While some parents are saddened by the idea of their children growing up, I love it! I love watching my kids experience things for the first time. I love how proud they get when they accomplish something they haven't been able to do before. I have to admit that I also enjoy not having to do every single little thing for them.
Since Rylie is growing up and becoming such a big girl, it didn't surprise me when she asked me last weekend if she could get her ears pierced. I tried to sway her away from it and told her she could, but that it would hurt. Apparently that didn't matter, because out of the blue yesterday she asked again if she could get her ears pierced. Since she had asked twice, without it already being a topic of conversation, I knew it was something she wanted to get done. So off to the mall we went.
We ended up at Piercing Pagoda in the middle of the mall. Rylie was very excited! We were directed to the little display of piercing earrings and Rylie picked out some beautiful butterfly earrings. It figures that they were the most expensive in the whole display! What can I say? She is MY daughter, after all.
Once I signed all of the release forms, we went inside of the little kiosk and sat down. When we first sat down Rylie was still all smiles, but as the woman started getting everything ready, we could see the anxiety setting in and her smile started fading.
As the girl started prepping Rylie's ears by cleaning them and marking them with a marker, she said "I don't want my ears pierced."
By the time the little purple dots were on her ears and the piercing instruments had been loaded with her sparkly butterfly earrings, Rylie was a mess! She was crying and kept saying she didn't want her ears pierced. I knew she did, though, and was just really nervous. That was certainly a dumb mommy move I made when I tried to dissuade her from getting her ears pierced by telling her it would hurt!
We decided that it would be better to have both ears done at once, so another one of the women working there got her gloves on and they were ready. They were trying to reason with Rylie, but that wasn't working. Finally I just pressed her head back against my chest, held her tight and told them to just do it.
Now, before you go calling DCF and nominating me for yet another not-mommy-of-the-year award, Rylie was fine two seconds after it was over. I'm not even kidding. And I knew she would be. Once she saw her new earrings in the mirror, she was all smiles again!
Rylie loves her earrings! She knows we have to clean her ears twice a day and so far has been great about that. She loves looking in the mirror at them, and she even said this morning that she can't wait to go back to school so she can show her friends!
It was such an exciting experience for both of us, and is just the beginning of all of the fun yet to come! I'm so glad I have a little girl!
13 comments:
isn't the fact that as parents we follow through with things that we know they will hate for a few seconds and love in the long run what makes us amazing? Yet DCF could still get involved!!! yikes!
I think you did awesome MOM!! I'm not a fan of getting a baby's ears pierced. That seems cruel. But man is it cute as all get out. I just know I couldn't do it.
~Nikki
So cute! I bet she is so proud of herself. :-) I think both approaches to ear piercing are fine - as infants or as children when they ask. My 3 month old infant only cried because I was holding her so still. Once I let go of her after the piercing was done she stopped crying.
Oh my gosh, what a big girl!! I love that you guys got a picture of her freaking out and love that she was all smiles again two seconds later!
I clearly remember getting my ears pierced, but my mean mum made me wait until 2nd grade LOL
Grammy Boo wouldn't let Mommy get her ears pierced until 5th grade and she was *desperate* for earrings by that point... Poor Rylie in that one picture - I'm glad she bounced back so quickly and has been good about taking care of them!
every girl cries when they get it done, no biggie love!!
I got my first ones when i was seven... they grew over, did it again at 11, then added three more myself (i was certified) two in one ear and one in the other lol. ~sorry if this scares you~ lol
I am not a huge fan of little ones getting ears pierced. I had mine done, but they got ripped out during a cheerleading competition. I was super active and so is little Lulu, so I am going to wait until she is in middle school and old enough to decide for herself. I'd rather not have her experience that pain like I did.
WM
I am a mommy who loves ALL piercings, but wish people were more educated. Although the mall seems like a great cheap place to get ear piercings what they are actually using is completely unsterilized.
A piercing gun can never be completely clean because the previous customers ear skin is stuck underneath and pushed up the sides where you really can't see it. It sounds crazy but going to an ACTUAL piercing shop is the best. They use sterile needles and are always clean.
I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer, I just try to educate because most people honestly do not know.
My first go 'round with pierced ears was actually done by our family doctor when I was about 6. They closed up and I had them redone when I was 11 and it was a disaster. The person who did them got my hair stuck in the lobe and the infection was horrible. My parents had to hold me down so my dad could get that starter earring off me to drain the infection.
I'm not a fan of allowing your kids to have their ears pierced when they are young. And to be honest, regardless of the happy outcome, the picture of all of you holding her down when she is screaming really made me sad.
She's such a cutie!! Times like these you kick yourself in the butt for going through with plans like these. Then when it's all said and done you wouldn't have missed or changed it for the world!!
I am so excited that she did it and was okay a few minutes later. We won't nominate you for 'not-mom-of-the year' award because your intentions were good. Sometimes we all do and say things that we realize were probably not the smartest...LOL! It is great that she is becoming so independent...it will make your life much easier :)
She did great! She looks so cute!
I agree to each their own. This is a decision that is personal and everyone has an opinion.
I got Honey's ears pierced when she was young. I did this for one MAIN reason. I remember getting my ears pierced like it was yesterday. I didn't want her to have that memory.
For that reason I got them done when she was young. Even as an infant she cried for two seconds just like Rylie and then that was it. It is a little sting that goes away quickly. In fact it is the not knowing and worrying that is worse then the actual deed.
Awe - Rylie must be sooo proud of herself! She looks beautiful and so grown up with her sparkley earrings.
Right before we went on the cruise Cam's ears started getting really red and swollen looking. I think the chlorine from the pool was irritating them, so just make sure you clean them really well after a swim. I ended up taking out the starter earrings two weeks early and putting in dangly/hook type earrings so that the holes could breathe and they cleared right up. :)
You are a wonderful Momma, LeeAnn!
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