Something Shiny

With a busy weekend ahead, Aine and I decided to have our monthly date a day early. After Girl Scouts, we headed out for some fun. I stopped by our home for the camera and told Dave my plan. We had discussed it last month, so he knew it was coming. Aine had no idea.

For months or even over a year, Aine has been pining for pierced ears. We were able to hold her off a bit over the summer with the promise of new jewelry in the fall after swim team ended. She has continued requesting them, assuring us that she can care for pierced ears. As soon as the swimming season ended she told us it was time. We decided that she was right. I called ahead and set the plan in motion.

As we drove, I asked Aine if she still wanted her ears pierced, and if she was up for it today. She couldn't answer yes fast enough. We headed to HTC in downtown Tempe. After a brief return home to retrieve Aine's birth certificate, the adventure began. Our piercer, Kevin, showed Aine the earring choices.  True to form her first pick was a large sparkly gemstone. I suggested that we start with a smaller earring first, so she picked a small titanium ball. 

Disinfecting her lobes

We were then led back to a smaller room where Aine listened to everything in awe. All the needles and earrings were in sealed packages. As Kevin opened everything, he explained what would happen. With earlobes disinfected and placement dots on her ears, the piercing began. We held hands throughout the process, which Aine described as someone pinching a small section of skin really hard. She did really well with only a slight grimace on the second ear.

While sucking on her congratulatory lollipop, she and Kevin exchanged high-fives after it was done. She practically floated out of the shop. As we walked, she kept putting her hair behind her ears taking extreme care not to touch her lobes and earrings (she had been told to keep her piercing clean and not touch her new earrings at all). She was so pleased and could not stop smiling. She finally has her fancy, new earrings.