Bling!

Petra woke up this morning and announced to us that she was ready to have her ears pierced. Several years ago, she brought it up so we gave her the low down on what ear piercing entailed. We told her that when she felt ready she should let us know. In the meantime, Annike developed strong feelings about having her ears pierced ASAP. However, since we were weary of violating any laws of sisterhood --as in the younger sister shall not engage in cosmetic alterations prior to an older sister -- we told Annike that she may not be pierced until after Petra was pierced. This, of course, annoyed Annike since her sister is very thoughtful about these things and mulled it over in her brain a good 3-years before taking the big leap. Anyhow, today was the day! Daddy took Petra in while I had the three younger kids out pacing the halls with me. She was a mega champ and only whispered a quick "ow". Petra picked a pretty pink daisy stud.

Following Petra's successful piercing, Annike reminded us that we told her she could have her ears pierced once Petra had hers done. Then she happily jumped up into the chair, looked at her Daddy defiantly and then picked out her studs. Lars and I looked at each other, shrugged, and then signed the paperwork for our 3-year old to have her ears pierced. I returned to the hallway, but this time with Petra in exchange for Annike, and resumed my pacing. Lars said that Annike did even flinch. After it was done she jumped off the chair, went over to the lollipop bin and picked out an orange sucker, popped it in her mouth and then walked over to a full-length mirror where she admired herself at all different angles.
After all was said and done, we took the kids to Subway and then to the zoo . . . where we left them with the monkeys.

Annike, being silly at home after getting her ears pierced. She picked out daisy studs just like Petra, but opted for the 'diamond' ones as opposed to pink.