Bedtime? It's for suckers.

The tides have turned.

My once-terrific sleeper, my little girl who used to climb in my lap and say, "I go night-night?"; my sweet baby who, once upon a time, at any mention of bedtime, would gather her stuffed animals and march upstairs of her own accord; the girl who, upon being laid in her crib, used to clutch her blankie, say, "night-night mom", and squeeze her little eyes shut until I left the room...well, suffice it to say she has finally decided to fight sleep with any tools she can find at her disposal.

For the last few nights, she has passionately resisted bedtime, pleading "Not bed, mom! Not bed!" and "cuddle? I need cuddle! I need mom!"

Tonight, she insisted it was not bedtime. No mom, it most assuredly Is. Not. Bedtime. After showing her the darkened sky out the window and reminding her that she can't tell time, and noting that I can definitively say that since we are now past the hour of 8pm, it most certainly is bedtime, I gathered a handful of stuffed animals and toted them, and her, to her room.

She begged, "I need cuddle Dad!"

I reminded her that Dad is at bowling tonight.

"I need cuddle Erin!"

Erin, who had stopped by earlier in the evening, is also not here and is also at bowling.

"I need...." pause ....... pointing... "that bear!"

I give her the requested teddy.

"I need to watch a movie!"

Okay, dear Sophie, now you're reaching. No movie. Go to bed.

So, I left her crying in her room. She's asleep now. So much for my stellar sleeper.