my sweet stubborn girl

I don't think I realized just how stubborn Anna was until we began toilet training. If you recall I blogged about my gearing up to potty train nearly NINE months ago. Try I did, a handful of times, none of which were very successful. We've been back and forth between princess panties, pulls ups and diapers! Finally, late in July I decided it was time. All or nothing, baby. Three months and I don't even know how many accidents I cleaned up or pairs of poopy underwear I opted to just throw away, but it is FINISHED! She can do it! She's trained, in fact I just had to pause and go wipe her bottom. And only a mom could relate to how excited I was to do it!

Of course she'll still have an occasional accident, I'm sure. But I no longer have to fight the stubbornness or keep tabs on her all day reminding/persuading her to go to the bathroom. She's growing up and this is one milestone I am not the least bit sentimental to have crossed off the list. If I learned anything through this process with my kids it's no two are alike!

Anna can be a mix of sweet and stubborn. Every day I hear at least 15 times, "Mommy, I love you sooooooo much" sometimes it's said in all sweetness with a hug and a kiss. Sometimes it's used as a ploy to get her way. Some days we have the best time together, carrying on conversations, and running errands in the mornings, when she's fresh and more likely to be obedient. But sometimes her stubbornness weighs out......

We were out a couple evenings ago playing at a park. It was surrounded by a chain link fence that had periodic breaks in it for people to pass through, like little door/openings. When it was time to go I was heading down the street and called for Anna to come through the little opening in the fence down where I was. I used a little tactic I hoped she would fall for saying, "c'mon Anna, it's short cut" and she started heading down to where I was. But instead of coming through the opening she stopped about 10 feet back and started climbing OVER the chain link fence. I decided to act like I was ignoring her, and see if she could make it over. I would venture to say the fence was nearly as tall as me and up she went, over, and down the other side. All to exert her independence and show her mommy that she has her own way of doing things.

It's just a small thing really, just a small example of a little thing called stubbornness. But it's amazing how when I really look inside my kids, see their challenges and struggles, try to understand what's going on in their little minds.....how often I am reminded that I can be a lot like them. God has a special path for us to take, our own special "short cut". He sees the bigger picture, and knows the easiest route. Yet, so many times I stop before I even get to the opening he has all laid out for me, and struggle over that fence. Sure, we ended up at the same place. But the process could have been so much easier. It was a real life example of how surrender and trust in Him is what He wants from us, just as we desire that from our children. I mean, wouldn't life be SO much easier if our kids NEVER disobeyed and ALWAYS did what we asked them? Ya, I'm sure that's what God has thought about me a time or two! But just like a loving parent, He is patient with us. And it inspires me to press on in my parenting Anna. To be diligent in teaching and training her. And to be more patient with my sweet stubborn girl.