Box Braids with Beads!

It has been awhile since Q's hair has gotten much special attention.
It was looking to me like it could use a rest! Especially that part in the back where toddler hair gets those nap-time/carseat matted hair snarls - you know what I'm talking about!

So I had some extra time Saturday and we opted for Box Braids! (See our first attempt HERE, and for Curly Hairdo Ideas's thoughts on the Benefits of braiding your hair, click HERE.)

This was the first time we put beads in the ends of ALL of the braids! Q was so cute as she figured out she could swing her head and make the beads clink together!

Here's how we got the look:

1. I braided two small french braids 

         (yeah, not cornrows this time - thought I'd see how the french braids looked next to box braids!)

and,

2. I braided regular braids in small sections, all over the place! :)
          (I used a fair amount of coconut oil in the hair as I added the braids. so that her hair would get good moisture while they were braided. I also used coconut oil on her scalp at night.)

I don't have the patience for nice, neat, straight parts these days so I just part with my fingers as I go and hope for the best. 

Can you spot the difference between the picture above this text and the picture below? ...

Hehe! Here it is! 3 hidden braids underneath the rest of her curls. 

We actually stopped and took a break at this point because Q was getting restless. I was going to leave her hair down, but then realized I didn't want it to get all tangled again. So I put it up!

I was kinda hoping we could go out on the town - I loved her hair like this! :D

But, alas, no errands were necessary before naptime.
I really wanted to get the rest of the braids in before her nap so that we wouldn't have to re-detangle!

So after a Daddy break :) ...

(she bumped her lip at the park! but she's a tough kiddo

We got out the playdough and braided the rest! I think we had 21 braids by the end!

And that's it! So we tested them out at the park :) Look at those braids fly!

It's been about 5 days and the braids are still in! But they will be coming out tomorrow after her bath. We've been using Cara B Hair Mist in her hair/scalp in the mornings :) and coconut oil at night.

At night the beads were seeming to bug her (lots of fidgeting) so I've been clipping most of them up on top of her head to get them out of the way.

 Do you ever use braids for some "hair rest" time?