Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Little Ladies with Pierced Ears

I hadn't planned on getting the twins' ears pierced until they were at least six or seven years old, mainly because that's when I got my ears pierced and I wanted them to remember the experience. Many of us don't think about it much, but ear piercing is a huge rite of passage for little girls. So much so, that the girls had to beg their dad to even let them get pierced. They're only three and a half years old, and surprisingly, they are the only girls in their nursery class who don't have pierced ears, and hence, don't wear earrings. The first couple times they asked me to get it done for them, my husband vetoed the idea, saying once they get their ears pierced, all of the rest of the things that make dads get premature heart attacks are going to follow. He was like, "What's next, makeup? School dances? Why can't we let them be babies for just a little longer?" I could see his point, but in all reality, makeup and school dances are a topic at least 12 years away and aren't the same thing as pierced ears. (As much as I love to play with makeup myself, I'm not going to allow my girls to wear it until they're 15, that's the magic acceptable number I have in my head, and I'm sticking to it.)

Anyway, back to the ear piercing thing. This issue became such a huge deal in our house that we finally started asking some of our friends at what age they got, or allowed, their daughters to get their ears pierced. Can you believe a good majority of them said 6 months? Some as early as 3 months. And yes, we didn't notice it before, but we found that out of our entire circle of friends, our girls were the only ones who didn't have pierced ears! I figured, the baby girls who got their ears pierced at 6 months probably didn't have much say in the matter, but if my girls are asking me for pierced ears themselves, and this is something they really want, why not? It's gotta be done sometime anyway, so why not now?

So off we went to the mall, to our neighborhood Piercing Pagoda, where a team of two technicians made the twins' very first ear piercing the most pleasurable and memorable experience. My husband didn't want to see it happen and hung out at Best Buy instead, so it was just me, the twins, and my son Riz, who was curious and wanted to watch. I propped each girl up to the counter and let her pick out her own earrings. Honeybear chose simple princess cut CZ studs, while Zee chose earrings that looked like little flowers (white zircon middle surrounded by pink zircon "petals"). Great picks for both of them.

I let Honeybear go first, because I know she has a higher tolerance for pain and doesn't cry as easily as Zee. I sat her down on my lap, while the technician used a magic marker to make holes for where the earrings would be punched in. Then I told Honeybear that if she looks straight ahead, a magic bunny is going to pop out from behind the kiosk in front of us, just some random story to distract her from what was about to happen. Then the technicians counted together, "One, two, three" and viola!, they pressed down on their piercing guns and both ears were pierced. Since both ears were pierced at the same time, Honeybear didn't even have time to process the pain, and the next thing you know, the technicians were showing her a mirror and telling her "Look how pretty you look!" and she was just smiling, admiring her new earrings. Cut to Zee, who was standing in front watching the whole thing and was jumping up and down, "Me too! Me too!" The techs did Zee's ears the same way, quickly and efficiently, and I was very surprised that the girls didn't cry one bit. They said it pinched a little, but it didn't hurt after that. Then the techs gave them both lollipops.

It's been a few days since they got their ears done, but they're doing great, and are starting to notice the earrings on other little girls their age more. Whenever they see another little toddler with earrings, they point it out to me and say, "Look, that girl has earrings" followed by "just like me." The husband also seems to be adjusting to the fact that the girls now wear earrings. Like I said, he wasn't too keen on the idea in the beginning, but seeing how happy they are now, he's getting used to it.

In hindsight, I'm actually glad I got it over with. I remember even though my ears were done with a piercing gun, they were done one at a time. So after the first ear was pierced, I realized this kind of hurts!, and got nervous anticipating the pain of the next ear piercing. I would have preferred a simultaneous piercing the like the twins got done. Still, it was better than the way my mom got pierced in Pakistan way back when. She said, back then, there was no Claire's or Piercing Pagoda you went to to get your ears pierced, there were people who used to just walk the streets yelling "Get your ears pierced! I pierce ears! Only X rupees!" You called them into your house, and the guy would just ice the earlobes before shoving a gold earring right through it! One earlobe at a time. Manually. And yes, unlike with a piercing gun, when the earring is shoved right through the earlobe manually, it bleeds like bloody hell. Ouch, can you imagine? I'm so thankful for technological advancement.

