Déjà vu

It sounded strangely familiar. A call, days before she was due to visit, from la soeur, warning that she might not make it, due to a missing passport this time rather than a merely out of date one. Fortunately all was well following a couple of expensive hasty dashes to the Liverpool passport office, despite some less than precise parental birth and marriage details. The fates hadn't finished toying with travel plans yet though. A forecast of heavy early morning snow in the frozen wastes of northern England forced a drive south late in the evening before her flight. But it was all worth it as she arrived on time in Lyon in 18 degree sunshine.

That was an isolated day of good weather though. Spring steadfastly refuses to arrive. There was however enough watery sunshine to allow the odd outing or two, including a trip to the park and ride on le petit train again. Not that much extra amusement needed to be provided, as aunt and niece generally found enough entertainment in each other's company. Not sure what la tante thought of the entertainment on offer one afternoon though, when it was a small bear cub with a sore head that woke up from her afternoon crèche rather than a happy, smiling toddler…

The day la petite was at the crèche, papa took his little sister for a first look at the new shopping complex at the Confluence. The year-old development has been criticised for being out of the way and poorly served by public transport, and veers between being very busy on Saturdays and during school holidays to empty during the week. It was indeed virtually deserted on a cold and breezy spring Tuesday, but getting there was easy enough on the tram, and we took the river shuttle back into the town centre, which was a pleasant way to travel. The top floor of the centre is also devoted to restaurants, with wooden decking and terraces, which I imagine would be very pleasant in the summer.

Hard and easy

Toddler behaviour, part n: swings between sweet nature and irritable, stubborn bad moods seem to be par for the course at the moment, though it should be admitted that the upswings are generally longer lasting. Another weekend trip to the pool passed off sans tantrum, and capped a pleasant weekend that started as is now usual with papa et fille enjoying a 'motricité' session at the crèche. Songs, games, and circuit training for under threes add up to a fun-filled hour for toddler and parent.

The major behavioural downswing came yesterday morning, midway through a two-day spell without mama. A nappy change just after lunch resulted in a major tantrum which only ended when papa pretended, without having to put on too much of an act, to cry as loudly as his daughter. We'll put it down to missing mama (in Paris on her final work trip, by train, before confinement) and some ongoing digestive problems. Said nappy change was required after a concerted and eventually successful effort to force a bowel movement. Constipation is unsettling enough for an adult, so can't imagine how it makes a two year old feel. Fingers crossed things loosen up soon...

Tempered spring

Spring is in the air, but hasn't quite arrived yet. Temperatures climbed to 18C the day la petite reached two years as if in celebration, but a week later they have plunged back down to barely above freezing. Brr, but at least the sun has been more in evidence over the last fortnight.

There was a double celebration for the second birthday. First with les petits copains at the crèche, and then back home with immediate family. Two cakes, two lots of candles successfully blown out and, err, a number of presents. Over-excitement was the order of the evening, but she eventually went to sleep.

The terrible twos seemingly started several weeks early. Tantrums are beginning to rear their ugly head, usually with no obvious cause. The first public one came and went with bewildering speed last weekend when we all went swimming. It was la petite coquinette herself who decided it was time to get out of the pool and go home, so all the more disconcerting that getting her dried and changed provoked a screaming fit. Hope we don't have to get too used to it…

Today, another minor tantrum after breakfast, followed by some sulking under the table. Soon cheered up though, and was sweetness personified the rest of the morning. Perhaps she was missing granny, who flew home yesterday after two weeks that passed quickly on all sides. Marmalade was made, kitchen thoroughly spring-cleaned, birthday cake baked. Surprising how useful a third adult is when coping with bringing up a single toddler.