The 4 O'Clock Curse!

So we have kind of established a routine with Zoe. She comes in about 1.5 hours before I plan on going to sleep. For about half an hour to forty-five minutes I play with her and wear her out. Then she's pretty much free to roam the office, dining room, kitchen, living room, and bedroom so long as somebody is somewhere relatively close to her so we can make sure she doesn't get into trouble. Then she is ready to sleep and I mean can't stand up sleep! So I put her in the crate and she will sleep for a good long time for a kitten. About 2 am she wakes up and kind of murmur-cries but then she gets quiet and sleeps again. But at 4 am, whoa, watch out! She is ready to get OUT and NOW. So I let her out to eat, go to the bathroom, and then play. An hour later, she wants to sleep some more. So I go back to bed and we'll sleep till whenever, usually about 6:20. Now I wouldn't mind her waking me up at 5 am, but 4 is just a little extreme for me! I go back to sleep, but still, I don't want this to be included in my ritual.

So should I start letting her sleep with me? Put her in bed with me and she can sleep with me. I know she'll wake me up because we tried this before. I'll leave the door shut, put all her toys in my room along with litterbox, food, and water. But she walks around meowing and won't stop! Should I just tune her out and ignore her? Do you think if I do this she'll eventually stop it? So for another couple weeks she can just stay in my room and do whatever at night, and she'll learn not to meow? Then I can start letting her wander the house once she learns not to meow and wake everybody up.
But I am kind of fond of my sleep! Do you think she will eventually be quiet? Or should I just continue our crate thing, and maybe try to ignore her at 4 am and get up at 5 to let her out if she wants?

Maybe I missed it, but how old is she? I am shocked the crate keeps her docile at all!!!!! Cats and enclosed areas go together like salt and open wounds! It is important to keep your indoor/outdoor kitty in at night, this is the dangerous time of predators and other strays...... There could be tom cat or other predator that gets her stirred up in the early hours....... It really is not safe to allow a kitten outdoors to begin with, they have to much curiosity, but if this is what is, definitely keep indoors at night.

She is definitely indoors at night; that's why we started this whole thing. She's white and the only thing that would put her in danger are coyotes, owls, hawks and toms (out at night/toms only come close to yard at night) and dogs (our only cat-terrorizer is penned up and when he's let out it's under supervision and away from the kittens, in a different yard). So during the day she's safe, and besides, we can see all 7 docile kittens from the front room, kitchen, and dining room window.
Zoe is 8 weeks old. And yeah, she'll stay in the crate from 7-8 hours, which I think is really well for a kitten! But the 4 O'Clock thing just really gets me, I don't mind 5, but 4 is a bit extreme.
What do you think I should do? Let her sleep with me, wake me up several times a night, run around my room crying since she wants ME to play with her, and after about 3 or 4 nights she'll get used to it? Or just let her sleep in the crate and ignore her when she wakes up, and get up no earlier than 5:00? I want her to sleep with me, but I happen to be rather fond of my ZZZZZZs!

I've never heard of cats being crated.May I ask why you crate?

Well, I wanted to go to sleep one night so Mom stayed up with Zoe. She was on the computer, letting her run around and play. She kept wanting to sleep in Mom's lap, so Mom just put her at the entrance of the crate and she walked right in and fell asleep, and slept for 8 hours. It was the first night she was quiet, so that's why for the past 2-3 nights she's been in the crate. Plus, I just wanted her used to it for when we go to the vet. But you think I should let her sleep with me? I want to, but she'll wake me up several times at night! Do you think she'll get over it? She's only almost 9 weeks and very energetic!

I also have a 9 week old kitten
She sleeps with us ( husband and I )most of the night
We leave our bedroom door cracked open so she can come and go as she pleases. Maybe try that.

The only problem with that is she would wonder around the house crying and would wake the rest of my family up, and I bet Daddy wouldn't be too happy with that. And this girl gets up aboout every hour or so when she sleeps with me. Maybe I'll try this: my room opens up into a "hall" which is really about an 11x6 foot piece of house that has doorways going into my room, my brother's room, my parents' room, the dining room and the bathroom. I can just shut all the doors except for mine and the bathroom, that way she has a little more space. She's still gonna be meowing alot though and wake everybody up probably, and I hate that...

Anybody? Suggestions? Crate or free? Will she eventually be quiet? How long will this take?

Cats are not crate animals
Free roam is best not only for her but for you

She really seems to like her crate, she sleeps well in it, so I don't see a problem with it except I would like to sleep with her.
But I still have the question... for how many nights will she keep me awake? How do I get her to stop? I only get about 3.5 hours of sleep a night if she is with me all night.

I dont have a real answer for you on that question.
We play with our kitten before bed for a good half hour to hour
she will pass right out when done and sleep for a couple of hours then when she gets up she leaves our room but will come back in to sleep again when it is that time.She is in and out of our room during the night.We also have an older cat,her playmate, which keeps her busy as well

See, that's our problem. She is outdoor all day (I'll bring her in about afternoon to play and sleep a little) and she comes indoor at night (just to protect her from predators). So she doesn't have a playmate at night, but during the day she is with her brother and sister and other kittens. I guess I'll keep crating her until she figures out that at night, it's time for sleep. I'll keep crating her for about 4 more days. Then I'll let her sleep with me and I'll leave my door open. The food, water, toys and litter will be in my room. If she cries, I guess I'll just have to ignore her and she'll figure out soon enough she can stay up all night if she wants too, but I'm not gonna play with her...

[Last night we went to bed at 10:00 and she slept till 5:00! YAY!]