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In Bella's brightly painted bedroom at evening, Bella leaps mid-air above her rumpled bed, eyes wide and defiant, mouth shouting 'No bedtime!', pillows and blankets scattering beneath her.
Bella did NOT want to go to bed. "No bedtime for me!" little Bella said loudly. She jumped on her bed with big bounces. "I'm not even tired! Not one little bit! My eyes are still open! I wiggle! I sit!" Bella bounced and wiggled and acted very silly. She thought if she kept moving, bedtime would go away. But bedtime was still coming, no matter how much she bounced.
In the softly lit hallway outside the bathroom, Bella hops like a bunny with knees tucked and hands posed as paws, while mom crouches by the bedroom doorway smiling encouragingly toward her chosen path.
In came Mama, calm and slow. She didn't yell or get upset. She didn't even say "GO!" Mama knelt calmly by the bed and smiled at Bella. "You may choose," said Mama with a kind grin. "Hop like a bunny to the bathroom, or tiptoe in?" Bella thought for a moment. Then she decided to hop! Boing! Boing! Boing! She hopped fast all the way to the bubbly bath.
Inside the tiled bathroom under warm yellow light, Bella sits amid foamy bubbles, grinning as she splashes a floating plastic toy, while mom kneels beside the tub holding a soft towel ready.
Splash went the toy in the bubble bath! Bella played for a few minutes, then got clean. "Bath, pajamas, story, kiss. That's how bedtime works, sweet miss," Mama said. Bella brushed her teeth and put on her soft pajamas. They read one story together, just one, not two. Mama kept her word like she always does. Honey the golden retriever lay by the bed, already sleepy. Then Mama turned off the lights.
In the darkened bedroom at night, moonbeams cross the floor as a soft nightlight casts a gentle glow; Bella sleeps hugging her teddy, face peaceful, while mom watches quietly from the doorway.
The room felt big and dark. "I don't like bedtime," Bella called out. Mama came back with a soft nightlight that made the room glow gently. "Breathe in like flowers, now blow out slow," Mama said softly. Bella breathed in deep, then breathed out slow. Her heart felt calmer. The moon shone softly through the window. Bella hugged her teddy close. "Maybe bedtime's for dreaming," she whispered. And quick as a wink, Bella fell asleep with a smile.