Definitely her own person

It's 9 p.m., and Emmie is just crawling into bed. We're an hour late tonight, because she had crazy tons of homework owing to the fact that she forgot to bring home her homework folder the day before. But usually we read for a half-hour, so it's not as though she's way off her schedule. You wouldn't know it from her behavior. She's tired and grumpy.

"Mama!" she whines. "Why we hafta sleep so short?"

"Hey, who are you calling short?" I tease, and she heaves a massive sigh that says that I am Getting On Her Nerves. Hooookay, then. Joke time is over.

"Okay, Attitude. I don't understand what you're asking."

"Wull, we go sleep for a short time, and when we wake up, iss still night time."

"It's 6:15 in the morning, Em," I correct her.

"But I don' get enough sleepies," she flops her arms and legs on the bed, whining.

"Well, we have to get up at that time. If you need more sleep, we'll have to go to bed earlier," I explain. No way, I think, will she ever agree to that.

"Less do dat," she declares.

"You... want to go to sleep... earlier?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Tomorrow we'll go to sleep one hour earlier."

"Fanks, Mom."

You're welcome...?