2 holes in 1...(head)

I didn't get my ears pierced until I was nearly 16 (my Dad's rules). We (Mom, Dad and I -though I'm sure there were others tagging along) trekked the 45 minutes to the nearest mall to look for a Homecoming dress. I was so excited to be going to my first formal dance! I was permitted to go on the condition that my dress had my Dad's approval -you know covered the ankles, long sleeves, mock neck, in a non-clingy fabric. Though we didn't find a dress that fit that exact criteria, we did find something both my Dad and I agreed upon (to be altered a bit by my Mom later of course). After purchasing the dress, in a show of throwing-the-towel in-my-daughter-is-going-to-grow-up-regardless-of-the-30-year-old-prerequisite-for-ear-piercing, he alone took me into Claire's or equivalent to have my ears pierced. My Dad's logic, "if God wanted holes in your ears, he would have put them there". To this day my Mom still does not have her ears pierced.

After years of pleading growing up, I vowed never to make my children wait. Many of my childhood vows of doing things differently than my parents have changed but this one hasn't. I felt when Addie was old enough to understand there would be pain involved and still wanted them pierced, well that would be the time.

This morning I gave the kids haircuts, Addie included. Her hair ended up a little shorter than planned (she's been wanting short hair, which Brett regularly vetoes), so with the thrill of her new look, she whispered in my ear that she wanted to get her ears pierced today too. That's when my stomach ache began.

In Spain they pierce ears at the doctors or at a pharmacy which seems to make more sense then some shop in the mall. On our way home from our romp in the park (my belly queasier by the minute), we headed to the pharmacy with a bit of personal hope it would be closed due to the holiday. No luck. As Addie climbed up on the stool I thought I might lose my lunch. This was not because of last minute remorse, communicating in Spanish to put holes in my daughters head, the fear I was saying goodbye to her childhood, or anything nostalgic like that. Usually in Spain, babies ears are pierced in the hospital when they're born, so it's not a right of passage here, just an accessory. My troubles were caused by the pain she was about to go through. Logically, I know it doesn't hurt that bad and it goes away pretty quick, but I was so nervous for her. I grabbed her hand to hold it while the shooting would take place, but she quickly retracted hers with an embarrassed "Maaaahhhm". She may not have needed to hold my hand, but I really needed to hold hers. Now I just had to hold my own.

Her face turned beet red with the first, the second was a breeze, and the whole time, never a look of regret. In a matter of minutes it was all over, my heart rate began slowing to normal, though I knew it would be a while before this knot in my gut went away. So with lollipop in hand, smile on face, and pearls in ears, she returned to 3 eagerly awaiting, awestruck brothers in the car, "nah, it didn't hurt that bad".