Mondays are late nights for us, as the kids have activities, and they don’t get into bed until close to 9:15/9:30. I always know getting going on Tuesdays will be a little more challenging. Yesterday morning I let Hailey push her alarm back to 8:00 instead of 7:45. When it went off I heard her stumble out of bed and come downstairs to sit bleary-eyed on the couch. Sweet, tired baby.

Kaitlyn didn’t budge so I went and opened her door. Then in my usual fashion I played music, called to her, let the dog bark, etc. The girl would not get up. Finally at 9:00 I started meaning business. She finally relented, trying to come down blanket-clad to the couch, but I directed her to the table where breakfast was waiting instead. I was met with a total breakdown. Tears and screams of how tired she was exploded. A bit extreme, I thought. Strange.

I tried to start reading at the table while they ate, but Kaitlyn couldn’t pull herself together. I told her to go to the couch and she did. Minutes later she was back asleep. Odd, I thought.

I kept busy with Hailey, doing math and such, while I kept going back to check on Kaitlyn. I was beginning to worry about this unusual behavior, feeling her forehead every time I passed by. It wasn’t warm, so that was at least a good sign, though she stayed snoozing.

I decided to set Hailey up with OSMO (currently 47% off for Prime Day, FYI). We only have it set up on Kaitlyn’s iPad, but it wasn’t in the drawer in the kitchen that the iPads always belong in. Hmm.

We started looking around for it and couldn’t find it, so Hailey said she’d look in Kaitlyn’s room. Well, that couldn’t be; they aren’t allowed to have them in their rooms, but I obliged.

Low and behold, we found Kaitlyn’s iPad on her bed, opened to Disney+, earphones plugged in, and a portable charger attached. Son of a gun… it all clicked for me. The girl is exhausted because she was up sneaking iPad movies all night long!

I took a deep breath and went to sit next to her on the couch. She fluttered open her eyes. In my sweet mom voice I asked “how are you doing, kiddo?” I’m ok, just tired. “Aw, why do you think you’re so tired?” I was up so late. “Oh yeah? What were you doing up so late?” Listening to stories. “What were you listening to stories on?” —she made direct eye contact, and immediately realized I knew–

Tears flowed and she wailed, I had my iiiiiPPPPaaaadddddd.

I should have been mad that she sneaked her iPad, stayed up to 3:30 AM (yes, she told me she was up until almost 4:00 in the morning), and ruined a whole day being exhausted. I should have been mad but inside I was cracking up laughing. Oh, there are parts of her that are SO me when I was young.

Outwardly I stayed stern, gave her a couple small chores to do, and told her there would be a consequence after I had time to think about it and talk to Daddy. Inside though? Cracking up.

Kaitlyn’s day finally got started at close to 1:00 PM and she was a complete delight. A complete delight that went to bed early with the help of a melatonin gummy and a double check that her iPad was tucked safely into it’s kitchen drawer.

Y’all help me with that one; she’s going to give us a run for our money. But gosh I love her spunk.