1 year progress- disappointed!

Its been one year since I decided to grow my hair on April 7, 2005. I stopped going to the salon and have had my husband do only tiny trims (even though I think it needs more trimmed). I also started taking much better care of it - mostly co-ing, never blow drying, henna instead of dye, etc.
But look at these progress pictures!  It doesn't look like it has grown that much after the initial spurt from April to Sept. and I don't see any since Jan.)  Could this be my terminal length already?!  I don't remember ever getting it longer than this point before either- but I thought once I stopped going to the salon, dying it, perming it, and then having to cut it too much, it would get longer.
Anybody else have similar experience?  Do you think it has stopped already or just slowed way down or something? Its so frustrating!  Especially since I feel like the ends need more than just a tiny trim...
Maybe it will never get much longer than this...

     April 7, 2005:         & nbsp;         & nbsp;       Sept. 13, 2005:

Jan. 13, 2006:         & nbsp;         & nbsp;         & nbsp;          April 6, 2006:
 

 

For some reason, the pics didn't come through for me. Here's what I think, though. I think that you are not yet at terminal (just looking at your signature photo). Your ends are blunt and healthy looking. I wouldn't trim the ends for awhile - don't even have your husband trim them. Measure carefully for three or four months and see if you notice any growth. I think the mini trims you are getting may be sacrificing your length and growth, making it seem like your hair isn't growing at all. To reassure yourself, you'll need to stop trimming for a bit. Just looking at how healthy your hair looks, the trims have been doing their job, but to really see if it's growing still, you need to stop the trims for awhile. Hope that helps. Congratulations on taking such great care of your hair, Katie!!! It is very lovely.

I'm sorry the pics didn't come through, I thought I did it right.  (They are on my website if anybody really wants to see.)
Anyway, thanks for the advice.  I think you are all right.  I've always thought my hair grew less than the average 1/2 inch per month.  Maybe the mini trims are taking my growth.  My husband says that too.  The other thing is, Yes, I need to start measuring instead of just taking photos. I guess that's the only really accurate thing to do, especially if its such small amounts of progress!
Also, like Rini said, it goes in spurts and not all evenly.   From the pictures, it definately grew much more over spring and summer.

I hoped being pregnant would make it grow faster, but I think it can affect your hair either way, making it fuller and grow faster, or thinner and less.  Maybe it hasn't done much for mine.

Rini, to answer your question, since I've stoped abusing it with salons, chemicals and rough styling and started hennaing and caring for it gently and with love, it feels softer & thicker and I think is looking shinier and healthier.  Whenever I henna/indigo it feels wonderfully thick for a few days.   It doesn't show much in my sig. pic. but 1/2 to 3/4 of it still has old leftover damage.  I have my good hair days and my days when it seems flat and lifeless and dry and not very healthy and its those days when I wonder why I am trying to grow it long if it doesn't look that good.  But I don't want to give up! 

Your right that my husband is great.  He is very sweet.  He always tells me he loves my hair and says it is pretty etc.  When I have a bad hair day and get down on it- he seems to still think it looks great.  I think at first when I asked him to start cutting it and taking pictures of it he was surprised sort of wierded out, but now he's used to it!  Rini your hair looks great.  I really liked your latest pic. after the bun.
Katie

Thanks Rani,
There is supposed to be a link to it under my sig. pic. at the bottom of my posts.  It shows up on my computer, but who knows if I did that wrong too!

Katie

I know I'm late to chime in, but I have one simple bit of advice for you, Katharine:  Just don't cut or trim at all (at least, not for significant amount of time), so that you can determine your actual growth rate.  I guarantee that you are not at terminal length.

Edited by DaveDecker

Katharine, you're pregnant, aren't you?

I imagine that has a lot to do with a slowing down of hair growth. Proteins going elsewhere...like baby instead of your hair, yes?