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Parenthood is not all roses.  One of the downsides is that you don't get to give the buggers back if you've got something better to do.  Case in point: last night, I took the BatPup with me to the Newcomer's Feast.  That she was having fun is indisputable; the problem is that she was having fun playing on the playground equipment two hundred metres from the feast hall, and having no fun at all in the hall itself.  Since I was there to spend time with people, maybe sing some songs and generally socialise, this was a Non Optimal Scenario.  Around an hour into the feast I had to take her home because she was so sleepy -- but she still stayed awake until after 11, so I didn't get anything else done that night.

This afternoon I took The Beloved's advice and spent some quality time with her.  I sat on a rare clean patch of carpet with a BatPup on my lap and a basket of books by my side, and just read to her for about half an hour.  Later she went happily off to sleep, without any of the histrionics of last night.

This happy ending has a twist.  She woke up again and came downstairs about dinner time.  As it happens, the time off from constant pupsitting had let us do some useful stuff, so I was feeling much less stressed about having my spare time eaten.  And the earlier Daddy/Daughter bonding bore fruit: she was chirpy, cheerful and amazingly affectionate.  While I was making the beds upstairs, she was chatting away, reading books to herself and being affectionate and lovely.  Any time I asked her to move from one bed to another, she would hop up without delay and say "Of course! Sorry!" with the cheerfullest smile.  It's nearly 11 and she's still awake, but that's OK, because she's lovely.

I try to be a good Daddy, but sometimes it's my daughters who remind me how.  Now: pardon me, I have to switch this computer off and go read my daughter to sleep.  I anticipate it will take all of ten minutes.