever 6 weeks. WTF! Now when I used to perm my hair, I did it every 6 months or once a year and it was a mild formula. My mom hair texture is like a 2B, so basically her hair dresser was just making extra money off of her knowing good and well she had no reason to get a perm. So now she lets them perm her hair sparringly. Thank goodness...

She has finally admitted that she likes my locks. She loves the size of them and she thinks they suit me well. My little brother has started his second set of locks. His first set was so adorable, and he had grown them for 2 years. My mother hated them. He cut them off about a month before I got mine, and he is now starting over. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside that she has finally made PEACE with MY HAIR.

I've Been Tagged

Ok.. So,here are the rules: (1) Link to the person that tagged you. (2) Post the rules on your blog. (3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. Now let's have some fun
I was tagged by Abena .......so here it goes :)

---------------------------------------------------------------

1. At the age of 27, my family still calls me by my nick name
Plookie (Pa-lou-key). Don't they know I am a grown
A$% Woman!

---------------------------------------------------------------

2. I am a die hard soccer mom, spring season is about to start and I am more excited than the kids.

---------------------------------------------------------------

3. As my first job out of highshool I was a tellermarketer. I sucked badly and quit the first week.

---------------------------------------------------------------

4. I was a girl scout until I was 16 years old. By then I figured I was too old to sing Kumbaya around the campfire.

---------------------------------------------------------------

5. I went through a faze when I rocked bright red hair. It was so hard finding outfits that did not clash with my hair.

---------------------------------------------------------------

6. I had my first kiss in the back of the church. I knew God was watching... but it was worth it.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Let's see.... I am now tagging: Carmen, Wendi, Free, Blaqkofi, Trina, & Allecia

So This Is What The World Looks Like...

I lost my glasses back in August 07. Normally I would wear them when needed or just to make a fashion statement. Well, life without them has been miserable. I finally got my eyes checked after two years and ordered a new pair of glasses. As an accountant, I work with numbers all day long. Spread sheets began to look a little fuzzy and sometimes I couldn't figure out if that was a "1" or a "7". I never want to part with my glasses again. These spectacles also cost me a fortune, these bad boys better tap dance and read the books for me. LOL!

Knitting

My daughter and I took a knitting class 2 weekends ago. I love doing mother-daughter things with her but the boys get so jealous. I have my individual times with them too (soccer season is fast approaching).

She is so excited about knitting. Her first project consists of knitting hats for the boys. I have been working on making scarfs. Knitting is such a creative pass time, she told me that she is going to be knitting every time that she gets bored. I much rather her pick up the knitting needles that the remote.

She is my little "mini me" and I love her so...

Loc is a Loc?????

I felt compelled to blog about this. I love my sisterlocks. For me I feel like for once I am making peace with my hair. Can I embrace my locks? Can I share my hair tips, emotions, and experiences about being locked without sounding as if my locking method is better than yours? Each person is entitled to their opinions and perceptions. If you ask me do I have dreads or small braids, I would be the first to tell you "no, I have sisterlocks". At the end of the day my loc is still a loc, and the type of locs I have are sisterlocks. Is there a problem with having pride in something that I paid for, and take care of daily. If you ask me if my purse was a knock off I would let you know that baby its Prada.

There are tons of ways that I could have locked my hair, but I choose the sisterlocks method. I appreciate those who have given me advice, price analysis, referrals, etc., because I would have been devasted if I spent my hard earned cash on "step-sisterlocks". If I paid to get palm rolled locks maintained, then they should look fabulous. If I pay for BMW then I shouldn't get a Buick. And if I choose to get a perm or weave it up, than so be it, but that's just ain't for me.

If I am viewed as a "snob", then let haters keep hating, cause at the end of the day... my head is still held high and my locks are still flowing.

Unruly Hair...Still in love with my sisterlocks

My free styling continues to be unleashed. I have been wearing a headband all week, and some of my smaller locks sticks up like little antennas. I have been trying to control them, but they have been doing their own thing. I am kind of excited that my hair does not want to play fair. It is just telling me that I am locking up nicely. This week I am going to wash my hair without braiding and banding(B&B) . My consultant wanted me not to B&B just to see how my hair will react. I have had some minor slippage, but I have never experienced a lock coming completely out. My hair is feeling on the rough side (thanks Knotty Boy Soap). I am getting more and more small balls at the ends of my hair, it almost seems like their doubling in number.

The following pictures I took right before heading to church. I am a little tired because I just finished working 12 hours at my second job. Also I have a texture shot of the back of my head. Enjoy!!

Lakia is not a vegetarian....

I guess for the last 4 years I have flipped flopped on my dietary habits. I always fall weak and can never stick to a vegetarian diet. I like to eat healthy and most people try to shun me for trying to eat healthy, but who cares what they think. The very few people who call me names like "rabbit" because I choose to eat a carrot over a cupcake, are the ones that are always asking me for health tips (guess this is dedicated to a co-worker of mine... LOL!)

Anyway, the only eating habits that I have no problem sticking to is pescetarianism. I can live life without pork and beef with no problem. My main weakness has always been fish and chicken, but I can live without chicken, just give me my fish and I am happy. DH always wants to be supported of me. He'll go to the grocery store and tries to buy food to help support my eating habits, I tell him every time, "don't worry about me, worry about the kids".

I still buy regular food for my family, except pork, and very rarely beef. I will never force my eating habits on anyone. So while they may eat spaghetti, I would eat noodles with marinara sauce.

While most people go by the normal food pyramid, my food pyramid looks like the vegetarian food pyramid but with fish.

