Rite Of Passage: Ear Peeling

It was a big weekend for my little Clara.  She's been after me for MONTHS to let her get her "ears peeled".  We've been in and out of Claire's no less than 4 times - she always changes her mind before even getting in the chair (but who can blame her if she thought she was in for ear peeling!).

This weekend was different though.  She was absolutely determined.  She woke me Saturday morning with a sweet kiss on my cheek and a "Mommy, can you take me to get my ears pierced now?"   (she even said 'pierced' instead of 'peeled')

So I made some phone calls, gave her some Motrin, grabbed Bunny and a Tootsie Roll, and we headed out.

We were silent in the car for the first 5 minutes or so.  I left the radio off, thinking she'd probably want to talk to me about what would happen or to tell me that she'd changed her mind yet again.  Clearly, she was thinking deeper thoughts.

"Mommy...if I had a pet horse and it was real, we could ride it to the mall to get my ears pierced!"

"Yeah, we sure could.  But where would we park it?", I responded.

"Hmm, I don't know."

"Maybe we could just tell it to 'sit' in one of the parking spots at the mall.  What do you think?"

Delicious little girl giggles poured from the back seat while she considered parking her pet horse at the mall.  My tears welled up with love for my oldest daughter and longing for this moment of her childhood to last for all eternity.  

Before we could come to a solid plan for horse storage at the mall, we were there.

I was astounded when she actually got close enough to choose her earrings (purple for her February birthstone).  And she SAT. IN. THE. CHAIR.  Okay, this really is serious!

The woman who would do the piercing had me initial and sign on so many lines that I asked her "you're not gonna own my house after this deal, are you?"

Clara was sitting on my lap.  Purple dots marked the place where earrings would soon be.  And before I knew it...Clara was across the store.  She'd LEAPED off my lap, and dashed away from me before I could blink.

She was crying.  Terrified.  Changing her mind.  Embarrassed.  

Oh, baby girl.  

I finally got her back over to the char to talk about it on the promise that "I will NOT hold you down and make you get your ears pierced.  This is your choice."  She trusted me, the sweet girl

And then, I grabbed her, put her in the chair, sat on her and pinned her hands down, and screamed to the lady "I got her!  DO IT! DO IT NOW!"

AH!  Really?  Did you think I'd do such a thing?  

Actually, we gathered up our stuff and left the store.

(Sorry...I don't know what came over me...just feeling a bit feisty tonight.  Sick and wrong and not funny, I know.)

The woman from the store was less than understanding and compassionate, "Great.  I don't know what I'm supposed to do with these earrings now that I opened them."  It was all I could do suggest a handy place for her to store them (ahem).  If it wasn't for my girl and Jesus himself being there with me, I just don't know what might have come out of my mouth.

  

As we walked down the hallway at the mall, Clara told me that she wanted to go back and try again.  

"Okay sweetie, but if we sit in that chair and you change your mind again we're not going to come back to try this again until you're a 2nd grader.  I was in the 2nd grade when I had my ears pierced too.  Maybe that's just a good age."

"I'd have to wait a whole year?"

"Yup.  And that's okay.  There's no rush."

I was being genuine - not playing mind games in the least.  But that did it for her.  Suddenly there was a determination in her eyes that made me feel very very afraid for her teenage years.  Boy, she's gonna be a force to reckon with!

The next thing I knew, my baby girl was sportin' some pretty little purple studs.  Here she is about 5 seconds after the deed was done:

Clara does NOT tolerate pain well, so I was prepared for some serious water-works.  But here she is about 11 seconds after it was over...do you see that sparkle in her eye?  A hint of a smile?  She was so proud of her brave big girl self!

We headed from there straight to Baskin Robins where she got to choose BOTH gummy bears and sprinkles on top of her Oreo ice cream.  

Aw, sweet Clara.  She's such a beautiful little girl.  And SO brave and smart and determined.  I love her to bits!

By the way - I did a few little tricks to try and minimize Clara's pain during her ear piercing.  If you want to know what I did, you can find them all listed HERE.