Last Friday, while the boys were at a sleepover, Chris and I took Kaitlyn to the mall. It’s been one of our favorite family activities since even before the kids were born, when Chris and I were broke and walking around the mall window shopping was all we could afford to do.
I spent some extra time on my hair and makeup, and by the time I was done, I thought I looked pretty darn good. I’ve made a decision recently, a radical one for me, that I am going to stop hiding my figure under men’s XL t-shirts. I might still need to lose weight, but this is the body I have now, and I’m not going to be ashamed of it anymore. This might be hard to believe, but in this photo, I am wearing the FIRST SLEEVELESS TOP I have worn since NINETEEN NINETY THREE:
(notice how thrilled she is to be having her photo taken, I could barely hold her still)
Our first stop at the mall was the food court. I love this photo I took of Kaitlyn, she’s just so darn cute:
Kaitlyn’s been asking to get her ears pierced for a couple of weeks, after she watched me put earrings in one day and asked me what they were and how they got there, and I explained about ear piercing. So after we ate, completely on impulse, we walked into Claire’s and got her ears pierced. I was not allowed to take photos of the process, I don’t know why, not even a photo of her just sitting in the big chair. She was SO GOOD, you guys. She had to sit there while I filled out a release form and the manager marked her ears with purple marker, and while Chris and I debated over which earrings to get.
Turns out I don’t like Kaitlyn’s birthstone much, so we went with September’s birthstone, in cubic zirconia, it’s a very pale pink. The manager and another employee got on each side of her and I stood right in front of her, and 1-2-3 PUNCH. Kaitlyn’s eyes got real big for a minute and she cried a few tears, and then she was fine. It helped that Claire’s sells tons of Dora the Explorer stuff, once I told her she could pick something out for being such a big girl, she was happy again. I was so proud of her!
We finished up with a walk down to the Macy’s wing where they have installed a huge play area for kids featuring padded vehicles and bridges and stuff that was just sort of lumpy, with benches for the parents. It’s pretty much the coolest place ever as far as Kaitlyn is concerned. While she was playing I was goofing around with the camera, and I attempted to photograph myself. Just as I was clicking the shutter, Chris said something, I don’t remember what, and I gave him my patented-over-the-last-23-years-because-yes-we-have-been-together-that-long smirk:
By the time we got home, Kaitlyn was all tired out. Here she is posing with the bag that Claire’s gave us with the ear care antiseptic and some coupons, and the bus that came with the “Wheels on the Bus” game that I bought her at the thrift store which I didn’t realize plays the “Wheels on the Bus” song OVER AND OVER AND OVER until your ears start bleeding, and of course, she loves it.
And those are a few photos of the Edwards ladies, who are pretty fine looking ladies if my husband does say so himself. Hey! thanks for reading this whole post and making it to the end! Don’t forget to enter my Gas Card giveaway, even $10 for gas is better than nothing 
TGIF and all that!
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did she cry…didn’t get my ears pierced until I was 15…dad was against, still not sure he approves & I’m staring at 40
How is she doing now with them?
My oldest got hers done at 2 but my 5 yr old hasn’t mentioned it so we’ll just keep waiting until she really wants it.
Robins last blog post..My blog Luvs your comments
Aw, she was such a trooper! You look great in that picture. Isn’t it nice that the sun is finally staying out more?
Karens last blog post..Greg’s Blog
How cute !
The Edwards ladies look great in the pics.
Jean-Luc Picards last blog post..T’Pol & Britney..Alias Smith & Jones (Part Three)
ShannonRenee-I had to wait until I was 13 to get my ears pierced. She did cry a few tears, but not for very long, and I think she was more shocked than hurt.
Robin-She’s doing really well with them. 3 times a day I have to clean the holes with antiseptic on a q-tip and then turn the earrings, she doesn’t like that much, but mostly because I have to make her hold still. The piercings are healing up really well!
Karen-Thank you! I can use all the compliments I can get since when I look at myself I still want to say something negative
Oh yes, the sun. The sun that today is making it 94 degrees outside and 89 degrees IN MY LIVING ROOM.
Jenn-Thanks!
I got my ears done at age 5. My step-dad told me he’d buy me ice cream afterward if I did it.
Not to scare you, but I have multiple body piercings now, and I can blame it on my ears!
