Sugar and Spice...

And all things nice?

Hmmm. We have a little girl, she has a little curl, not quite in the middle of her forehead.
When she is good she's very, very good and when she is bad....

picture from here

Well, horrid seems a little unfair. We have uprooted our child, made her move house/house/hotel/apartment and country and school and friendships, virtually overnight. And there is a price. Oh yes, indeedy. Poppet's temper. It is rather...frayed at the moment.

She swings from "you are the best mummy in the world" to "I hate myself, I wish I didn't exist, I think you should find me a new mummy" and today's bonza comment "are you telling me you haven't washed my shoes yet???!!!" (cue dramatic musical interlude and swoon here)

Such bliss.

But what can one expect? Poppet is a lot like her mother. Emotions run fast and high, but you don't often see them. From the outside things look happy and perky and swell and grand. But something boils and lurks underneath it all, waiting to surface and swallow you whole!

And after a whole day (which is a half hour longer than her previous school day) of behaving and generally getting the feel for things Canadian, it is Mum who really cops it. And why shouldn't I? It's my fault in her eyes that her world is so confused and I guess she's making sure at the moment that I am not about to do a runner and leave her stranded in this crazy place.

So, now is the time to focus on what's grand about it. To count the squirrels, to search for just the right snow boots, to encourage friendships and make sure there's some decent down time and early nights for all.

Our six-year old will be back to her old quirky self in no time, but for now I am Mother first and the rest will have to wait....

picture from pinterest