Piper likes braids. Except when she doesn’t. Then she wants pigtails. And rainbow hair accessories. Or glittery headbands. Mismatched barrettes. Silver bows. Purple ribbons.

Piper has a hair agenda for each day. She sits in my lap or on the floor beside me and directs. She knows exactly what she wants. It’s her hair, after all.

Lately, Piper wants me to braid her hair wet before bed so that she wakes up with wavy locks. I take her golden brown strands, that look remarkably like mine, and comb and  part and straighten and braid Piper into the person she wants to be.