Ick....and also: OW.

So yesterday I was standing in the kitchen with my daughter. As we're talking, my brain noticed her ear looked funny. One. Two. Three....

Wait....what? THREE!?!

I counted again. Yup. Three ear holes.

A couple years ago, she asked for a second ear piercing. I gave in because I did the same when I was about her age. However, by the time I was 20, I quickly realized the second one was completely useless and hasn't been used since. I figured she'd come around to the same way of thinking too.

But no, a year later she wanted a third piercing. I wasn't really against it, I just thought it was unnecessary, but I said I'd think about it. After a few months she never brought it up again.

The power of parenting by procrastination. Yay me, right?

So, back to the third ear hole:

“Um, by the way. When did you get your third ear piercing?” I asked, fully expecting that it happened at the mall, and I never noticed.

I was gearing up my: “you should've asked me about it again if it was that important” speech, followed by the: “you're a minor and I want to know who's making holes in your head” speech.

Except it didn't go down that way.

“I did it about three months ago.” she said.

“But where?? ...the mall?” I asked.

“No.... I did it. In my room.”

“WHAT!?! How is that possible? What did you....” She knew exactly where I was going with this. Even before I did.

"I used the gold posts that the doctor used to pierce my ears. You know, that ones with the pointy back."

“But how?” My mind was reeling. My daughter is pretty tough overall, but not with needles. She gets nauseous with yearly booster shots.

“I just pushed it through.”

“Did you numb it?”

“No.”

“It's not infected. Your ear holes always get infected.”

“I sterilized the earrings and my ears. It didn't really hurt much. Just two pops - one going in, and one coming out.”

Oh, yuck.

My daughter was quite proud of herself. Partly because she succeeded in grossing me out with that last bit.

*sigh*

She plans to be a doctor someday, so I guess it's good that she doesn't have a fear of blood and stuff.

However, if she doesn't get into medical school, at least she's got a future in tattoos and piercings.

Spider Babies

Every year, we have a wolf spider that lives under a big flat rock in our backyard. Actually, I don't know if it's the same spider, it's just that there's always one under there. If it's not the same one, then apparently this rock is simply prime real estate.

Anyway, I'm not a big fan of the eight legged beasties, but this one never bothered me much. As long as it stayed under the rock.

More recently, it had been carrying a white ball of eggs around. It even made itself a little hole in the dirt so it could snuggle up with it.

So yesterday during a backyard barbecue, we checked to see if it was still there. It was, and it had company:

Click to enlarge, if you dare...

It's hard to see, but that lumpy stuff on the spider's back are babies. Lots and lots of spider hatchlings, which I hope will remain outdoor critters and not come anywhere near my house.