She doesn't play by those rules

I was inspired to title this post, as I was complaining to my friend via gmail chat.

My daughter does not play by not just MY rules, but any rules laid out in the parent/child universe. And it really is starting to bum me out.

Case in point...since Ryan has been out of town, Claire is hard pressed to go to bed before....11:30pm.

Now, I am a huge fan of schedules. My kids have to go to bed between 8 and 8:30. With the exception of a few times here and there. I'm not that stringent, but I like to have a set bedtime for two reasons. The first is...it's good for the kids. Second....I like some "no kid" time. Just a little. An hour or two. But unless I have Ryan take them out of my face...it doesn't happen until they go to bed. And as Ryan has been out of town for the past 2 weeks. Well you get the picture.

So as I was saying. There is Claire. Up later then me. I mean it. She is monkeying around until I fall asleep. And then I can only assume she falls asleep at some point.

Last night was the worst yet. She started the day at 8am. Not bad. Then spent the entire day running around at the zoo. In the rain. With other kids. No nap after that, thanks in part to the tornado warnings blowing off every second. And then proceed with the regularly scheduled programming for the night. Dinner with some friends over. Dessert. Bath. Books. Sitting up for bed. And I was hopeful everyone would be out at 8. Nope. Miles? Done at 8:15. Snoring his fool head off. Claire...not so much.

She went to my room. After I put her to bed. Meandered through the bathroom and hallway. Found some peppermint lotion in the linen closet. Shot peppermint lotion throughout my room and on her pj's, (I have no idea but I smelled it throughout the upstairs), and was sitting next to her brother, who was dead to the world, holding his hand. She said she, "didn't want to be alone." Oh for the love! If it wasn't so annoying it would have been darling. But it was 11pm. I was tired. She wasn't, and proceeded to bawl about how she was tingly on her arm and legs. Damn peppermint.

Doesn't the girl know that when grown ups say "go to bed" it really means "go to bed so I can be ALONE for more then 5 minutes?"

Apparently she didn't get the memo.

By midnight, the girl was asleep. And yes I woke her up early. We have to be somewhere this morning. But, holy crap is she chipper this morning too. I don't get it.