Once upon a time there was this little girl...

who wanted to get her ears pierced even though she was only five. Her mom took her to the mall, and even though the little girl was terrified, she didn't back out. When her first one was pierced, she screamed so loud the other end of the mall heard it. When they attempted the second one, she freaked out and had to be held still to get it done. Her ear lobes were a bit chubby and the earrings were tight, so over time, infection set it. One day, at a different mall, the little girl started crying that her ears were hot and hurt very badly. Her mom took her into the public bathroom, and as soon as she touched the swollen ear lobe, it burst forth onto the mirror--pus went everywhere and once again, the little girl's screams touched the ears of every employee in the mall! Well, that experience ruined earrings for this little girl, until she turned 12 and became much braver. She got her ears pierced twice in 3 months, and went on to get a cartilage piercing 5 years later, although that one eventually closed up.

So, I ask you, dear reader...is it always like mother, like daughter? Today, while I was at CYT rehearsal with Madeleine, Auntie Heidi calls and informs me that Sophia is missing an earring. After much cajoling (and a payoff of $5), we get her to let Auntie and Grandma to put one of Grandma's earrings in. It seems to be okay throughout the day, until a rough housing moment after dinner, when the replacement earring falls out. Sophia went ballistic and was crying...she really didn't want me to put another earring in, and quite frankly, I didn't think I should. I didn't have any that were good for newly pierced ears. Her ear was looking a little red and had some dried blood on it, which didn't even happen when they were pierced. So I gave her 3 choice, all which included some pain. She eventually chose to take the good earring out and re-pierce her ears when she's older. I think that was the best choice, although I wished it wasn't so. Just getting the good earring out produced quite a yelling and crying fest and I felt letdown that we not only wasted $25 but also that her ears were so cute with the earrings!

Later, she told me she only wanted her ears pierced because we promised her a puppy and she wanted to know if she still got the puppy! I'm so sick of bribery...it really accomplishes nothing!

After thinking about my own ear piercing ordeal, I realized that she is so much like me in so many ways. I also realized that I never once was convinced that she was ready to have her ears pierced and I wish I just would have listened to my mother's intuition. Oh well...expensive lesson learned.