silk wraps are not my friend

I have always had great nails. My whole life. Everyone has always complemented me on my nails. Well, except my piano teacher when I was a kid. She was always on me to cut them. I took piano lessons for 10 years. After my mom FINALLY let me quit my senior year in high school, the first thing I did was to grow my nails out as long as I wanted them. And I can grow me some nails. And they are hard as rocks. But with all of the motherly duties came ugly nails. I use my hands so much I guess. I can no longer keep polish on them for more than a couple of hours. If that! I used to go every Saturday and get my nails painted before I was married and had children. You know...back when I had time and money! Now, my left hand thumb and pointer break constantly as do my right hand thumb and middle finger. Go figure. I can't keep them even. I end up with ring finger and pinky nails so long I eventually have to cut them b/c they start curling under. Okay, maybe not that long. But it drives me crazy. I just want pretty hands. I've never had fake nails...EVER. Until last night! I did it! I finally talked my husband into letting me do this one thing for myself. I've been obsessed with it for months now. I did not want acrylic. So I settled on the silk wrap. Interesting concept. Costly and not many places will do it any more. They put on a tip with nail glue. Then they put a silk fingernail shaped fabric over your entire nail and then start layering the glue and some kind of powder, not acrylic though. So the only thing touching your actual fingernail is silk and nail glue. It's supposed to be better for you nails than acrylic. Okay...2 hours later...and beautifully painted french manicured nails...I HATE THEM! I can't wait for them to fall off. I can't do ANYTHING. I can't zip my pants. I can't unlock the sliding back door. I can't open a coke can. And wiping my bottom poses all sorts of new challenges. And my poor nails feel so clostherphobic under there. Seriously, I can't do this. What was I thinking???? But they're so pretty, they are! I think I've decided though that it's just better to live with my real nails, as uneven and unpainted as they are. Any suggestions for how to keep real nails polished without the polish chipping every time I bathe or wash dishes, which unfortantely for my nails is like...several times per day??? I've used that Sally Hansen no chip stuff. Doesn't work for me!

I'm about to clean house and do laundry. Maybe that will make them fall off faster!