Accessorizing Aubrey-July

The rule in my family growing up was that we couldn't get our ears pierced until we were at least 10 years old (the apparent age that we could take care of our earrings ourselves). I remember wanting earrings so badly that 10 just couldn't come soon enough. So with my own little family, I changed the rules. I figured (or justified, if you want to look at it from another perspective) that if you can choose to be baptized at the age of 8, which I consider to a be one of the most important decisions, you could take care of your own ears at the same age.
And even though it was July and technically she didn't turn 8 until the next month, I let her get them done. Why? Because I knew that soccer season would start in August/September and that she'd have to take earrings out while she played (which is a no-no for the first few weeks of earring-hood.) To have them pierced sooner would mean we wouldn't have to break any laws of earring maintenance. And let's face it, soccer season takes priority over my schedule.
So one day, I planned a babysitter for the other kids and took Aubs on a mother-daughter date to the mall. She didn't even know what my plans were. We walked the mall and while window shopping, I was actually scouting the ear-piercing options looking for responsible looking individuals who would pierce Aubs' ears. I even questioned a few about their background and experience, but if you know me well, that shouldn't come as any surprise.

I finally found a girl who had 12 years of experience and happened to know personally that the rest of the ear-piercers in the mall were not that experienced (yeah, I'm sure.) So I turned to a bewildered Aubrey and asked "Do you want to get your ears pierced today?" Boy was she surprised and elated. Next thing we knew, she was sitting in the chair picking out earrings while I was filling out paper work.
Aubrey didn't cry but did look a little apprehensive, so the girl talked her through everything and kept reminding her of the cute rhinestone flowers she had chosen as her maiden pair. Please note: The rule of thumb for shopping for Aubrey: get something girly that I probably wouldn't choose for myself. So far, this rule has been successful for me. She chose the pink rhinestone flower earrings. I totally would've gone for the plain, yet still rhinestone, white circles.

She was so proud of this new addition that she flaunted them wherever she went and asked that I put her hair in pony tails and braids for the next few weeks so that there was nothing blocking the view toward her new magnificent earrings. She even started looking for clothes that day that would coordinate with her new pink accessories. It was a great day, a great surprise, and a cute little pair of earrings to go with Aubrey's cute little ears.