Hello Kitty!

After the Anderson trio got their ears pierced last summer and Claire wanted hers done too (because we HAVE to do everything the girls do), but I had my reservations so we waited. Over the last couple months Claire has talked about it more and more. We would go look at earrings, sit in the chair, pick out which ones she wanted, talk about that it would hurt; like a shot but would be all better soon, sit in the chair, talk about keeping them clean and twisting them, sit in the chair, pick out which ones she wanted, talk about that it would hurt.... you get the idea. This went on for several months where she would say yes she wanted to get it done and then change her mind at the last minute (literally as we were sitting in the chair, technician ready, she would say no). Okay, no big deal we would leave and she would want to try again another time. This her decision, I didn't want to force her. 

Last month we were at the bookstore at the mall and she said she wanted to get her ears pierced so we head down to Claire's (the name of the jewelry store), get all set up and once again she says no, so we leave but this time as we are getting in the car she starts crying saying yes, yes she wants her ears pierced. I tell her that if we go back in there she is not changing her mind again, that she was getting them pierced. Thankfully the technician was understanding and didn't mind getting all setup again. Claire picked out her favorite Hello Kitty earrings, she picked these every time so I knew that is what she really wanted and just a few minutes later she had her ears pierced. 

The pain surprised Claire, she was really upset, trying really hard until she was offered a pink lollipop and suddenly it was all better. It was tough for momma to watch knowing it was going to hurt, anticipating that pain for her but she was a trooper and calmed right down. Keeping them cleaned the first week was challenging. Claire would not let anyone come near her ears. The directions said to clean and twist them three times a day for six weeks. We did it once a day for a week. It was a two man ordeal. One to hold her down. Arms, legs and head all pinned and one to clean. Getting dressed was a chore too as shirts rubbed against her ears. Claire wouldn't hold still to do to slowly, fighting me and making it worse. I know that is the thought of it hurting more than the actual pain itself as she would say owie, owie before anything even touched her ears. It made me feel barbaric, that I was traumatizing her and that I did it knowing it would be painful. I even thought of just taking them out and getting them done again when she was older. We powered through and now they are all healed. Whew!

Waiting (she's wanting to wear her backpack lately, hence the straps)

Cleaning

Marking where they go (she had to do it too)

Getting nervous

She's not so sure

3, 2, 1....

Earrings!