Bribery Doesn't Pay

Well, after an amazing three-day sleeping frenzy last week, the little angel has gone back to her late-night partying ways.  What a mistake it was to take her to my parent's house for New Year's Eve.  We live and we learn.  The next time I'm forced to choose between expensive but bad champagne and a full night's sleep, remind me to choose the full night's sleep.

To boot, my beloved is in St. Louis this week, so the combination of the little angel's Midwest trotting and her daddy suddenly missing in action has wreaked havoc on the allure of the big-girl bed.  Two nights ago she did make it until four before she howled, but last night it was 2:30.  I attempted to get her to go back to sleep in her bed, offering back rubbing and some whining from Elmo that he didn't want her to leave. She was having none of it.  Finally after about an hour, I gave in and brought her down to the couch. I figure we can deal with it when there are two of us and I can apply earplugs every other night.

The saddest part, though, was that I showed her the next developmentally appropriate Ebay purchase:  the size 7W Stride Rite blinky-light shoes.  I showed them to her right after her bath.  She immediately wanted to put them on with her baggy pajama bottoms, causing me to momentarily mistake her for Julia Stiles in the second half of Save the Last Dance.  The little angel squealed with delight, gingerly lifting a foot then stamping it down to watch the lights go off.  She tore off down the hall to show Sybil her new kicks.  I leaned back, wondering if bribing her to sleep with shoes would trigger some $40,000 Jimmy Choo habit later in life. 

Oh, well. It didn't work, anyway. I had to sneak in to her room this morning and hide the shoes.  No, she's not wearing those babies until she sleeps through the night.  IF you're going to use bribery, for God's sake, there are RULES.