Household back to quiet - sort of!

We have just finished our wonderful time with the Pietsches. We had such a nice time having them here at our place, despite our Kroehn kids sleeping absolutely terrible for the past 2 weeks. Lee and I are looking quite a lot worse for wear, but hopefully things will improve and we can get back on top during our little holiday next week... or if not, in February sometime!!
Last night we went to Mongolian BBQ for tea and it was a lovely meal, all the kids being very well behaved and the little boys especially enjoying picking out their own food, watching it get cooked and eating it! The big boys liked it too.... we all did actually!
Imogen is continuing to keep us on our toes - lots of crawling these days, opening cupboards, pulling things off shelves etc etc. She is loving to stand at all the coffee tables and the bath, sometimes even the toilet if I forget to shut the door (gross!) and especailly is liking to do "Look mummy no hands" these days... We know its not long till she takes off for good. I bought her a push along walker that converts to a ride on car thing this week so that she can keep practising - she is forever trying to use chairs and the dolls cot like a walker and they eiother dont move fast enough or too fast and topple over and clock her in the head, so this should be safer... just to get her to use it now!!!
Owen is ever the master of the house. Today he had no day sleep because he wasn't tired. And surprisingly he was quite well behaved and happy to amuse himself for most of the day. Last week when we trialled this it was a complete disaster with him falling asleep at 20 to 5 and screaming for half an hour when I woke him up. Thankfully today has gone better. And after a full week of many nights of frustration we have just had 2 nights in a row where Owen does not get out of bed once put to bed and only ges up when his special timer light goes off (at 10 past 7), or Mum and Dad come in to him. What a miracle to have two 7.30am get ups in a row, and no getting out of bed once put there! There had been a lot of yelling and frustration from Mummy and Daddy and "no treats", especailly "no icypoles" for the last week as a consequence. He was very happy to be allowed an iceypole today as a reward! And two serves of icecream at the Mongolian restuarant last night as a treat (although he was still angling for more please last night...).
Lee is busy busy busy at work. We can't wait til Feb when things will settle down a bit. Next week we are back to Oz, and then home again by 24th. 29th we fly from Wellington to Nelson for the weekend and a wedding. Should be lovely to see a little of the top of the South. Lee has already been the once so he will be a capable tour guide!
Like I say, bring on February for a little down time - although all the regular programs and meetings will be starting again then and so I guess, life will roll on as it does, another year speeding towards Christmas before we know it!