Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

Wat a great holiday we have had! It was a bit exhausting and a bit stressful, but that is life with little kids, and I must say, probably not that much worse really than being at home with them!!! We probably wont do a travelling holiday like this again in a long time, because the getting unpacked and packed thing to drive all the time was the worst bit really, so in future we will probably pick a place and stay longer, just do one or two places per trip, not the whole island!! But it was great to spend a little bit more time with Bec and Tim and Bella, and be their babysitter one night so they could go to a dinner and show about the Rotorua area and Maori culture. I think they had a really good time and apart from Bella being a bit tired at dinner and not wanting to eat much she was a pleasure to look after too! (I feel asleep in the king size bed waiting for the parents return!).
Imogen has decided while we were away that she is NOT interested in eating slop of any kind. Nothing runny. Nothing pureed. Not sure what I'm meant to do now, cause thats what ALL the books say to do first. BUT, she is very interested and willing to eat: chips, bread, chicken, cheese, devon/lunchon, banana (not mashed, whole)... she just wants to be a big girl and eat big peoples food. Cant say I blame her really, the tinned baby stuff smells and tastes like crap. Didnt make the trip that easy though! Everything I tried to offer her that followed convention and baby food regime was spat out! Except rusks. But even they say from 6 mths on the box... She is 5 months old and just loves food. Normal food that is. Today for lunch she had some cheese, some lunchon, some banana and a jatz. Nearly ate better than Owen.
Owen is glad to be home, but did have a GREAT time on holidays, with his own wallet for purchasing fluffies and icecreams with his birthday money from Nanna and Pop. Also, he loved parks and playgrounds, seeing the sharks and stingrays at the aquarium (the stingray affectionately named STEVE (thanks dad!)), the pebble beach at Napier and the hot pools at Taupo and Rotorua. He is getting much more confident in the water and now will do a humpty dumpty all by himself! He also put his head under the water with Mum on Sunday!
We are missing Bec and Tim and Bella (her cute smiles and gingin talk and help) enormously, and hope they had a safe trip home - thanks for a great holiday and visit. We love you all lots!
Photos and vids to come - keep an eye out!