What to say? Galen has started work on Christmas presents. Cucumbers and zucchinis are coming in. The chickens are getting big…soon there will be eggs. It remains to be seen whether or not we will be able to eat them. At a time of year when most other gardens, ours included, are a fiery mass of colors, our front garden is having it’s white moment. It’s calmly beautiful, though short lived. My favorite crimson rose is about to bloom again.
I’ve barely been knitting at all. My head is swimming with lesson plans and meal plans and sewing projects and cold weather house preparations to be made. I’m envious of mothers that have childless periods of time in which to think and work uninterrupted. I could be so much more effective if I had the mental and physical space to plan and prepare.
The chickens aren’t the only ones growing. I’m keenly aware that not just one, but two of my children will be able to vote in not the current, but the next presidential election! I have two high-schoolers this year. Iain is actively working through the state required steps for getting his driver’s license. This growing children thing is getting serious!
My “baby” is no longer a baby, but an extremely active, clever and mischievous young girl, perhaps the very 2ist two year old I’ve ever encountered. Last week when she was doing something naughty and being quite cheerful about it, I told her it wasn’t funny and she looked at me and replied, “I laughin’…”
This week marked a right of passage for my oldest daughter as well. After many months of comments like, “There are only two people in dance class who don’t have their ears pierced. You know who they are? Me and Galen.” And being assured that having pierced ears makes for a loving sister, with a sunny disposition, who does her chores without complaint and always remembers to put her clothes in the hamper, etc. We finally agreed to take her to get her ears pierced.
Not being one to take for granted that the conventional way of doing things is always the best way and feeling really uncomfortable with the idea of some random kid at the mall putting holes in my child’s body, I did my research first. Based on what I read, I decided that a professional piercer using traditional methods (as in a needle, not a gun) was the way to go for our family.
I nervously gave her some relaxing and pain relieving herbs in the waiting room before hand. She didn’t even bat an eye. She didn’t flinch or whimper or cry, her eyes didn’t well up…she was just totally chill. That girl is pretty hardcore. We’re using chamomile tea bag compresses now, in addition to regular saline rinses, to help with healing and reduce the risk of infection. She’s pleased as punch. I don’t think there has ever been a gift she’s liked so much.
Your daughters’ pierced ears right of passage sounds perfect in every way from the piercing method and the herbs used for healing.