4:30 am

It is 4:30am. You may think I am awake because I am 9 months pregnant and finding a comfortable position to sleep in as likely as me finding a bra that fits my current size. And, that would be true, but
the reason I am so wide awake that I am writing this is because there are ear piercing shrieks coming from outside our locked door. It did not begin that way. No, it started as a 4am visitor which Todd promptly escorted back to his bed. It developed into this screaming session with both boys, and we are not sure what our next step should be. Unfortunately, it seems, bedtime wars have begun....again. This time it is Chase putting up the fight. The last few days Chase has been a bit clingy to me. Although he has gone to school and to stay with Sandie (not to mention my parents) at the office without even a complaint, when we are home together he must be attached to me. All out fits begin when I leave the playroom to get a diaper, juice, sneakers, whatever it is. All are quick errands that under normal circumstances he would not notice I was gone. But, now not only is he noticing, he screams, the tears begin, along with the pleas of "mommy don't leave me!"
At bedtime it is not so different. Things start out great and Chase gets into bed, he will even claim to be sleepy, but within minutes of leaving his room he is crying and out in the hallway begging me to sleep with him, or for him to sleep in my bed. It is a nightmare.
Several days have passed since I began this posting. The war continues. Last night I was concerned I was going to go into labor. Chase would get out of bed and I, without speaking to him or showing any signs of affection, would swifttly put him back in bed. After about 30 long minutes Todd took over and handled it his way but still to no avail. The fight ended at 10:45pm (one and a half hours later) when I sat in the rocker singing nursery rhymes until he fell asleep. I am not sure whose victory this was but I am thinking it was not mine. With Todd out for three of the next four nights I am clearly dreading bedtime.