What does this face say to you?

Today, it says to me...watch out world, especially Mommy and Daddy, I have a will of steel and I'm not afraid to use it.

Tonight, the will of steel was used after she decided that she is NOT tired and WILL NOT go night night. Of course this was after all the begging and pleading of "Want night night in MommyDaddy bed" and "Don't want night night" was used up.

She refused to give kisses before going into her room. We said, OK, but it is still time to go night night. So then she suddenly decided to give kisses after all. Things seemed to easy at that point, we should have been suspicious. She went into her bed without any fussing. But within 10 minutes we heard her standing at the gate.

Then we heard, "Mommy read me." I told her that we will read tomorrow, go to bed now. She got back in bed.

Next was "Daddy! Need potty!" He told her that she should only say she has to go potty if she really does beacuse otherwise it is lying...not telling the truth...and that makes Mommy and Daddy and God sad and disappointed if she doesn't tell the truth. She still said she needed to go so he took her...and she did not go. He repeated what he said a little before then about truth and lying. We aren't sure that she is really capable of understanding the difference between truth and lying yet, but we are trying to help her understand that. Then she got back into bed.

Next, she came to the gate and told me, "Me have bad dream." I told her that she didn't because she has to have gone to sleep to have had a dream and that she needed to get back in bed. She got back in.

Then I heard "need potty again" She got the same speech as before. This time she did go...a tiny bit, but she did go. She got back in bed.

A few minutes later, she stood at the gate crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "Police help body." I told her that I heard the sirens, too and yes the police or the firemen were going to help somebody, but now the sirens were stopped. She got back in bed.

Next she came to the gate asking for juice. I told her no, that she can have some in the morning. She got back in bed.

Then she came to the gate again saying that she doesn't want to go night night. I told her to get back in bed or she will get a spanking. She said no. I said I will count to 5 and if you aren't in bed, you will get a spanking. She said "Don't want spanking." I told her to get in bed then. She said no. She still absolutely refused to do as she was told. She got a spanking and cried as I put her back in her bed. She refused to let me snuggle her. I told her that I am sad that she chose to disobey and I still love her, even when she disobeys and is angry with me.

A few minutes later, I went back in while she was still crying and she let me hug her and she snuggled into my shoulder. I told her that I love her and I want her to obey Mommy and Daddy so she doesn't get into trouble and so that she learns to do what is right. She stopped crying and gave me a kiss. She stayed in her bed this time.

I don't think she is asleep yet, I still hear her rustling around in her bed, but she hasn't gotten back out of bed, at least not yet. But it is after 9pm and my daughter is still awake. And there is no sleeping in tomorrow because it is Sunday. If she is going to choose a night to do this, I wish it would be Friday...then she could at least sleep later in the morning. Oh, well, hopefully she will take a good nap tomorrow.

But as far as her parents go...what on earth are we going to do with this will of steel? How do we mold her without breaking her spirit? Ugh. This. Is. Hard.