Lucious, Luminous, Lips

I just so happen to be at Victoria's Secret the other week and all the 75% off signs caught my attention. The very sexy make up line and other things were on sell. I have heard about "lip plumper"

"Lip Plumper is a cosmetics product used to give the lips an enhanced, fuller look. Lip Plumper is distributed as a viscous liquid applied to the lips with a roller or brush applicator. It can be translucent or have various tints, and can be worn alone or over regular lipstick.
Lip Plumpers are popular with women due to the many perceived benefits including lip enhancement, collagen stimulation, moisturizing effect, ease of application, and pouty, sexy look they help to give the lips. For many women, Lip Plumper is used as a regular part of their daily make-up regimen and applied often throughout the day. Leading cosmetic companies and specialty Lip Plumper manufacturers also make their plumpers into lip glosses for high-end consumers."

Well I naturally have large lips (Thanks to Dad). I love every minute of my lips, in fact I think it is one of my favorite features. I always perceived large lips as apart of beauty. When I was younger some kids used to teased me about my lips, but I never let that break down my self esteem, I just embraced my lips and kept on moving, (of course I tripped their little asses up every chance I could) LOL! Still can't figure out why every since Angelina Jolie came onto the seen with her lips, that now large lips are consider a sign of beauty.... full lips have always been beautiful!

I can't believe people some people actually pay to get a needle stuck in their lips to make them fuller.

Anyway, I was curious to try this lip plumper to see if it actually works. So I bought two bottles of the stuff. I purchased "undressed" and " baby pink". Personally I don't think even a slap in the mouth can make my lips any larger, but man oh man I like the little tingling feeling that it gives my lips. Also the colors that I bought are so beautiful, I mean gorgeous. Here is my product review:

Victoria Secrect's line of Lip Plumpers are great. The colors are fabulous and the shine that it leaves on your lips are to dye for! If you want a great lip gloss then buy their Lip Plumper, but if you want fuller lips... just slap yourself in the mouth. LMAO

Hair Skin, & Nails oh my...

I just started taking this multi vitamin for hair, skin and . I sure hope it works. It smells horrible though. It contains fish liver oil... WTF. I hope that the smell doesn't seep through my pours. It also recommends taking 3 tablets a day. Right now I am taking only one or two a day, I figure if I see some progress, then I will work my way up to three. For sure my nails need desperate help...

Hair, skin & nails multi-vitamins can be found at most places like GNC, and the Vitamin Shoppe, they also carry various brands. I just happen to get mine from a small shop in Lexington Market.

Also, I have noticed how my complextion has benefited from the sisterlocks. I am not oiling down my hair anymore. With sisterlocks I do not have to worry about putting any product on my hair. I used to use a lot of natural oils like carrot oil and olive oil when my hair was loose. I was and still am the type of person who keeps their hand in their hair, and thus touch my face unknowingly. So, I think my locks are doing my body good.

3 Months on Lockdown

Today marks 3 months with sisterlocks. Hooray for me!!!

What a way to start the day off too. About 6:30 in the morning, I was sitting on the train and the lady next to me complimented me on my "braids". LOL! So needless to say she got a sisterlocks 101 lesson from your truly. She was amazed at how small the locks are and wished me much blessing on the maturity of my locks. I wonder if she googled "sisterlocks" when she got to work...

Q&A Time:

So Lakia are you still using the Knotty Boy products? Any spray oil being used at this time?

I love my precious Knotty Boy Soap. Since purchasing this product I have not washed my hair as often. I wash every 2 weeks now, and in between I use witch hazel with water on my scalp for an in between cleaning. I don't use any spray oils on my hair. basically right now I only spritz with water and a little witch hazel. I don't use fancy imported water or filtered water on my locks. LOL! Plain on old city tap water in a bottle

Do you think you'd ever DIY?

Eventually one day. It would have to be worth my while though. However I am very crafty with my hands. I have scheduled retightenings for the whole year. My consultant is a very, very, productive and a busy sisterlocking lady. I want to dedicate my locks to her for the first year. It just feels so good to have someone else do my hair. There is a retightening class comming up in DC in February, but I wouldn't qualify to take it even if I wanted to. Thoughts have been running through my head about being a trainee or certified? Hmmm... could I???

Here is a special tribute to some of the ends of my locks. They all seem to have a wondering mind of their own.

Metamorphosis...

I'm changing! By looking at my blog, I am sure you can tell I am a fan of butterflies. I even have a tattoo of one on my back. My hair is changing. It is thickening up so much. It feels so funny, so different, and I am loving every minute of it. I can hardly freestyle it right now without trying to tame it. I usually roll my hair back for work and set it free whenever I can. I have been locked for almost 3 months, January 10, 2008 is my official 3 month mark. I washed my hair on Tuesday morning, it was out of control. I had to calm it down by wearing a head band for the rest of the day. The shorter locks at my hair line are growing. They are constantly in my eyes now, and they are still my favorite.

I can see the change in my hair and so can my consultant. I went in for my 2nd retightening, it took 3 hours (15 minutes less than the first retightening). I was told that I am settling nicely and the next time that I wash my hair I can wash without braiding and banding to see how my hair holds up. Also I am happy to report, very, very, minor slippage, like two or three locks. I am not styling my hair at this time. I see all the lovely ladies styling their hair with the soft spikes, caruso, and wrap a locks; I oh so long for the day that I can use them. For right now I am just patiently waiting for my hair to settle and lock. TIP: Little manipulation of the hair helps with the locking process.

2nd Retightening

Here are before and after shots of my 2nd retightening