Bedtime Dramatics

Jemma took a longish nap yesterday afternoon, and when we put her to bed just before 8:00 last night, I could tell she wasn't really tired. Within five minutes, she was calling for us, asking for one more drink, then calling again two minutes later. When I went in, she looked up at me with those huge blue eyes and I caved.

"You aren't really tired, are you?" I asked. She shook her head no. I decided to indulge her.

"Do you want to go running with me?" I asked. She shook her head yes. So I popped her in the jogging stroller and we took off for a quick run around town. She was in awe of all the things that were going on when she's usually tucked in her crib, and when we got home, she gave me a hug and went straight to bed.

I sat down to do some editing on the couch and typed away merrily for almost an hour with no sign of Jemma. Then, around 9:30 p.m., she started saying something from her room, sounding VERY wide-awake and alert. What? Had she never gone to sleep? Was she STILL awake in there?

I went to listen to what she was saying. "Daddyyyyyyyyy, my toe is stuck in my big doop! Dadddyyyyyyyyy, I need you!" Pause for a minute. "Moooommmmmmyyyyyy, I need you!!!!"

I stood outside her room for a minute, trying to ignore, trying to keep from going in there. Then she said sweetly, clearly, "I am WAITING for you!"

And I went in. And her toenail had torn the tiniest bit and was catching on her big knit blanket. And I cut it, and then she finally. went. to. sleep. At nearly 10:00 p.m. And was a REAL TREAT today.