"I'm too young for this!"

So here's the before, during, and after of girls getting their ears pierced last week.

BEFORE:

(notice the happiness, anticipation and excitement - it's a big deal around here!)

DURING:

(notice kid #2 looks slightly more nervous than kid #1 did in the previous picture - that's because kid #1, born first, had the privilege of getting SHOT IN THE EARS first - she yelped out loud in the middle of the mall - because that's how momma rolls, you get your ears pierced right in the middle of HUNDREDS of passers by - and that realllly unsettled kid #2. Oh I felt so bad for kid #2. Okay, and kid #1.)

AFTER:

(notice the sad/painful/trying-to-be-brave-about-this look they both have in this after shot. Thankfully, a tearful walk through the Disney Store, and going up and down the escalator in Forever 21 a few times did the trick of distracting them from their throbbing lobes)

The epic quote "I'm too young for this!" came on the way home, in the car, when kid #2, who is 7 years old, felt she needed to let me know how much I had hurt her by letting her get her ears pierced. See, she knows what angle to play: I had just told the girls I waited until I was 9 years old to get my ears pierced, and I said I was glad I did wait that long, it was really special to me because I got it because of good grades, and blah blah blah. That was when she said "well I'm only 7, do you think I'll be okay?" And I tried to convince her it was cooler to get her ears pierced on the same day as big sister (who IS 9) instead of waiting two more years. Well, as soon as it became MORE painful that the tiny little pinch I'd been practicing on them the past few weeks, she shot me back with that remark. Seriously, she schooled ME on letting her do something at too young an age. Oh kiddo. So after the "I'm too young for this" statement, I KINDLY reminded her I had just paid a total of $89 for two girls to get their ears pierced with the world's smallest earrings, so she'd better get over it, because I wasn't gonna hear it anymore! I did say that kindly, I promise.

(and about the $89, I know - I know I know I know - that IS crazy.

Piercing Pagoda, that's who stole my money!)