Bedtime Antics

My kids hate to sleep. No, let me rephrase that...they hate to sleep before 11 PM.


Ivy and Story seem to have this internal clock that cause them to try and stay awake until 11 and sleep until 9. Unfortunately, they have to be up at 6:30, which means they really need to go to sleep at 8:30.


But that ain't happening.


Even with the best intentions, they will rarely get in bed before 9, and will probably lay there awake and crying for at least an hour.


Last night, I was determined that they'd be in bed asleep before nine! We ate dinner early, had baths early, and at 8:40 I yelled, "Bed time!!" Which instantly caused Ivy to burst into tears and Story to run around screaming "Catch me!" frantically.


I told Ivy to chin up and sent her to her bed while I concentrated on catching Story. After two revolutions around the furniture, I finally faked her out and had her writhing, thrashing, tutu-clad body in my arms. I met sobbing Ivy in the hallway and ushered her back to her bedroom.


I rocked Story for two minutes until the sound of Ivy's wails were so loud as to attract the neighborhood coyotes. I dropped Story in the crib, and she started to cry. I ran in Ivy's room and tried to console her. We read a book, but I couldn't hear what I was saying because Story's cries were even louder than Ivy's (who is the loudest child on the Earth- Story has accomplished a large feat!!!). I gave Ivy two more books to look at, and rushed back to Story's room.


Story didn't stop crying, though, just because I came back. She wanted OUT. It's not FAIR. Where's my POLLY POCKET? I settled into the rocking chair and tried my best to convince her to stop treating the crib like a trampoline. (Remind me to buy a new crib if I ever have any more kids- this one is probably ready to fall apart) Finally, I had to use the counting method (1..2..3..all right, spanking time). She laid down with a shriek, which caused sympathetic shrieks from Ivy in the next room.  


I quickly lost most of what was left of my hearing. I blew Story a kiss, popped my head into Ivy's room to say goodnight, and plopped myself on the couch with my snuggie and my netbook. This is what occurred as I sat there for the next hour:
IVY: Mooooommmmy, Story's crying, I can't sleep.
STORY: NO I NOT!!!!!!!!!!!! WAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
IVY: Mooooommmy, can you come turn my light on?
STORY: Mommy! I need a drinkie!!!!
IVY: Story, stop!!!!!!!!
STORY: MOMMY, I need you!
IVY: Mommy, I'm scared.
STORY: Jingle bells, jingle bells.......


I yelled, "No!" a couple times, and threatened to close their doors, too....eventually, they fell asleep, exhausted. I can't promise it was before I did, though! An hour and a half is too much of that!