Look at Kaitlyn and her cute pierced ears, and you and your fabulous body! What a pair you two are
Wow you have time to go the mall. My wife always complain about the fact that i dont have enough time for her. I watched your pics and i really liked it. Looking forward to take my kid and wife to the mall for a fun day. thanxx
Invoice Factoring Servicess last blog post..How to Run a Successful Dental Pracitice
Aww those pictures are just cute. The first ear piercings of oh so many to come. The lip, the nose and 15 more in the ears!
Cindy-I may change my mind when she’s a teen, but right now I feel like it’s okay for Kaitlyn to get more piercings as long as she’s safe about it. Life is too short to fight with your kids about minor details like clothes and hair. What matters is that they are good people, right?
Cute pics and you both got the right clothes for the weather in Oslo, Norway right now (as you can see from my last post).
Btw: I’m also here to wish you a great weekend to to assure you at least got your second comment from a Norwegian
RennyBAs last blog post..The heat is on in Oslo, Norway
Hm, that’s a 15 year old top. Anyone wearing anything older? Do we have an offer here?
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Twitter: bcmom
(103 comments.) says:
The Edwards ladies are gorgeous! Chris is right.
Kaitlyn was so brave! I love that they did both ears at once. Really smart.
My daughter still doesn’t have her ears pierced. She wanted them done once when she was small, but then decided it wasn’t important. About a year ago she decided she wanted her tongue pierced. We said no. If she wants to do it after she turns 18, well, that’s up to her.
Annas last blog post..Tillie and the Rain
Wow, she did really well! A big congrats to Kaitlyn.
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Hooray for tank tops!
Isn’t it nice to just *wear* the darn tank top on the days when the weather calls for it?
And, yes, you look fine in the tank top. You look like a person enjoying an activity in the sunshine with your daughter. Keep it up!
Elizabeths last blog post..Bloggy Mommer Schooking Chool
Aww she is so adorable with her new ear rings! Both of you look good in the pics! As hot as it is today it’s time for tank tops!!
Beckys last blog post..thoughts
I got my little Chesca’sears pierced when she was one week old.
cheers!
Metropolismom
metropolismoms last blog post..For Janice and Baby Angel
Gillian-that’s not what I meant! lol It’s not a 15 year old top, it’s just the first time in 15 years that I’ve worn anything sleeveless! Should have been more clear about that
Awww, adorable!
I wouldn’t let my daughter have her ears pierced until she was 10, then she went on to have 6 in each ear, plus her nose, belly button and a few others!!
She did awesome! I think it’s great that they now do both ears at the same time. My daughter was 8 when she got hers done and they did one ear at a time, but she was okay. She did say that she won’t be doing any more! LOL
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A word to the wise: don’t skimp on the quality of earrings, the lower the quality of the metal the better chances the earrings have of irritating your daughter’s ears. Always check the type of metal and shy away from cheap, poor quality metals. -A
First of all I want to commend you on your decision to dump the baggy shirts… love your curves, woman! You are absolutely right – dress for the body you have, not the one you think you want and celebrate yourself in cute and flattering clothes and you look adorable in that red top!
Next, well done, Kaitlyn! Eva also had her ears pierced at Claire’s… they were great.
Kristins last blog post..Frankly, I Don’t Have The Lingerie
Kristin-Thank you for that very kind comment, I really appreciate it! It’s been hard, trying to let go of decades of diet guilt. I’m not giving up, but darn it, I deserve to look decent not sloppy.
And yes, I was very pleased with the employees at Claire’s. The manager was more than likely a college student, but she looked Kaitlyn right in the eye and talked to her like a person, not a baby, you know? I really appreciated that.
She is so cute. My two year old would definitely not let anyone pierce her ears.
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She is too cute to admire. Hope she is enjoying the ear studs now…:)
hello! Nice pics and family youve got there !! piercing is a bit dangerous at such an age and it involves some risks, like child getting injured due to entanglement of piercing with something.
nice pictures.damn they are cute
pure pitch method.s last blog post..Pure Pitch Method: Train Your Ears and Unlock Your Musical Potential
ohhhh! they are so cute
Wow you guys look so cute. I hope you guys had fun while going to the mall. It seems like a great time.