Sleeping always wins for me if it's a matter of getting up vs sleeping. If it's doing something vs going to bed the calculus is shifted a bit.

Ok you with hair dyeing experience. I have brownish hair that is dyed a slightly different brown. Then I bleached chunks of it and covered with manic panic blue. One side of my head is great--brown with a few chunks of bright gorgeous blue. The other side mostly looks faded green over brown--the blue is in the wrong places/mixed with blue-over-brown/faded. So I'm thinking maybe I should just do my whole head blue? If I wanted to do that, what do I do? Use a color remover, then bleach, then color? Add toner in there? Or would that mean some of the nice blue bits would end up green instead, from the bleaching? Help!

Manic Panic blue always fades to green, for some reason.

That said, I'd say dye your whole head blue. Don't bother with color remover, that will just turn your hair brassy. Instead, wash your hair with a strong clarifying/stripping shampoo (Prell or Pert are traditional favorites). Dry your hair, thoroughly coat it in the blue, wrap your head with plastic, and let it sit for as long as you can manage.

Then rinse, rinse, rinse, and follow up with a final rinse of water mixed with a tiny bit of vinegar.

Jilli, the problem is to get the blue I have to bleach--it won't go blue over the brown. Where I got blue on the brown is where it's just green-tinged brown, which is hideous. The part where I only got it on the bleached hair is still lovely a couple weeks later.

I would do a crayon red streak or two if I didn't have to bleach but my hair is too dark.

I ran out of time to go to the library before I had to get home so the inlaws could go. Not that I need any more reading material, but I could use more social interaction. Oh well, Thessaly is coming by tomorrow and we're going to attempt to go to a farmers market in another town since we missed the one here on Tuesday.

Yes, Zen. ExActly what I do. I am just hating on myself so much lately.

But you have a BABY. The need for sleeping whenever possible when you have a baby trumps everything else!

Hair is problematic. It never does what you want.

But you have a BABY.

Seriously, if you haven't noticed yet it is very depleting to ones energy stores.

I just feel that at this point I should be doing more than the minimum of keeping her fed and clean and safe. She's such a good baby, she deserves better.

sj, darling woman, even I, childless, from here, can tell you're doing way more than the minimum of child care. She's got everything she needs and her happiness and how much she's loved shines out of every photo I see of her.

sj - she HAS YOU. She has loving parents who care about her. Who see to her needs. She is a good baby. You are a HUGE part of that.

I know it is draining. I know it is so easy to second guess yourself. But I hate to see you talk down about yourself. The major component of parenting is about keeping the kid fed, clean, and safe. Anything beyond that is bonus.

All she needs is to feel safe and loved. You got this. I don't know what else you think you are supposed to be doing, but I do know that all the best Moms I have known all felt like they were inadequate. So did I. I think I am finally over that. I kept them fed, clean, and safe, and they always knew they were loved. I'll declare it a win.