A challenging day!

So I think everyone knows by now that Ally has been slightly difficult lately. She thinks she is an adult and wants her way in everything. She talks back constantly and I am really at my wits end. The only thing that seems to have an affect on her whatsoever is screaming, which I hate. I was talking to a friend (Thanks Claudette) who suggested that maybe I should try ignoring the bad behavior. Tonight as I was trying to get the girls to settle down for bed I had my very first opportunity to try it out and I have to say I am quite hopeful. As I was trying to say our goodnight prayers Ally just refused to settle down. I started and she would interrupt. I asked her to settle down and started for a second time and again I was interrupted. So in a final attempt I reprimanded her and began. Same thing. I stopped, kissed each of them goodnight, told them that I would be saying my prayers by myself and that they were free to do the same and turned out the light. It was at that point that the fiasco began. Ansley was unaffected but Ally broke into hysterics. "No we have to say the prayer, I can't go to sleep, I will be quiet I promise!" And so the bargaining began. I went in and quietly and calmly (which was quite hard) explained that we hadn't been able to be reverent so we would have to say prayers separately but that we would try again tomorrow night. The ironic part being that Ally usually says the prayer before bed and is more than capable of saying a wonderful prayer on her own. She wouldn't stop the hysterics though and when she found out that bargaining and screaming and crying weren't going to work she tried to make me mad and began yelling from her bed. "AHHHHH, I don't like you! You are so mean!" I still kept my cool and didn't say a word. I could hear Ansley telling her to be quiet though which was quite funny. So no response with mean words let's try being nice. "Mommy?" "Yes Ally." "I love you." "I love you too Ally." "Can we say the prayer now?" "No Ally we will try again tomorrow." What came next was Hilarius. "UGGGG, you're awful!!!" I couldn't help it. Downstairs cleaning the kitchen I broke out laughing to myself. Really, awful, where does she come up with this stuff? "I don't love you anymore!" To which Ansley replied, "I love you mommy!" "I love you too Ansley!" Thank goodness for 2 year olds. Ally never used the word hate through the whole ordeal (which I thought was nice.) This went on for over an hour in that exact order, bargaining, yelling and screaming, the I love yous and then back to the yelling and screaming. I would occasionally tell her "I love you Ally" but would not negotiate with her. There will be no more negotiating with the terrorist!! My favorite part was definitely "You're awful!!" I wish I could have recorded it. The way she screamed it was priceless. She eventually went to sleep, thank God. Poor Ansley went to sleep amidst the hostility. Hopefully she realizes in some small way that I mean what I say. I guess only tomorrow will tell. Until then, Ahhh, peace and quiet, it's mommy time!