Aren't they gorgeous?!!?!

On the outside, yes. But I challenge you to live with them.

Who are they? My two beautiful daughters, Miss 5 and Miss 4.

Miss 5 tends to be a people-pleasing emotional soul. Bless her she still manages her share of 'moments' though.

Miss 4 tends to be more of a cheeky character, a divine sense of humour and the braver of the two. She is also stubborn and aggressive.

Recently we wre at one of our usual favouite places to catch up with friends, the upstairs restaurant at IKEA. Nothing says happiness like small children in he creche, a bottomless cup of tea and a slice of swedish chocolate cakey stuff. right? There we were, gf and I, hastily trying to catch up on a fortnights gossip, toddler tales and man trouble before she had to rush off to a forgotten dr appointment, and Miss 4 spots the fizzy drink fountain.
Miss 4 "Mummy, can you please buy me a lemonade?"
Me "No, if you're thirsty, have a drink from your water bottle. Wht don't you go and play with the toys?"
Miss 4 "I WANT A DRINK OF LEMONADE!!!"
Me "I said No. Have water."
Miss 4 goes into pretty standard routine of jumping up and down on the spot whining "i want lemonade" in that wobbly voice over and over in typical tantrum fashion.
Mummy ignores. Miss 4 ups the ante. Mummy ignores. Miss 4 decides to test a new, as yet untested strategy in the middle of the IKEA restaurant at lunchtime on the school holidays (read packed). She screams a high pitched squeal at top volume. Over and over again. This does not go unnoticed by absolutely everyone in a 5 mile radius.
Mummy's friend sees this as her cue to leave for Dr appointment (who could blame her?). Decision time. I either cave, or go in for the long haul. I choose the latter. But I'm only human-I have to get to a new location before the looks I'm getting actually start to burn into my skull. So I move downstairs, slowly, I have a 4 year old throwing a tantrum every 5 metres.
It takes a good few minutes to make it a very small distance to kitchenware, where Miss 4 decides to step it up a notch. Cue screaming the 'F' word at the top of her little darling lungs over 10 times. And I thought the screaming was embarrassing.
My initial instinct is to curl up and die of embarrassment, followed quickly by the uncontrollable urge to laugh. So I hide behind a display and laugh. Unassuming lady custmer walks past, smiling, says to me "I'd hate to be that girls mother" I give her a knowing look- "OhmygoshImsosorryIdidn'tmean..." "It's OK. It's funny." Sort of. Loud screaming suddenly stops.Miss 4 walks over to me and very sincerely says "I'm sorry for being naughty Mummy. I'm sorry for saying a bad word. I'll be a good girl now" wipes her nose with her arm, holds my hand and walks alongside me.
Another lady customer comes to me and says quietly "If it's any consolation, that was the first word my son learnt how to write and he wrote it all over thewalls of our house. in bright red lipstick" Thankyou, angel in human form, that actually does make me feel a little better, and I say so.