Last night, Spencer was rubbing Ella's ears, and she asked, "Dad, what in the world are you doing?" He replied, "This is my last chance to feel your unmutilated ear lobes." Yes, Ella finally earned her much longed-for pierced ears. Her weekly reports from school nearly always have two of the following items marked "needs improvement": Listens attentively Follows directions the first time Allows others to work undisturbed When she began lobbying for pierced ears over a year ago, we would say, "When your ears start working, then you can get them pierced!" We told her when she got a 100% clean behavior report, she could have a couple of holes punched in her head. Last week, she accomplished her goal! And so, I give you, this: Nervous Ella. She shook like a leaf. One done. Bracing for the second hole. Tears of joy! "That ear-piercing cannon was a lot less complex than I thought it would be." Now on