The rest of the story

So Kelly thought that having two older brothers would make this little thing known as ear piercing a breeze for Em.
I did too.
It didn't.

The whole thing started last Thursday when my aunt got her ears pierced. Emily watched her and it didn't look like a big deal. For the last week she has talked and talked about getting them done which is a huge change from us asking her and her giving us a flat out NO! She got off the bus yesterday afternoon and, running up to the house, said in the sweetest little voice and the biggest grin,

"I just can't stop thinking about getting my ears pierced!"

How can you argue with that? I told her to call daddy and ask him and of course he said yes. He did it kind of quickly and called later and asked if we really wanted to let her do it. I told him we aren't dressing her up and putting her on a street corner. He had all these visions of hoops and dangle earrings flashing through his head. I reassured him that we would keep her in small ones for a while and he was alright with it. As soon as he got home we were off.

Emily was so excited. We get to Claire's and she picks out the cute little pink flower studs she wants, we get the final picture of her without her ears pierced,

and then reality sets in. The tears flow freely and she decides she wants no part of it.
No way.
No how.

Could she look more forlorn?

She finally said they could at least dot her ears.

We are making progress.

Again, she looks pitiful.

Then the tears start again. Those two women holding those two guns were just too much for her. She wanted to go home.

I knew if we left that as soon as we were gone she would say she wanted to go back so I wasn't about to leave.

We talked about when she got her shots and she didn't cry and how those hurt so much more than this. Perfect strangers told her that it wouldn't hurt at all. More talking. More head shaking and tears.

Maybe dad could do better than i was.

I guess bribery works. A necklace and three additional pairs of earrings did the trick. Pretty soon I was back up there with her and so were the guns. I told her to squeeze my hands tight and before we knew it, it was over. And without even a flinch.

You did it!!!

I honestly don't know who was happier. Her or me. I was so proud of her for facing her fears and doing it anyway even though she was scared. That's my girl!When it was over we had to go for dinner and ice cream to celebrate. And, of course, she is thrilled with them and so happy she went ahead with it.

I love ya Sis!