Why is Change So Difficult?

Due to the added expenses of having a baby, a decrease in time due to said baby, and a persuasive husband, I've started to consider making a major life change. "What can be more 'major' than having a child?", you ask. The answer is....

...changing my hair color. (Just to be clear, I'm hyperventilating just typing this. I don't like change. Scratch that. I HATE change.)

Although my natural hair color is very dark - at least I think it is - I've been blonde for as long as I can remember. It was certainly long before I started dating Mike and we've been together for 8.5 years now. Speaking of Mike, the thought of changing my hair color would never have even crossed my mind if it weren't for him. Lately, he's been suggesting that I go back to my natural dark brown color (I'm sure this has to do with the fact that I spend close to $140 including tip every six weeks for a touch-up and wax at the spa). While I told him that it was completely out of the question in and of itself, I did mention that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if I had several different shades of blonde highlights and lowlights added in as well. Certainly the maintenance would be far less than it is now and so would the price.

Did I mention that I HATE change? I'm terrified of going back to my natural color, even though my stylist thinks it's a fabulous idea. What if I hate it? What the heck do I even look like with dark hair nowadays? What if I hate it? What IS my natural color? Again, what if I hate it?

I realize it's just hair color and that I can always go back to blonde if I choose to do so. However, that still doesn't make me feel much better. It's taken me years to find the perfect shade of blonde with reddish highlights and I really do enjoy being a blonde.

To top things off, my next hair appointment is this Thursday and I have no idea what to do. Ugh.

For a visual, I'm considering going from this:

To something like this:

What do you think?