Kaia’s hair is growing quite fast now. As she’s almost 10 months old, she now has a natural deep part on her head, with long bangs being swept to her left side. We’ve mostly just been sweeping it to her left, but it’s been getting a little out of hand and still getting in her face, especially when she’s been rolling and playing around on the floor. I started looking at baby and toddler hair barrettes, especially clips that she can use through her elementary school years, and so many look cheap and flimsy. Others seem to look like they’d probably last one or two wears and break. Some seem like they’d have small parts that would fall off and end up as potential choking hazards. So I thought I’d spend a little more on some handmade ones that, fingers crossed, will last a while and still be wearable when she’s an older girl.

Well, that led me into a browsing session on Etsy, and I found a handful that seemed like they’d not only be cute but last a while. They are also lined and seem like they’d fit comfortably on a small head and stay put. They’re also good for fine hair, which Kaia seems to have, just like me. And… it also resulted in about $43 spent. I justified it in my head that these would last longer than cheaper ones that were mass produced… but in the end, I guess this is just a part of being a girl mom — accessorizing and making my daughter look cute is going to add up, apparently. At least I haven’t spent that much on clothing for her to date thanks to all the generous gifts she was given.