Sleep, anyone?

Yep.  I am awake.  Have been for some time now.  Kierstin took an incredibly long nap today, which is great but has caused a slight alteration to my personal sleep schedule tonight.  It would appear that I get to sleep in shifts tonight, a habit I have been out of for some time now.  She has mastered the art of a cry so sad and pitiful that I have no choice but to get her out of her bed and nestle her into mine.  She beams with pride when her ploy has worked.  One would suppose that would be the end of the shift change, but indeed, no.  Atticus found some scent at the front door that drove him to barking like a good watch dog would.  He would bark and then stop, and then bark again and then find a warm spot on the couch, still within proper position from the front door, just in case.  Now, it occurs to me for a moment that this strange scent could be that of a person up to no good.  And then he barks again.  Kierstin is now talking in complete sentences with no intention of going to sleep until I get the dog to sleep as well.  So, I get up and go to the door, something out of a horror movie that makes you want to scream at the leading ladies that are perpetually walking into danger, not that I watch those horrible movies because I don't.  Never been a fan of scary movies.  But, there I was, reaching for the light switch at the front door, Atticus in position to attack our would be attacker, and I hear it.  The sound that has driven this dog crazy and has me awake at this silly hour, a cat.  A cat from the neighborhood.  A CAT!  Yes, he is a good "guard dog".  Kierstin then comes toddling out of my room.  Happy as a clam.  Too big to be the baby anymore, but still holding onto that role with great conviction.  So, Atticus crawls back to his spot and I attempt to return to mine, only she is not having it.  No sir.  I am trying to think coherently and have no luck.  After a moment or two, I scoop her up and return her to her bed where Pooh bear and Kittie and all sorts of other friends await her.  She bounces into bed, quite literally, and then snuggles into her spot with all of her favorite friends.  Now, she sleeps.  But I do not.  Atticus sleeps.  I do not.  

The silver lining?  It is so quiet here.  The house sleeps, except for me and my Mac.  Let's hope that I have better luck in the next shift.