When I woke up this morning, the sun was sprinkling through the window shades onto the bed, the baby was cooing ... and Rich was sputtering and choking on my hair as he tried to snuggle up behind me. I need one of those caps like Mama has in The Night Before Christmas. My hair is the longest it's been since probably my freshman year of college. I'm unsure how I feel about this. I noted in my Flickr picture that I had taken the time to curl/straighten my hair for Thanksgiving. It was probably the first time I've worn my hair down with no hair clips, bands or other products in it. My mother commented that afternoon when we got home, "wow you're hair is long. Like, really long." I'm not sure she meant it as a compliment.

My parents both seem to prefer short hair. When I cut my hair in college, my father said that was his Christmas present as far as he was concerned. Rich has always told me he thinks long hair is pretty but short hair is sexy. I know several guys, though, who much prefer long hair over short (none of those guys have ever had to manage that long hair).

I want hair like those doll babies they used to make with the wheel in their back. I want to be able to crank out long tresses sometimes and then reel them back in when I'm done.

I want short hair when I'm in a convertible or out at the windy beach. I want long hair when I'm sleepy and Rich brushes my hair for me. I want short hair when I'm sleeping. I want long hair for special occasions so I can curl and style it. I want short hair for sexy time so it's not in our way. I want long hair when it's cold so my neck is still warm.

When I had long hair in high school and college I kept it in a pony tail or tied in a knot with a pencil most of the time. I'm starting to get to that length now. My curling iron is buying me some time before I decide to cut it all off, but I'm not sure how long it can last. Unfortunately, I can also feel myself getting emotionally attached to my hair which is something I have been largely free of with short hair.

As my old boss Harry said, "a woman's hair is her cross to bear." I'm just not sure how much of my hair I want to bear anymore. What are your thoughts? Do you prefer short or long hair? Do you have some magic solution for me to have both short and long hair without resorting to a mullet?