The Piercing

Emily, a couple of months ago you reached an important milestone in a girl's life. You got your ears pierced. I know this is a somewhat controversial decision. Many parents feel kids should have to wait until they are in their teens before making such a decision. Other parents just go ahead and pierce them as soon as they are out of the womb. Your Dad and I land somewhere in between. We wanted it to be your decision, not something we arbitrarily did to you, but we didn't feel it was such a life altering decision you had to wait to be a teenager to make it. I got my ears pierced when I was two. I begged my parents until they said ok, and though I can't remember it I have never regretted my decision.
 
Anyway after some gentle use of power of suggestion from grandma, you said you wanted to get your ears pierced. We explained that it would hurt, and that you would have to take care of your ears and earrings by letting us clean them and not playing with them. You still insisted you wanted to do it. A couple of weeks went by and you stood firm on your decision. So off we went to get your ears pierced. You was so cute and serious during the whole thing. Of course you cried, but you have been so excited and happy about your earrings and tell everyone about them. You even included them in a self portrait you did at school.
There have been a few bumps in the road, but overall it has gone smoothly. We had two episodes of an earring accidentally falling out and having to put it back in. The first one was bad, I couldn't get it in and it was hurting, but after that it had healed more and it went back in pretty easily. We have been pleasantly surprised by how proud you are of your earrings and of yourself for being brave. You have also shown a lot of responsibility in reminding us to clean your ears. You have even showed added maturity in other areas, like deciding that you are too old to suck your thumb and quitting, pretty much cold turkey. So far I feel happy that we made a good decision, we'll see if you claim we mutilated you or something down the road. :) I love you sweet girl and you are beautiful to me with or without pierced ears!