Thanksgiving in Arizona

Avi loved playing with my cousin's kids.  They were so sweet with him! For 11 and 7 year old boys, they demonstrated remarkable patience and care for little Avi.  And they had the best toys, as well as a "hide out" in their house that Avi enjoyed hanging out in, just the boys.
And he adored my other cousin's baby.  He wanted to kiss and love on him to the delight of both grandmas.

Riding the airport shuttle to pick up the rental car in Phoenix.  He really, really wanted to stand up and hold on "like a big boy."

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My mom grew up in a little town outside of Phoenix. Chandler has changed a lot since she was a girl, but her older sister, my aunt Kathleen, and her family remain.  Now my cousins are married (with the exception of my swinging bachelor cousin who runs with an entourage of hot friends. wow.) with children and it was such a treat to see Avi playing with them.

Leeor took the bulk of the photos with the "good camera," so we must wait for them to be developed and transferred to a disc, but these are a few from the digital that capture a little of our trip.

Avi remains a good little traveler.  He is enchanted with planes and buses and taxis.  Immediately comfortable in my aunt's house, he also easily played with my cousin's boys, "the big kids," and fell in love with the baby.

Our Thanksgiving this year was full and warm and busy.  We enjoyed family we hardly see and plenty of sunshine as well as the ever constant joy of seeing Avi embrace each moment he encounters.  And we are always grateful to have an entire week together, especially when it ends with us arriving back in the city, snuggling in "Aba and Mommy's bed" around midnight last night while a wild wind storm raged outside.