Earrings, Pickles, and Play Time

On Lorelai's 7 month birthday, I decided that it would be great to celebrate it by getting her ears pierced! I didn't get my ears pierced until I was 8 or so and I had a HORRIBLE time with it. I thought it hurt so bad I was dying, I took them out early and they grew over, they were crooked, etc. I think I had to get them pierced 2 or 3 times. Ever since we found out we were having a girl, I've been debating on when I would (or IF I would) get her ears pierced or if I would wait and let her make that decision on her own later. I even talked to her pedi about it at her 3 month appointment, and she suggested waiting, but that LL had all of the shots that we needed if we did decide to do it.

After much talking about it to Matt, thinking about it, and talking to people I know who pierced their little girls' ears, I decided that I wanted to go through with it. I also waited for this weekend because it was Labor Day weekend and I knew that I would be home an extra day to stay with her if she was having a hard time with them.


Waiting in the store!

Matt had already made plans to go dove hunting with his brother, so I asked my mom to come along with me. Mom had told me a long time ago that if I did decide to get LL's ears pierced, that she wanted to go and she wanted to pay for it. She was excited, too! The closer we got, the more nervous I got. I just kept feeling like I was CHOOSING to do something that would hurt my daughter and that was HARD for me. I finally had to just think that she would probably get this done anyway, and at least I could do it now when she wouldn't remember it and when I could take care of all of the cleaning stuff for her. And she couldn't mess with them and take them out like I did.

We picked just some little white gold balls to go in. I didn't want anything gaudy or anything and I felt like this was just a good choice. Cute, but not inappropriate for a baby. I also didn't want anything with any sharp edges that could scratch her face. They have to stay in for 6 weeks (I don't even want to THINK about changing them) and she has to wear posts for 6 months - uh - duh, would I put hoops on my baby?!

Overall she did really great. She did cry while the lady was doing it, but I really think that it was mostly because I had to hold one arm over her arms to keep them down, and one arm over her head to hold her head still. She did NOT like that and she even cried before the girl got started. As soon as the girl was done, I picked LL up and walked out of the store and left mom to handle everything. Once we were out of the store, she calmed down, quit crying, and she hasn't even noticed them since!

After we finished at the mall, mom and I picked up Firehouse and headed back to her house because it was nap time for LL. She ate her lunch (cereal and peas!) and then chomped on a pickle while we ate our subs. You can really see her earrings in some of these pictures!

All of that purple around her ear is not bruising, it is the marker from where the girl put dots for LL's earrings. It has all since washed off!

After she woke up from her nap, I tried to take some pictures of her earrings after she ate, and I got some really funny pictures!

Overall, I feel like I made a really good decision in getting her ears pierced this early, and I think she'll be happy about it later!