Such a Polite Little Girl

I got home the other night and Lanie was coloring at the table.  Now you are thinking, so what, lots of kids color at the table.  But what you don't understand is that Lanie was coloring AT the table, not ON the table.  That is a pretty significant note where Miss Lanie is concerned.  Not only was she coloring AT the table but when I said, "Hi Lanie Lou, Hows my girl today?"  She responded in a very polite, very grown up voice, "I'm fine, and how was your day."  I about fell over!  She usually starts with an "I want...".  This was the start of a very nice evening.  We colored for awhile, I fixed dinner without her whining, she ate-without whining and the evening progressed with a very polite and happy child...at least until bed time then all heck broke loose!  I do not know how to make bedtime less stressfull.  We have a routine, I start warning her a 1/2 hour before bedtime and then we go up, brush teeth, have a story, say prayers and then the whining, crying and screaming starts.  And no, that is not me doing the whining, crying or even screaming.  She wants a thousand kisses and then be tucked in after she kicks the covers off 4 times, she wants a drink of water even though we just had one when she brushed her teeth. I have tried telling her, "you get 5 kisses and then I am leaving." She just starts screaming as I walk out the door..."KKKIIIISSSSS MMMMEEEE!"  It is so disurbing and I have such guilt.  I think, "Its only a kiss, what does it matter if I go back and kiss her again?"  But if I go back and kiss her again, that will go on all night long. So I end up going downstairs, leaving her screaming and feeling like a really bad mom for not kissing my child again, and again, and again. 

When I tell her that she gets five kisses and I will leave and if she starts crying and whining I will come back in and spank her butt, she gets this very pained look on her face and scrunches he nose up, just trying not to scream.  It really is funny o watch her because you know she is trying so hard not to whine.

Anyway, my whole point here was to let you know that she really can be good, and she is very polite and I HATE BEDTIME!!  If anyone has any advice to make it better, I will be happy to accept that advice!!