15 comments:

the mad momma said...

In India you have to pierce baby ears within the first year.. and in my husband's community its done at 12 days! my daughter barely cried and at 11 months doesnt even remember that she wears earrings. glad the little girls are enjoying their earrings!

Umm Belaal said...

im one of those moms that if i had a daughter, i'd pierce her ears as early as they'd allow me. but your story made me think twice, it would be fun to have memories and their excitement. i went with my cousins when they were under a year and they did them simultaneous too (and their dad refused to be anywhere within earshot of their cries)
i took my friends daughter about 2 years ago when she was 6 months and they didn't do it simultaneously. her daughter couldn't move or resist much but the first pierce broke my friends heart because her daughter cried so much. it was so painful for her. and the lady who did it, did it so fast and didn't even really let my friend check the markings, so they are a little bit off.

Umm Belaal said...

and soon they will be asking daddy for studs like angelina :)

Unknown said...

Had to laugh at this one. Born and raised in the US, but guess where I had my ears peirced? In Pakistan! On a trip with my parents when I was ten years old. I totally still remember it - my uncle did it with a needle! I can't believe my mom thought this was a good idea.

I think I'm going to wait till M's old enough to ask and then make it a reward for something. I'm manipulative like that.

s

Marigold said...

Aww.. that was such a cute story!! I think it's intresting how here piercing your ears is considered a rite of passage or something and in Pakistan it's just something to do if you're a girl and no one is considered too young to do it - that's why many baby girls have their ears pierced when they're just babies.
My mom did mine herself with a sewing needle! I remember it didn't hurt too much and i was so happy I got them pierced that I didn't care for the pain! haha

Ash said...

OMG that is so cute.
When i have kids, i think i'll wait until they ask too!

ZenDenizen said...

I'm glad I don't remember the experience! I was all of 10 months...

Chic Mommy said...

wow, all you ladies who endured the sewing needle piercings, I'm in awe of you! I had the easy piercing done at Claire's at the mall when I was 7, pretty uneventful except for the fact that my holes got infected and I had to use antibiotic creams for a while. But I saw my cousin get pierced in Pakistan on her front porch by some guy my aunt found on the street. The procedure was like day and night compared to the way the twins got pierced. Here, they used latex gloves, sterilized everything, and there, it was just ice the earlobe and shoved the needle right through it. Although, I think at the time, the piercing instrument looked more like an ice pick to me. Who knows, maybe it was an ice pick! All I remember was my cousin was 5 when it happened, and crying terribly after it was done, I felt so bad for her, but it had to be done. Geez, the pain females go through just to wear earrings.

VRK said...

Hi chicmommy,
I've been away for so long and finally have some time to check out your blog! Roop cafe is coming along so well too! I left some comments there as well with a question!

Love the story about the girls! You've got some brave little ones!

How are things with the Gellars?

Elena Martínez Blanco said...

In Spain you do it when they are born, is done at the hospital by the nurses, my daughter had it done 1 day after being born:-)

The Lil fairy & her angel friends said...

het, i love your blog! seems like u havent updated it in a while???

[[[ x Smiley x ]]] said...

Oh thhis was way cute! =)

I just stumbed upon ur page from somewhere i dont know.

I got my ears done with a piercing gun when i was 2! i cnt believe it. My mum tells me that i was ever soo quite and patient, and i didnt cry one bit,and was rewarded with a small pressie from the lady at the jewellers!

Now iv got three in each ear :)

You gonna let ur girlies have more done? I just dont get the needle one. It must kill like hell. Ouchi!

keep blogging eh,

riki~

Living Away said...

in brasil, we girls have our ears pierced as soon as we were born. we left the hospital wearing earings that is usually a gift from grandparents!

btw, i used to be "Brujita's Cloud" reader but i lost many blogs permission when i changed my blog template.

please if you read this can you email me at leandrale@hotmail.com and/or add me again?
thanks,i hope everything is alright with your girl and you!
i miss reading your posts.

Asa said...

I LOVE the way you write. When are you coming back?? miss u...

Asa said...

I LOVE the way you write. when are you coming back?? miss u...