Tattoos. Let's talk about 'em.

(I apologize in advance for the crazy spacing of this post. The new pooter is baffling.)

Every year for Christmas, our anniversary, his birthday or any other special occasion, my husband always gives me the same answer when I ask him what he'd like as a gift.

That's right. Tattoos.

Before you go thinking he's crazy, he always gives me plenty of other options too. I always go with whatever else he suggests, because tattoos just seem so impractical. I mean, really. You pay someone a pretty decent wad of your hard earned cash to stab ink into your dermis with a needle. For me, it's a no brainer. I'm going to get him something he can use.

(For the record, I have a small one in the small space behind my left ankle bone. I got it about a month after we got married. It's a tiny pink heart. It was my way of paying homage to my new hubby and his love for tattoos. I have always said it is my first and last.)

Jimmy will be turning 28 on January 24th and like every year, I asked him what he'd like for his birthday. All he had to do was give me a look and I knew what he was thinking.

At this point, as spoiled as it sounds, Jimmy has received everything else that he's asked for as an alternative to tattoos. A PS3? Check. A Droid? Check. A sweet new tool kit? Check. A new car? (Sorry sweetie. Ain't gonna happen.)

So.....this year, he is getting his wish.

My parents gave him cash for his birthday yesterday, so that will be going toward what he wants done.

What does he want done, you ask?

A 3/4 sleeve.

His sleeve will be in addition to the 10 tattoos he already has. He has it all figured out and I have to admit, he put a lot of time and effort into planning it. I'm ok with what he wants done and I think the end result will look good on him.

I can't say that I'm thrilled about his love of ink, however. We've had the discussion about what he'll look like in his 50's and up about a hundred times. His answer to that is, "I'll just look like a cool old man." Fair enough, I guess.

Additionally, he's a cop. He's not a banker that has to worry about how he'll be perceived in a corporate setting. Tattoos give him a little bit of an edge in his job field. (He does have to cover them up with a flesh colored material while he wears his short-sleeved uniforms, but if they happen to peek out, he won't be taken any less seriously.)

I've tried to wrap my head around his love of tattoos and the closest thing I can come up with is this:

It's the equivalent to how we ladies feel when we get a new hair color.

We put a lot of thought into it beforehand.

We get other's opinions.

Usually, it's permanent.

The only way we can remove it is through drastic means.

It makes us feel sexy.

It changes our appearance.

We leave the salon feeling good about ourselves.

We just like it. Plain and simple.

I'm excited for him because this is something he has wanted for a very long time. I may not love it with every fiber of my being, but he works hard for our family and deserves to do a little something for himself.

I will be sure to post pictures as the process gets underway!!

Happy 28th birthday BB :)