Hallie turned 11 and in her words it was the best birthday ever. Hallie’s list of wants for her birthday were pretty small. She wanted a fancy water bottle, gum, some hand lettering materials and her ears pierced. She prefaced it with, “I know you’ll say no, but I want my ears pierced.” We already decided this would be a great birthday to get them pierced, but I happily played the roll of concerned parent who didn’t think she was old enough to take care of them properly. We had her fooled big time. And she is one of the best present openers – big or small, she is excited and grateful.

I don’t have a picture of it because I was recording her opening the gift but when she saw this card she was elated. She was ready, she wanted them done that minute.

Hallie and I ventured out to complete her birthday present. She was excited but as we got in the car and started driving, I could tell some nerves were starting to settle in. She talked and asked questions the entire 20 minute drive about the process. Did it hurt when I did it? How do they get infected? How long until she can switch them out? How bad does it hurt? How do they actually make the hole? The questions went on and on. She went into this fully informed!

Her last holeless lobe shot.

Within a few minutes, she had two dots on her ears (I checked them to make sure they were even and they weren’t close. I asked them to redo the marker – the second time was much better!) and they shot the ears at the same time and she was done. It was much better than she had made it out to be in her mind.

I loved being there with her. She’s my only girl, so moments like this are once in a lifetime and I wouldn’t trade them. She’s my little buddy that is on the brink of no longer being little. We went out for some birthday treats after and she chose a cinnamon roll larger than her head and a nice piece of chocolate cake to wash it down with. It was a good day to turn 11.