Play Time

While we were gone, Kate had a lot of play time! She had 2 baby play dates - with her cousin, Samantha, and with our friends Brian and Tina's son, Brayden. Plus she had lots of play time with Grandpa.

Kate wasn't too sure how to play with Samantha, but they managed well enough. Of course most of their time together was them sitting next to each other in matching outfits. I swear Kate was looking at Sam with the expression, "Who are you, and why are you wearing my outfit?" Still their were pretty cute. Of course the girls still don't have full control over their arm movements so once in a while Samantha would bop Kate in the face and Kate would retaliate.

We saw Brayden a week after her first play date, and Kate had a completely different reaction. She was all over him! Her first crush? She wanted to hold his hand and figure out who this cute younger baby really was. She grabbed his ear and arms and tried talking to him. Amazing what a difference a week makes.
Kate and Grandpa had a fabulous time! He got her her very first tool - a hammer - because he says every girl needs to learn how to use tools. She loves it! He showed her all the neat toys in his office and the old spinning wheel in their dining room. By the end of the week she even knew how to spin it herself! They also read the Wall Street Journal together.
These are some cute pictures with Grandma, too. Kate was introduced to flowers (we don't have many in our yard yet) and trees. She is really fascinated with the green leaves and how the trees sway in the breeze - no we don't have many trees here either. (I will try to take some landscape pictures soon so you can see the dry area we live in.)
When we got back to Gurnee, I took Kate to the park in my parents' neighborhood. It was her first time in a swing! Sadly, we do not have swing in any of our parks here in NM. It's not safe. I know, I know, it's silly! Anyway, Kate just loved it! They also have a little train so of course we had to pose there, too.

All this playing and socializing really wore her out!!