Whew!

The day started off with her bonking him on the head because he picked up one of her things. They weren't even out of their room, yet. I thought I would be a good mommy and teach her that hitting and not sharing are really not okay... A few minutes in time out and an apology should have done the trick, right?

*** Sigh ***

It was only the beginning.
I should have seen it coming.
She's been playing her luck the last few days.
Just to see if I would notice.
Nothing big. Just being a wee bit contrary. Staying just under the wire. Not rocking the boat too much - but rocking it just the same.
A word, a look, a motion.
Sometimes even a conscious act.

I have noticed.

I've tried to deal with it fairly;  reminding, restating, reprimanding and showing her a better way.

The glint in her eye has only grown harder and more unwieldy. I prayed, I hoped, I tried to avert a total derailment, but today she pushed the envelope a bit too far. She spurned my entreaties. She refused her time out.

Showdown time.

I prayed and prayed and prayed. All the discipline in the world is worthless if it does not bring about a positive heart change and healing. It took the whole entire morning and it included a lot of holding and love, and redo's. She was given chance after chance after chance to show that she could obey and be respectful. Each sneer, negative posturing, or pout returned us to the beginning. I was looking for 100% willing spirit not 50% or 75% or even 98%, she needed to give me 100%. This was very hard for her. She doesn't trust anybody that much, yet. I decided I had all day.

Whew~!

By the end I loved her more and she saw that I won't give up on her and it ain't the end... to be sure.

PS. I thought we were done for the day.... but I was wrong. She is now having an afternoon nap. She fell asleep in under 5 minutes! All the shenanigans have her clean wore out. Yeah... what about me?
My time at the doctor's office yesterday is paying off. The inhaler is working beautifully! I can breath... even though the air is yucky and the a/c quit on us.