in cahoots

I've often suspected that A and E meet in the dark of night in order to figure out ways to drive their parents insane. Their top strategy to this effect is to play good cop/bad cop. This is where one of them acts relatively normal, while the other goes through some ridiculous phase that...well...drives John and me crazy.

For the past two years month or so, bedtime has been a touchy subject with A. In addition to getting those #&^@&#*&$#* molars, she's been going through a somewhat clingy-for-mama phase. This has translated into a night-time routine that has (more often than not) required me going *back* into her room at least one more time after we've said night-night.

Last night, I tried a new approach with A. We all read stories and sang songs in her room...but after E went into her room to play with all of her toys one last time climb into bed, A and I had a little talk.

Me: A, are you a big girl?
A: Yes.
Me: Well, big girls go to sleep without crying. I'm going to put you in your crib, sing you one last song and then you'll go night-night without crying. And you know what happens to big girls who don't cry?
A: What?
Me: They get a sticker in the morning! Are you going to go night-night without crying so you can get a sticker in the morning?
A: YES!

I put her in the crib, sang her a song, reminded her of the stickers...and off I went without a peep. I'm not going to lie...I was feeling like a bad-ass for pulling that off. And kicking myself for not trying it sooner. I went into E's room, tucked her in and sang her not one, but two, songs. I gave her a kiss, wished her sweet dreams, turned on her music and walked out of the room.

As soon as I closed the door, E went started screaming bloody murder and crying for one more song. So I had to go *back* into her room, tell her that big girls go to bed without crying, threaten that Christopher (that good-for-nothing elf) would tell Santa about her antics and promise a sticker for her in the morning as well before she would calm down.

So, when I finally got downstairs with both of the girls fast asleep in their rooms it hit me...it wasn't the promise of stickers that got A to sleep. It was just E's turn to drive me insane.