Cage Free Monkeys

A Summer Ritual Introduced

Rite of Passage

All I have heard for weeks--months even--is how she wants her ears pierced. Earing have been the topic of conversations and crayon drawings.


We agreed for her 5th birthday-next week she could get them. But apparently it was causing her some stress both the waiting and the anticipating the unknown.

So last night, at bedtime nonetheless, we jumped in the car and ran to the mall to do it and put all the anxiety to rest. She ran skipping into the mall. She couldn't have jumped into that chair any faster.
She knew what to expect and was giddy and happy...until....



They did the first ear.


Well, Im sure the ENTIRE mall heard my baby screaming and crying. And then she began to refuse to get the other ear done. LOUDLY....

So inevitably I had to hold her on my lap, bracing her head still against my chest so the next ear could be finished while I got the look of death from passers-by who were thinking "My GOD, what kind of mother drags her unwilling daughter to the mall at 8:30 at night to get her ears pierced --AGAINST HER WILL!!!!!"

There is something about me and lousy parenting moments at this mall--(remember when I lost Michael? ) Here she is a good 10 minutes after the trauma- red puffy eyes and still remnants of tears.


I was SURE CPS would arrive at any minute.


Happily, Cold Stone Creamery was next door and was able to restore my red puffy faced daughter to her former happy self. The power of ice cream is an amazing thing.

She strutted out of the mall, hair tucked behind her ears so everyone could see--and just in case they couldn't-- she swung her head from side to side as she walked proudly out of the mall way after her bedtime.