My husband and I were both very confused....Here we were, listening about how we had delayed things and were now making matters more complicated for our child, someone would tell us it was already too late, someone said it was okay - that we still had time, while in our heart we were still not ready..
You see, it was the subject of getting our daughter's ears pierced. Ever since she was born, we had heard comments regarding our plans about getting her ears pierced. The grandparents were already planning the design of the earrings ever since I was wheeled out of the operation theater and the little angel was announced.
Once back home, everyone had taken a look at that little one and after countless exclamations of 'how cute' and 'how beautiful' and 'what a sweetheart' there were talks about when and how to pierce her ears.
WHAT !!!???? She was not even as big as half my arm then, just a tiny speck who slept in the crevice of my arms - how could we put her through this torture? Taking a needle and putting it to her tender skin and making a hole !!!! Are you out of your mind? Each session with the doctor where she was given the shots was as it is torture enough...both me and hubby know how we managed to stay on our toes then and not faint....And now this....
Grandparents and well-wishers and elders promised it wouldn't hurt. They said a newborn's skin is extremely soft and also mentioned that their healing process is so fast that the most they would feel of the ear piercing would be like a mosquito bite. Stories were told of how I had got my ears pierced at home when I was just a few weeks old...why was I being so stubborn? Why were they being so stubborn?
We declared to everyone that our daughter would not be put through this useless ceremony....It was only a matter of dressing up after all... what other need did she have for an earring at this stage? We decided we would not make her bear all this pain...she could get her ears pierced at her own will when she grew up...It was a big thing for us and we were both not mentally and emotionally prepared to take that step.... Both me and hubby had each other to see us through those trying times !!! Everyone else was on the other side..
Things were good till a few months back.... Everyone had begun to accept the fact that our daughter would have to live without those lovely rings ever adorning her pretty baby earlobes. They had satisfied themselves thinking that one day, when she would grow up, she would finally go and take that big bold step and all the elderly love that comes in the form of gifting ear-rings would be fulfilled.
I must admit here that I wear earrings, and that I have a huge collection of those very ethnic ones that I so love.
So it came as no surprise to me when my daughter obviously began to get attracted to them. She would spend hours sitting with my accessory box, picking up the earrings in her hands and playing with them, looking at them. When she grew up, she began to emulate me, touching them to her ear and showing me with a smile 'see see, baby is wearing earring' she would proudly announce... I could see her love for these ethnic pieces was developing fast !!!! Oh what was I to do now !!
Finally, after repeatedly going over all pros and cons and keeping up a brave stance for days on end, I decided it was time. I finally managed to convince my hubby, to at least stand outside the door and be there to hold her when it was done. He did not agree till the last moment but still went.
It happened in exactly 22 seconds...that's it.
We had purchased a bag full of Alpenliebe lollipops from the market. We were sure she would cry and scream and not let them do the work. We had called them many days ahead telling them we were coming over. We had called them repeatedly to request them to please arrange for something that would numb the area, but they did not relent.
Finally, on D-Day, we entered the clinic of the E&T specialist. We had decided to do it the 'gun-shot' way. I handed him a chocolate and told him to hand it to my daughter, so that she would get a little friendly. She took it happily and then sat down on one of the assistant's lap. My husband had taken shelter from the traumatic experience outside the clinic. He stood there the whole time, refusing to look at the 'cruel' man. I stood in front of my daughter, nodding at her that things were fine, while she sat holding the chocolate, one hand on the chair, looking at me with her big eyes while the doctor put a small thing on her ear. One shrug and that was it !!! Not a scream, not a cry, not a sound.... not even one tear...the doctor said he had never seen a braver girl :) There was just the begining of tears in her eyes but it was only out of the fear of the unknown, not of pain. He thought she would cry on the second ear but it happened in exactly the same way... just a shrug and that was it... the earrings were firmly placed in her ear, shining bright... I couldnt believe it was already over...when did it start ?
When I went out to call my hubby he was sure something was wrong. "What happened? Is she scared? Is she crying? Lets go, we dont have to put her through all this." He wanted to take her safely before any of this began. "Its done. She is wearing the earrings."
He couldn't believe all our fears and apprehensions of the past two and a half years had been kicked off in a mere 22 seconds......
No comments:
Post a Comment