Pierced Ears!

I think it actually started as soon as we found out we were pregnant, before we even knew for sure we were having a girl; the question of ear piercing (and makeup and barbies and dating...but we won't get into that here). Should we do it when she's a baby? Should we make it a special "big girl" treat when she's 4 or 5? Should we not do it at all and let her decide to do it when she's ready? There was so much to consider.

Then Sadie happened, and we stopped talking about it at all.

There is another little girl who we know from The Foundation for Blind Children who has her ears pierced. I talked her her mom about it and she said she cried a lot, but not for very long. She made a point to tell me that it was over quickly. When I asked her if it was a lot of work to keep them clean and everything, she said you just have to clean them while they're healing and then you can basically just leave them alone. And then I started thinking about it again.

Whenever I've talked to Brian about it, I got the impression that he didn't really have an opinion one way or another and that it was kind of up to me. After all, I'm the one hemming and hawing and making a big deal...he doesn't make a big deal of things like this. But I was still up in the air about it: Would she cry for days because she's so sensitive? Would having earrings in her ears bother her (and therefore cause more screaming than normal)? If I wait until she's 4 or 5 will it be worse or will she even know enough to understand a "big girl" treat? Should we even consider it at all knowing all we know about her?

Then I was at the mall yesterday with my mom and as we were leaving (because Sadie was overstimulated and couldn't calm down) we passed The Piercing Pagoda. And originally we stopped because I lost my nosering somewhere and I thought I could buy another one...but then the lady was so nice, and Sadie was already out of control tired and grumpy, so it's not like it'd be much worse, so we just did it.

It wasn't bad at all. She first did the owie cry where she doesn't make any noise at all. Then she gave a few loud screams, then we were done and I shoved the pacifier in her mouth and held her tight and she fell asleep. And that was it. Didn't hear another peep until I went to clean and twist them this morning.

And they look so pretty.

The before. Notice the naked ears.

This was just drawing the dots, she hadn't even broken out the gun yet.

The actual piercing went so fast, both ears were probably done in less than a minute.

All done, but still in shock and traumatized.

Getting over it pretty quickly.

Totally showing off her bling by the time mama signed the credit card slip!