Ada would not let it go.  She begged daily for a haircut until we finally reluctantly gave in last week.  Her hair had been given only two small trims in her five years and now she wanted to cut it short.  I cried a bit for a couple of days, and then made an appointment.  I warned her I would be a wreck at the salon.  We realized her ponytail may be long enough to send to Wigs For Kids and she liked the idea of donating her hair to another child.  When Ada sat in the big chair and we measured and snipped I saw her instantly grow up a little bit.  Although it was just hair and it would grow back, there was something magic in that moment.  This new short hair of hers marked one of many points where we as parents have to let go, trust that we have done our job, and then let our children be their own people.