My Little Spicy Peanut

Our little Hailey Girl---some days she can be as sweet as sugar or other days like a little spicy peanut!  She is taking lessons from a fabulous teacher (who would probably kill me posting this picture of her in her workout clothes early in the morning! ha!).  She is wonderful and really makes my kids stretch to new musical heights.  Our teaching styles are exactly the same - that's probably why I love her as a teacher!  

 Anyway, the other morning, I found this note in her backpack and thought it was so cute.  It made me feel great that she is liking her piano lessons.  

The lessons she likes . . . the praticing . . . well, that's where the little spicy peanut comes alive!!!  A few weeks ago, we had a really rough morning.  She and I were battling over a piece of music and I wanted her to say the names of the notes out loud and she didn't want to.  I gave in a little and asked her to say only one line of notes and she still didn't budge.  She absolutely hates doing this exercise.  We had tears, crying, the whole works.  Then, I asked her to do something else and that's when she lost it.  She ran upstairs to her room, locked her door and screamed.  (she is only 6!)  I decided right then and there that she wasn't going to win a battle of the wits at age 6 or else she would trample over me at age 16.  I had to lay down the law.

So, I went upstairs to her room and we had a major talk about obedience and doing hard things.  We worked it out but she was as stubborn as nails.  We hugged each other and then she asked me if she could bring me McDonald's for lunch.  After a morning like that, I hesitated.  But, we had worked things out and I could see that I needed to spend some time with her at lunch.  I drove her and Spencer to school since we were running way late from all the drama---and as I dropped them off to school, I just couldn't help but think of my high school kids just down the road and how fast they grow up.  Suddenly, I was really glad I decided to bring that little spicy peanut lunch and it didn't seem like a burden in my busy day anymore.  So, just so I wouldn't forget, Hailey took one of my note papers in my purse and wrote me a little reminder!  I had some doctor's information on that paper and when I reached in to find that phone number, I saw that little note from her.  My heart just softened.  

 When I got the food I headed over to the school and my cell phone rang.  It was her teacher!  She said that Hailey was crying because she thought I was going to forget to bring her lunch!!  Lunch hadn't even started yet---so I ran in there and was actually right on time :).  When she saw me, she ran and hugged me so hard.  I need to do this more often---and do it just because . . . . Hailey loved it and it meant the world to her. She needed some extra TLC and attention----- I really am going to make an effort to do this more with her and Spencer this year!