While we were in Minnesota, she got to spend a lot of time (but never enough!) with her older Krauel cousins Sam, Kevin and Ella. They helped Katy celebrate her first ever 4th of July in the US.
They took her to Pine Grove Zoo in Little Falls.
Katy's getting pretty heavy, but Ella insisted on carrying her anyway.
She was spoilt for attention and affection!
And Sam was happy to carry her a lot!
Katy and Ella really bonded a lot, especially towards the end of our 6 week stay there. Katy just looks up to Ella so much and thinks she is the bee's knees and the most beautiful princess of all!
Ella was so patient and inclusive with Katy. She took Katy to explore the back shed...
taught Katy her dance routines...
held her hand everywhere...
and taught her how to go tubing!!
And lucky for Katy, Ella is also a very girly girl and loves to have manicures and pedicures.
And make pretend ice creams from Play Dough. I have never heard such hysterical laughter as when Nana was playing Play Dough with Ella and Katy!
Katy also loved hanging out with Cousin Kev, who was perhaps the most patient of all. He would push Katy in the stroller for ages trying to get her to fall asleep. Katy admired Kevin's boat driving skills! Especially as Katy likes to go fast!
Kevin was so encouraging in getting Katy into the cold cold cold lake water in the middle of the lake, where it is deep deep deep.
And Kevin invited Katy to her first ever baseball game. Katy loved watching Kevin slug the ball, and Kevin's team obliged by thrashing the other side a gazillion runs to a miserly few.
Katy loved going for bike rides with her cousins, towed by Dad.
And they also took her for her first canoe ride. Whew those kids are busy! All in one afternoon, they would go fishing, take out the canoe, go tubing, go swimming, go for a bike ride and play inside too.
Katy also got to spend some time with her cousin Noah, whom she adores, and covers with hugs and kisses. Noah is sure a good sport!
Katy took her second trip Up North when we went to visit Baby Noah, Auntie Heather and Uncle Ryan in Carlton. They have a fabulous pond in their backyard.
Katy is also fortunate that her Daddy is still good friends with his cousins Steve and Jim Lemke. They are all very similar in age and Daddy, Uncle Chad, Steve and Jim all grew up fishing, swimming, skiing and hunting together. Steve and Jim came over for a BBQ. Jim and Jen Lemke have two girls - Sydney, who is Ella's age, and Morgan, who was almost 4. Katy loved getting to know them at the lake.
Katy really started to understand the concept of pretending after playing with her cousins. They did pretend sleeping in the hammock, pretend feeding the baby, pretend dress ups...
For some reason, Katy, like her cousins before her, loved loved loved going to the landing. She really enjoyed playing in the shallows. Here she is with Great Aunt Jane and Jim's kids Sydney Morgan and Carter, who was almost 2.
The Grandmas all sat at the little kids table. By this stage, Steve and Sherri's kids Cameron and Brooke had also joined us.
By the end of the night, Brooke had also become another favourite cousin of Katy's.
Katy tried to charm Cameron into letting her play with his DS...not much luck there though!
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