so...i guess it's called 'strong-willed'

Last Friday morning Ellie started having all the symptoms of a bladder infection- lots and lots of tinking.....like every 15 minutes.  Sunday we found ourselves headed to the doctor instead of church....Some tests were run to see if she had a bladder infection and the conclusion was negative. Monday rolled around and we headed back to the doctor again, pretty sure that the yesterdays test just didn't catch it....more tests were run and the same negative result came back.....a beefed up test was run and sent off to a lab- not just determined in house....
Elle's skipped the week of school- started wearing pull ups again- exhausted the house with every 15 minute 'tinking'...or sometimes just sitting on the toilet with the feeling of tink....and by today the fancy test that was sent off to the lab was in....
negative
no infection
In disbelief, I packed my little precious up and headed back to the doctor.
surely one more test was going to prove the infection really was there
more testing was done with all the same conclusion...
It was a big fat negative.
The doctor did a thorough examination of Elle's and then sat down on that black stool most of our kids use to twirl on...
In a very kind voice she said 'my oldest was very strong willed like your Ellie'
ok
'sometimes when a strong willed child desires to have control of a situation they will use going tink as a way to gain control....'
in the conversation with the doctor she also really encouraged me to not react to Ellie but instead 'look past' what she was doing and all but ignore it- she said, in all of her years of experience this has proven to be the fastest (and least exhausting) way to reign in when a strong willed child is acting naughty to gain attention- she also said to put a pull up on Ellie and let her tink as much as she wants (in the pull up)- she assured me that within a week the desire Ellie has to have someone take her to the bathroom every 15 minutes would be gone and she would be back to normal....
the whole time the doctor was talking about parenting a strong willed child, Ellie was sitting on my lap (because she was forced to due to bad behavior) throwing a fit....
When the doctor was done I knew I needed to ask her a couple of questions....

'Your strong willed child....I'll bet they grew up to be an amazing adult?'

the doctor quickly broke out in a smile and said 'Yes, Yes she did'

'and your still sane (her strong will didn't suck the sanity right out of you)'

to which the doctor chuckled and said 'yes I am and no her strong will didn't'

i then went on to tell the doctor what a blessing our Elle's strong will was.....what a challenge it was to keep it directed in a positive direction....but that we wouldn't wish it any other way.

to all my fellow mom's who are raising a strong willed child.......

the Lord picked us out and gave us a treasured gift- He sees great strength and ability in us that He would entrust future leaders into our hands- There is no better mom for our child than you or I....we are the right one for the job....He also sees our sanity in greater amounts than maybe what we do :)

from my heart to yours- God Bless You!

so....i guess it isn't a bladder infection after all....just a significant case of 'strong will'


p.s. as Ellie was praying for her dinner tonight she says 'God, Bless everyone in this world EXCEPT the Christians....'
she looked up at me for a response
instead of doing my usual lecture on kindness, I just smiled down at her and said 'I love you Juney June'
and she quietly ate her macaroni and cheese without another word