Summer Ears Pierced and Gymnastics News

It was almost exactly 3 years ago that Summer got her ears pierced (see here) , and almost exactly 2 years ago that we had to take them out because they wouldn't heal :( (see here).  Unbeknownst to me, she had been picking at them before she went to bed at night, which didn't allow them to heal.  The past two years since Summer had them pierced, she has very faithfully worn stick-on earrings and continued her love of earrings.  When her pack of 120 stick-on earrings from her birthday ran out (which she faithfully picked out a pair each day to wear to school!) I asked her if she wanted to get her ears pierced or get another pack of stick-ons.  For the past few months she has been pondering the possibility of getting them pierced again, but was nervous of the pain of the process.  I told her to let me know if she wanted to, and I would take her, but only if she wanted to.  A week ago Friday, a day she had off school, she called to me in the morning.  When I went in, she said, "Mom, would you please take me to get my ears pierced today?"  I was completely shocked as I really didn't even know she was considering it!  I told her we could, but I half-expected her to change her mind!  We had to wait until the stores opened, and then I told her we would run our other errands first.  Her determination to get them pierced did not waver after several hours, so to Claire's we went!  She was nervous, she admitted, but she had a smile on her face the entire time and never cried once!

She has been so great at taking care of them all by herself, doing the necessary cleaning and turning, and thus far they look like they are healing up perfectly!  She chose sparkly ball earrings that remind me of disco balls the way they are cut.  They look beautiful on her!

Summer has been working very hard practicing her handstands at home.  We lean an old crib mattress up against a wall in our room (the only room that has carpet and a big enough space to kick up) and Summer will come in and practice her handstands.  Please ignore the laundry all over the bed as I was folding it when Summer was practicing ;).  Anway, here is a video of her perfecting her handstand.  It is pretty exciting that this week she got told she could move up to the next level at gymnastics :).



One of the many things I appreciate about gymnastics for Summer, is not only does she love it, but she also has to work hard at it.  It is good for her to not be successful right away, but to work for it, and then see success, as that is how much of life is!  I am very proud of her perseverance and I am so happy to watch her get rewarded for her hard work.