I Swear, They're Really Mine!

Yes, I'm the mother of eight children. But the oldest few are often moving in their own circles these days, so I am frequently seen about town with only four, five or six children in tow. ("Only!" some of you may snort at this point)

When I'm out running errands with my entourage, the most common question I have to field is, "Are they all yours?" But invariably, the next question is, "Where did they get the blond hair?" See, I was blonde as a child, but by the age of 12 my hair had darkened to that point where you could no longer tell if it was a light brown or a dark blonde. I'm a deep chestnut brunette now (with sparkly silver highlights), which apparently makes me as out of place as a black orchid in a garden of lilies. It doesn't help AT ALL that the majority of the children favor their father's side of the family, either.

The difference is especially obvious when I have my four grubby angelic little blond girls with me. Clare (8) is still very brassy blond. Theresa's (5) roots are getting darker all the time, and the twins' hair is showing signs that it will also eventually get darker.

It's even worse when Conor accompanies me. He's the blondest of my blondies, with a head of hair like corn-silk which, at age 11, still isn't showing signs of turning darker.

I could try to explain that I used to be blond as a child, but these conversations usually take place as I'm entering or exiting the grocery store. No time for lengthy explanations. I usually have to reply, lamely, "Well, my husband is a blond," which isn't exactly true anymore. I mean, I still think of him as a blond, but my older children argue this point vigorously. They insist that he's got light brown hair now.

Po-tay-to, po-tah-to. WHATever.

So I offer, as proof of my former blondicity, and to validate my claim as mother to these towheads, bona fide snapshots of me as a child:

Age 2, 3, 4


1st grade, 4th grade

And the strangest thing is that even though I haven't technically been a blonde for 29 years, I still don't automatically think of myself as having dark hair. Inside I will forever consider myself a blonde.