Sadly, I've failed to find much time to write a blog post today, due to being busy arguing with Amelie since about eight-thirty this morning. It would have been earlier, but Lisa kindly covered the previous two hours for me.

I don't know what's got into the girl today, but she appears to be doing a bit of bank holiday DIY on the starting of World War III. Argumentative three-year-olds might not be anything new, but we've reached the stage now where even if you agree with her, she'll scream at you for stealing her opinion. Not only is it impossible to win, but she'll barely let you play the game.

So Lisa's currently looking up boarding schools on the internet and checking whether we can cash-in her trust fund. We've already attempted to drown her, but sadly the swimming school supplied her with armbands this afternoon. Interestingly, despite playing us up all morning and all evening, the two hours Amelie spent at the swimming pool this afternoon were filled with obedience, respect and cheerful compliance. She wouldn't dream of answering back to a lifeguard, but the moment we ask her to do anything, she starts re-enacting The Exorcist.

So it's been a horror story of a day. And the girl's been a bit of a killer. But the good news is we've got reinforcements on the way. Give it a couple of months and we can set her baby brother on her.