bedtime delay tactics

"I'm hungry... I'm thirsty... Can I have the hallway light on... I'm not tired... I'm too hot... My ___ hurts... I have to go to the bathroom... "
Wow. It is pretty much a sure thing that when daddy is out for the evening, I will hear one of the above. Sigh... I try and make evenings special. If she gets everything done by a certain time, we like to enjoy a book together or do something together before tucking her in bed. "They" always talk about tucking your child into bed and having a sweet discussion time because they are sleepier, more open, more relaxed, etc. I have a problem with that on two accounts. First off, she is usually still wound up at that point. Despite having a routine and a consistent bedtime, she is all "on" til we shut the door and say "that's it - good night! No more talking." :) Then second, I am just way too tired by that point. I feel like I have juggled all my hats and when I put her to bed, I am done. I am ready to be just me. Ready to enjoy some husband-time, some relax-no-thinking time, a time when I don't think about what needs to be done or what I need to be for someone else. The fact that she delays bedtime just makes me all the more irritated with her and incapable of having an ounce of patience.
I apologize as this is a total "whine" post. I must admit... I am reading Elizabeth George's A Woman After God's Own Heart and God is impressing on me the God-given responsibility and honor that comes with my role as mother (and wife, homemaker, etc). Particularly with the role of mother, I know that my time with her is limited: she will grow and continue to mature as an independent young woman. I see that happening already, as she's in school all day and makes so many choices apart from me. I also have the privilege of working with teenagers which allows me to see the middle of the age spectrum. I see young ladies that have make wise choices and I see those that don't. Sometimes it's a direct correlation to parental involvement, but other times it's not. I don't know how that all translates down to me spending bedtime hours with her, but I know that we as mothers have a huge impact on our daughters' (& sons) lives. So for that reason, I'll press on and choose love... even when it's in response to the seventh or eighth excuse she gives as she comes out of her room at night. :)