Passover 2014

We certainly had a lot going on with Gabi's 1st Passover last year. While there was no conversion or baby naming to celebrate, there is certainly never a dull moment with 17 members of the family staying in one house for one week. Lots of fun and food was guaranteed to ensue, and this year was no disappointment! 

getting some last little bit of chametz in before the holiday begins

Within 5 minutes of cousin Mira's arrival, Gabi bonds to her immediately. Girl cousins gotta stick together.

The week of family togetherness - of course - commences with COUSINS BATH! This combination of cousins in one bath has NEVER been done before.

But then, 3 cousins in 1 bathtub were not enough. Along comes Mira!


Hanging out around the house with baby Sammy:

Aunt Syssa with her youngest nephew

Gigi with her youngest great-grandson

At dinner, my pastaholic daughter decides to be fed like a baby bird. Then again, I was enabling it. Then again, it was HILARIOUS.

Just our entire family out at a restaurant getting alongly-like (minus late arrival Jon):


At breakfast, big cousins Mira and Noah help Gabi practice walking.

Gabi hangs out with Aunt Mandy, Uncle Mitch, and cousin Sammy under the umbrella, watching Zayde burn the chametz in the rain.

The first seder arrives:

even baby brother is represented

a classic "Aunt Syssa shot"

Jacob and Gigi

cousin Daniel, Noah, and Uncle Mitch

Aunt Mandy, baby Sammy, and Aunt Syssa

Zayde and Aunt Sandi

Aunt Syssa shows off some amazing artwork from Passovers WAAAAAY-past

Not even 3-year-old Noah is prepared to recite the Mah Nishtanah with accompaniment from his big cousin, Jacob.

Mira rocked Mah Nishtanah this year, reading it from the Hebrew text!

Big cousin Mira loves spending time with her youngest cousins.

silly Uncle Craig

Zayde shows the maror to his grandchildren. They don't seem to be terribly interested.

The next day, we take all 5 cousins to get their 2nd annual professional pictures taken together. The other cousins each got great individual shots and family shots...one of the cousins (no names mentioned) may have not enjoyed her experience as much. Enjoy the series of pictures, and make special note of Jacob's face as the screaming increases in volume:

Hanging around the house in the afternoon:

Big cousin Daniel did a fantastic job all week at entertaining multiple little cousins!

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With the 2nd night of Passover comes the annual entire-family picture:

(And how do you entertain 17 people while they're waiting for the camera to be set up for the picture?)

Each of the 4 "kid units":

Nana and Mira

Aunt Susan and cousin Daniel

Gabi and Gigi

Some final scenes from the week:

What holiday is it?! Gabi is so confusing!

Big cousin Noah helps push Gabi in the stroller.

Being only 7 months apart, these 2 little ones looked QUITE different the last time we saw Sammy when he was only 8 days old!

This is how Gabi and Nana's kitty Tani got along (/this is how Gabi tortured the kitten):