Terrible Threes

Zeca has been having trouble going to bed for the past week and by "having trouble" I mean that there has been a lot of screaming and general hysteria. On Friday night, we went to a restaurant with our friends and Zeca got a belated birthday gift from one of them- a wooden puzzle of the world. Zeca loves puzzles and, as we drove home, she begged to do the puzzle before bed. Zeca: Can I please do my new puzzle when we get home?

Me: It's late and you need to go to bed. You can do the puzzle tomorrow.

Zeca: Please mama...can I do my new puzzle when we get home?

Me: You have been crying every night before bed and then going to sleep very late! No puzzle. I want you to go right to bed.

Zeca: I promise...I really promise that I won't cry tonight if you let me do my puzzle.

Me: Every night you promise that you won't cry and every night you do. What should I do if I let you do the puzzle and then you still cry when it is time for bed?

Zeca: Well, you could send me to obedience school!

I let her do the puzzle...twice. Then, I put her to bed where she screamed and cried for what seemed like an eternity.

Damn her and her charisma.