Bedtime Revisited

I have a new theory about why bed time at our house is like a “before” scene out of Super Nanny. Kaitlyn is too tired by the time we put her to bed. She may have tricked me into thinking she is a night owl, but, honestly, a three year old and a 39 year old should not regularly be going to bed at the same time.

Last night, I finally gave up on her at 11:25 and went to sleep in my bed. (generally, one of us falls asleep in her bed with her) I don’t know what time she went to sleep. But I know when I woke her up at 8 this morning, she was not too happy about it. I pulled her out of bed and tried to make her stand up, so she lay down on the floor. I had to practically drag her out into the hallway where she could see the snow falling outside. That perked her up enough to get dressed. But she was too tired to eat breakfast. (that is tired)

Nap time goes fine. Today, my French teacher arrived just as Kaitlyn and I were walking upstairs so she could get into bed. She said hello to him, went upstairs, got in bed, asked me to read Green Eggs and Ham, agreed to a delayed reading and went to sleep for the duration of my two hour lesson. It’s been fairly smooth like that since she started going to school full time… I think because at school they nap every day at 1:30 after lunch and the routine is good for her.

So I came to the realization that the same will likely apply at night.

Tonight, I didn’t wait for Bill to come home from work. I fed her. I gave her a bath. When he got home, she got out of the tub and put on her Strawberry Shortcake bathrobe. She came downstairs to sit with her Daddy while he and I ate our dinners. Naturally, Kaitlyn wanted some. Ok. I gave her my plate, figuring she wouldn’t really eat it. After a few minutes, she asked for fish sticks. I asked if she was finished with my dinner, she said yes. I asked if I could eat it, she said yes. The minute I took the last bite, she broke down in tears about how Mommy had taken her food and eaten it! Like Goldilocks – only in person! It was 8:30. And it struck me – I think that is the time every night that Kaitlyn transforms from pleasant, laughing little girl into moody, unpredictable, crank. (like some people I used to work with. I’ve withheld their names to protect the innocent.)

Bill tried to calm her down by offering to make more. Then he tried to get her to settle down by sitting with him on the couch and watching tv. She wanted to watch her latest “favorite” movie – Meet Me in St. Louis. Completely random movie for a three year old to want, although she’s been asking for it all day. Anyway, watching the movie was not restful. When she wasn’t jumping around dancing and being told to sit down, Kaitlyn was asking a zillion questions about her favorite movie. (What are they doing? Where are they going? Why is she crying? Why is she singing? Can I have a dress like that?) Not peaceful. Thankfully, Bill started the movie toward the end and when it was over, so was Kaitlyn’s day. We hoped.

9:15pm, she was in bed. At 9:45 I grew weary enough of her non-stop screaming “I want my daddy!” and went in there. He’d apparently said he’d come back to check on her after tucking her in and when he didn’t return quickly enough (instantly) she got mad and started all that yelling. I told her her dollies cannot sleep with all that racket. I tucked her in and left her there – quiet. Five minutes later, she’s out of bed. Giggling. Like this is the funniest game anyone has ever come up with and she’s determined to represent her country in it at the Olympics. I tucked her back in. Barbie and Ariel were kissed goodnight and tucked in. And it’s been quiet since. Maybe 15 whole minutes now. I’m afraid to go check on her, in case she’s lying there awake just waiting on me so she can beg for something.

We’ll see how this experiment goes…. stay tuned to the next episode of Super Nanny to find out!

**BREAKING NEWS ALERT*** AT 10:35PM GMT+1, MOMENTS AFTER THIS WAS POSTED, THE OLYMPIC GIGGLER WAS BACK OUT OF BED REFUSING TO DOLE OUT GOOD NIGHT KISSES OR RETURN TO BED. BILL GOT HER TO LAY DOWN AND IS NOW TUCKING HIMSELF INTO HIS OWN BED. THIS COULD BE ANOTHER VERY LONG NIGHT.

**BREAKING NEWS ALERT UPDATE*** AT 10:45PM, KAITLYN GOT UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.  THEN SHE BEGGED ME TO LAY DOWN WITH HER.  SHOWED ME HOW SHE MADE ROOM FOR ME NEXT TO HER IN HER BED.  I GAVE IN, I WAS TIRED.  AT 11:15PM, I WAS AWAKENED WITH A START WHEN HER MIMI FELL FROM HER MOUTH AND HIT ME IN THE FACE.  SHE WAS ASLEEP.

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