The girls had birthdays over the last week, Little Mermaid (now 4) last Friday and Cinderella yesterday (now 6). We’re very clever to get them close together like that I know. So far I’ve been able to get away with one birthday party between them, with a cake for dessert on the day of each birthday.
I fear this will be my last year of such an easy road though. Since starting school Cinderella has fast been learning the ways of “the other girls” – you know the ones that have birthday parties with 40 kids heaven forbid! I’m not exaggerating. That’s how many were really there.
The Pleasure
Gifts are going to get harder too. This year Little Mermaid wanted an espresso machine. Not a real long black, stay up past midnight one. A little plastic job that you pour water in the top, turn a knob and out the bottom it comes. Perfect to offer other 4 year olds and teddy bears.
As it was I couldn’t find an espresso machine (they do exist, her friend has one) but I did find a percolator. She’s happy – water in, water out and with any luck not all over table.
The Pain
Cinderella, on the other hand, decided it was high time she had her ears pierced. I’ve been able to put her off a couple of years by going the pain route. But pain is no deterrent when nearly all your friends are showing off sparkly studs and cute little bird earrings. Well it wasn’t a deterrent, but may now be … read on.
The big day arrived and off to the piercing place we went. I think she first started to have doubts when the lady who greeted us had a big ring through her nose (brought to mind the local agricultural shows for some reason). Cinderella moved a little closer, but was then distracted by choosing the colour of her new adornments.
There was another look of major doubt when she saw the piercing gun. And as she flinched every time her ear was touched.
I should’ve stopped things there and made sure she really wanted to go ahead. But no, I think I had her confused with my other daughter who doesn’t cry and roll around in agony at the slightest bump or fall (this is a child who can literally squirt tears out like they do on the cartoons – it’s a talent she was born with).
Click – the gun went off. One ear was pierced. The crying began.
Do you think she would let anyone go near her other ear? Not on your life. I hugged. I joked. I cajoled. There was no way, no how she was letting that happen again.
OK, I thought, we’ll just have to leave with one pierced ear. Maybe in a year or two she’ll get the other one done. But she wouldn’t leave. She wanted two earrings, she just didn’t want to get pierced again.
So we went for a donut to think it over. She cried while she ate the donut. What had I done to my little girl?
Long story short(ish), we got back to the piercing place and maybe 30 minutes later, got the second earring in. It was accompanied by a blood curdling scream that I’m sure will haunt the piercing lady for the rest of her life.
But do you know what made it all better? A look in the mirror at her sparkly new earrings. And a sticker. And a new Beanie Kid.
There’s the culprit. See how teenie it is?
At this point, I feel the need to reiterate that it was all Cinderella’s idea – no pressure from me. No need to call DHS.
Rest assured she only cried for, oh, 40 seconds after the second ear was done and she is now extremely happy with her new look.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Heh, I never wanted my ears pierced. But my parents actually pressured me into getting them done. They’d say “Everyone else has their ears pierced, why don’t you?” Needless to say… I got them done. But to this day, I don’t wear earrings. That and I’m allergic to metal alloys and can only wear sterling silver, etc.
Let’s hope she doesn’t take them out too early. I did that, and only managed to get one back in, the other closed up and I had to get it re-pierced. It doesn’t sound like she’d want to experience that pain again lol…
Oh, gosh Suz. I never wear them much now either. They’re a bit like socks for me – I have lots of odd ones & not many pairs
I think if she took one out, they’d both come out and stay out. I’d hate for her (& me) to go through it all again