I'm not a big jewelry person, but one thing I feel completely naked without is my earrings. Now don't get excited I don't have a bazillion pairs of earrings. Quite the contrary.. hahaha I only wear sterling silver studs and small hoops. That's it. Nothing fancy - but they are my favorite and most necessary piece of jewelry. Its weird. I don't like touching my ears - or even having the proverbial 'sweet nothings' whispered in them. Actually, just typing about it is giving me the heebeejeebees - yuck. Let me unclench my shoulders...
I've actually had holes all my life. I got my ears pierced around the time I was christened. I don't remember wearing earrings in elementary school, but I certainly remember them in middle school. I remember wanting cute Mickey Mouse earrings. Oooh and one year I begged for emerald earrings (my birthstone) I got some green stone studs - but I can
guarantee they weren't emeralds hahahahha. I liked wearing earrings but I couldn't look in the mirror and stick the post in my ears. For a good 2 or 3 years, my mom would put my earrings in while I was asleep because I just couldn't do it. No lie. But I was soooooo cute when she got them in ;-)
By high school I had gotten over my fear and was rocking big silver hoops like a pro. I still didn't like messing with my ears, but all the cool kids got their earrings from the village - I had to be down ;-)
So... when Kielle was born in the back of my mind I started thinking about getting her ears pierced. I was not looking forward to it. I thought about the two options: 1. Pierce her ears now while she can't touch them and most likely won't remember the pain or 2. Wait until she is old enough to decide for herself. I opted for getting her ears pierced now.
Kielle's pediatrician doesn't pierce ears. I called and they recommended taking Kielle to Piercing Pagoda or Claire's in the mall. Not. Gonna. Happen. For my little girl I wanted someone who is a professional, not a teenager working a $8/hr. summer job. I didn't want chicks picking out bangles and headbands watching my poor baby cry while getting her ears pierced. Not to mention at Claire's the ear piercing chair is always located at the front window... um no thank you. Most importantly though, I wanted a sterile environment.
I was able to ask my sorority sisters - shout out to Alpha Kappa Alpha - if they had any suggestions for pediatrician offices that pierce ears for walk-ins. I decided to go with Atlanta Pediatric Partners. I made the appointment for a Tuesday. I had three weeks to mentally prepare.
I am a wuss so I called in for backup. My friend Eulene was able to come with me to appointment. Nervous does not begin to explain what I was feeling! I don't know why either. When the kiddos get shots I'm a rock - but this!?!? pure-dee-wreck. My legs were shaking literally 2 weeks before the appointment.
Poor Eulene. She thought she was there for Kielle - nope. She was there to comfort me! The appointment was at 11am. We arrived 5 minutes early. I handed Kielle to Eulene while I filled out the paperwork. My hands were shaking. I think it was mostly because I knew she was about to be in serious pain. We got called in and the wheels were set in motion.
Most of this was a blur... The nurse showed me the sterile packages with the earrings already attached to the ear piercing gun. She said something about the procedure and how we needed to clean the ears daily. Blah blah blah. I wasn't listening... I was cross-eyed. Luckily she had everything she said printed on a blue index card - perfect. She then laid my baby down on the table and marked both ears with a blue marker. Kielle cried the whole time. Its rock and roll time. I got ready - "what do I need to do? Where should I stand? Do we need boiling water and clean towels??" But - - short reprieve. The nurse stepped out to get an assistant. Kielle - she looked at me and Eulene like 'that wasn't so bad!' I couldn't look at her... I felt horrible, I knew what was coming.
With both professionals in the room, it was time for me to participate in the brutality. I was instructed to hold her arms and legs still while the assistant held her head and the nurse pierced her ears. I literally could not feel my legs. My stomach was all types of gurgling and I swear there was a moment when I thought I was gonna upchuck. Eulene asked me if I was going to look at Kielle to give her some comfort - ummm NO! You can do that - C'mon super friend step in riiigghhhtt now! I on the other hand will nicely nestle my head in her stomach while performing my duties and hum loud enough to hopefully throw myself into a trance.
As soon as I locked her limbs down, Kielle started wailing... and then I heard it - POP!. My heart sank.. and I swear a little throw up rose in my mouth. Then the tears started. It wasn't a lot - just a mist (I didn't want to be
that mother), but it was enough that I had to wipe my eyes real quick. My job wasn't finished. I wanted to just give up right then and leave the office, but I buckled down and held her for the second - POP.
Seriously it
was as bad as I thought it would be. How about afterwards, the nurse looks at her on the table and says "well let me just check..." check what!?!?! you think we're doing
this again!?! um.. no ma'am...wrap up your tools and go 'head on... she'll just have to be crooked eared hmph... feeling weak. I need food - we're headed to Olive Garden. No time for 'redos'
Turns out the holes are absolutely perfect and she looks great. I don't think she even realizes that her ears are pierced (Luckily Khyri hasn't either. Khyri + Kielle's earrings = Disaster waiting to happen). Keith is in charge of maintenance due to my issues. He puts alcohol on her ear and rotates each earring to keep the holes from closing. Beauty is pain - Kielle is learning that lesson early.
I'm glad we got them pierced now - she looks absolutely adorable with her 14k bling bling don't you think???
