Luckily we planned for a grumpy traveler and only drove half way on the first day. We booked a hotel with Nathan in mind. It had an indoor waterpark. It wasn't exactly "Just Like the Tropics" like the billboard said, but Nathan had fun.
Opa held Kathryn so I could get pictures of Nathan swimming. I don't think he minded at all.
After swimming, we went back to the room and Nathan took advantage of being able to reach a light switch. He said, "See this Baby Sister. This is the light switch."
We got back on the road Thursday morning and drove to Minneapolis. We stayed the night there and spent New Year's Eve at the Waterpark of America.
It was a busy, busy place. I never knew waterparks were the place to be on New Year's Eve.
A toast to the new year!
Nathan sure knows how to celebrate New Year's Eve.
A little too much to drink.
Then we drove to Oma and Opa's house for a family get-together. Nathan always likes playing with the bird clock. It makes bird sounds for every hour, but Nathan learned that he can just push the button on the back to get the bird sounds any time he wants. He's demonstrating for Karl, Aunt Deborah, and Uncle Matt.
Eating with his cousins. Clockwise starting with Nathan, Aly, Laura, Karl and Emily.
She met Aunt Tanya for the first time.
And Aunt Deborah.
The cousins took turns holding Kathryn. Aly and Kathryn.
Emily and Kathryn.
Laura, Karl and Kathryn.
The final count of Meissner cousins is six. We all agreed.
Nathan got to open his Christmas gifts from his aunts and uncles and cousins.
He thought Uncle Jeff was pretty cool once he warmed up to him. Thanks a lot Uncle Jeff, apparently you threw Nathan in the air three times every time he got a strike while bowling. Now I'm stuck doing that!
Uncle Jeff, Aunt Tanya, Aly and Emily stayed in a hotel so they wouldn't have to drive back for the other gathering that was on Sunday, so we crashed their hotel pool.
Kathryn had fun hanging out at the pool too.
On Sunday, more family and friends came by to meet Kathryn. Nathan had fun playing with Xavier, Steve's cousin's son. So he's another cousin of some sort. I don't know all the specific cousin titles.
Xavier just turned a year old, so Nathan thought he was pretty hot stuff being the older kid.
Kathryn with one set of godparents, Aunt Tanya and Uncle Jeff with Aly and Emily.
Then it was back to Oma and Opa's for more playing.
Dancing to the tunes of the player piano.
Lounging with Baby Sister.
Checking out Opa's fish.
Opa sure was lucky to have Nathan's help cleaning the aquarium.
On Tuesday we arrived at the MSP airport to mass chaos. Terminals were closed, roads were blocked and we couldn't get a straight answer from anyone about what was going on. It turned out to be a bomb scare that occurred right before we got there. Thankfully it was a false alarm. That is the last thing you want to hear about when you arrive at an airport. After all that, Kathryn got to enjoy her first time on an airplane. She was absolutely perfect. She never cried or fussed at all during the flight. (Notice Nathan didn't want to give up his spot on my lap during flights. He managed to make room for himself up there even though we have to buy him a seat for himself now.)
Boy was Nathan happy to see Paw-Paw and Lady! And boy was I happy to see Mace and Hank!
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