Big Day

Since she was about seven or eight I've told Miss E she can get her ears pierced for her thirteenth birthday. She waited very patiently. And then had to wait a bit longer due to lockdown but today was the day. Whoop whoop!
I made an appointment at the tattoo parlour in town so it could be professionally done with a needle rather than a gun operated by a twelve year old. It was amazing!!! See extras!
I didn't really know what to expect but was reassured to see the equipment coming out of sealed surgical packs. 
The woman just seemed to push the stud through and said "first one's all done!" It was so quick and - apparently, relatively painless!
Miss E was so brave. I honestly thought I was going to faint at one point just watching, but she didn't bat an eyelid.
A few minutes was all it took and now she has pierced ears!! 
The photo is a selfie Miss E took the second she was back in the car to send to her friends. 
She was giddy. Then she got a bit worried that it's "weird" to go to a tattoo parlour and that "everyone" goes to Claire's and "people" might be judgy.
I explained why I thought a proper piercer was better and actually how much, much, much cooler this place was than Claire's and how we don't need to do things because "everyone" else does. 
What I actually wanted to say was "f**k what anyone else thinks" but bless her, she's thirteen and just wants to be like everyone else!
I got a tattoo when I was twenty-three during my month long stay in Rarotonga towards the end of my round-the-world trip. I ignored Dr Attwood's words of advice before leaving - don't drink the water and don't get a tattoo!!
The man that did it - in a little hut in the middle of nowhere which would have given Dr Attwood palpitations - was built like the biggest rugby player you've ever seen and covered from head to toe in the most amazing, intricate tattoos. He did mine in a matter of seconds and waved my enquiries about price away once he'd finished. It was obviously so minuscule it wasn't even worth taking payment for!!!
It's a little gecko on my ankle (just about visible here) and I've never regretted it. 
Being in there today made me tempted to get another one........