Raising Maine

Sanford mom Amanda Jedziniak needed a jumpstart to get back into shape. "I was hoping a new look would inspire me – I could start from top to bottom."

She also was hoping to win this month's Raising Maine and Bei Capelli complimentary makeover so she could surprise her husband when he returned from a three-month deployment with the Coast Guard. "I haven't seen him since New Year's Day."

Amanda gives herself credit for doing a good job taking care of Ruby, their 17-month-old daughter, the house, the bills and everything else while her husband is away. But, she said, "every morning I look in the mirror and ask myself, 'what happened to me?' I'd love to have a new look and surprise him when he returns home."

She added, "I'm only 26, and my entire look changed overnight after having my daughter."
Stylist Bethany Bartlett was excited to get to work to create Amanda's new look.

BETHANY'S THOUGHTS
"Amanda's makeover was fun to do because she gave me an open door. With her husband coming home, she had the element of surprise going for her.

"I wanted to give Amanda a big change but not create something that would be high-maintenance. For the color, I wanted to warm it up with some red but stayed on the copper edge of the reds. I also used some blonde highlights to warm up the color. Cut-wise, I wanted to bring it to a longer bob, with a diagonal forward and shattered layers. That would lengthen her face and relieve some of the bulk of her hair."

AMANDA'S THOUGHTS
Amanda was thrilled with the change. "I love it! I don't look like a stay-at-home mom!" As for surprising her husband, she couldn't wait; she e-mailed him a photo as soon as she got home.

STEVEN'S THOUGHTS
Steven replied by e-mail to his wife: "It looks like a $400 hairdo and it's very sexy and beautiful." He also told her he loved her new look. n

– TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BETSY RING