Pierced~Part 2~Havana

There is no need to tell another story about Havana’s piercing when it was the same experience (just different locations) so this post and Part 2 are identical sans the photos! 

I often tell the girls that when traveling making plans is important and often necessary but that staying present to what arises in the moment is equally, and often more important. 

When we packed up our stuff from our Chelsea location to head towards Jersey, we headed down towards Chinatown to find a cutesy shop that I like to visit. However, the shop had moved and so we found ourselves in new territory. When we reached our destination and parked the car, it turned out we were  in front of a tattoo spot, which was next to where we were headed.  The girls did not immediately notice but I did.

You see, Havana had been asking for her second ear piercings for at least a year. Amara had been asking for a nose ring for longer than that. My answer to both was the same, “No.” For Havana, I wanted her to be a little older as she has just started taking better care of her earrings and things.  Having a second hole is something that needs time, attending and care.  For Amara, I thought she was too young to make a decision like a nose ring. I thought it was yet another fad and would pass. But she has been consistent in her desire for a nose ring for almost two years.  My response to her was consistent; she had to wait until she was eighteen and could do it on her own. 

But…when we parked the car and headed towards our destination,  I stopped and asked the person standing outside the tattoo shop (who was blowing bubbles to attract customers) if they did piercings too. They did. I told the girls let’s go check out our shop and then head into the tattoo shop. They were shocked, “Really?”  “Really.”

Both the girls got their ears pierced when they were 6 years old, each time in New York with their cousins (read here for that experience http://twosmallgems.blogspot.com/2013/07/sparkling-ears.html.  And http://twosmallgems.blogspot.com/2015/08/havana-is-6-which-means-she-could-get.html) and Amara got her second ear piercing in Tahiti.  To have something so big done in such memorable place and with important people, well I thought it might make the experience more meaningful and memorable in the long run. While their cousins were across the river in Jersey and could not come join us, I thought that having this done would be special moment for them. I had also seen Havana demonstrate care and consideration for things and I knew that Amara’s desire for a nose ring was not a passing fad.

In we went, paperwork was filled out and signed, bling was chosen and off to the rear of the shop we went. Both of my not too small gems were with kind, caring and gentle artists who walked them through the process. Within minutes they were done and they were happy.