Funerals and Teeth

Funerals and teeth seem to go hand and hand for my babies... At least for my boys. The last days of December in 2005 were the last days of life for my husband's paternal step-grandfather, best known as Paw Paw (or Great Paw Paw to our children). So the day that Kane turned 6 months, we were in Coal Grove, Ohio for Paw Paw's funeral. While staying with my husband's maternal Grandma, Kane decided to get curly hair, learn to crawl AND get his 2 first teeth in. This is the way Kane still tackles life. There is always that calm before the storm with him in all aspects of his milestones, be they emotional, physical or mental. Max has been a little more lax. Both Bella and Kane had teeth at 6 months, but Max just kept slowly working on them. For the last week or so he would pull away when I tried to check for one, and he was drooling fiercely, so I knew one was close. This past weekend we received word that Adam's paternal grandfather had passed away. Tappa had a short and hard battle with cancer and we knew the end was near. So Tuesday morning, the day before Max turned 8 months, we left for Wayne, WV for funeral services for Tappa. At the dinner that was held after the services, I thought to get a quick check in Max's mouth for that tooth, and sure enough, it had finally poked it jagged, sharp little head through his gums. So my baby boy now has his tooth. And we are less yet another great-grandparent for our children here on this earth. We want more kids, and this has me thinking that maybe we should wait quite awhile before we have another...

Our time after the funeral gatherings was spent at Adam's paternal grandmother's house, spending much needed time with his family. It had been way too long since we had visited Maw Maw, and we had the added bonus of spending quality time with the rest of Adam's immediate family without the thought of the normal hosting responsabilities. So instead of thinking of meals or cleaning, we were spending time together, chatting and laughing and playing with kids, and I was snapping pictures. I have tried to limit this post to as few favorite pics as possible. I feel like I'm jipping you, because there are many more wonderful pictures, but I won't bombard you this time.

I started by doing a little photo shoot of my niece, and ended up trying to capture a picture of each person there whom I never get to photograph. It was really nice. I have come to the recent realization that I need more photos of the important people in my life. I focus so much on taking pictures of the kids, but so little on the people that are important to them. One day those people will be gone, and I want my kids to look back and see in pictures how much those family members loved them, or how beautiful each and every one of them are. A picture can capture a moment, sure, but it can also capture a person. So it is my pleasure to leave you with pictures of Adam's family (minus his oldest brother and his wife, who weren't able to make it), each one whom I love dearly.


Miss Serena Monet, our niece, posing for the camera. She has always been a little model at heart.

Ree Ree and Bella, quite the pair.

Maw Maw (Gloria), reading to Bella.
Maw Maw and Maxwell. (There is no picture of her with Kane, because he was in need of some Chamomilla and was showing it in temper tantrums and standoffishness).

Lucian Michael, Adam's younger brother. As the future Star of Broadway is currently attending Wright State University, I have talked him into letting me do his new head shots. Aih, now I have to live up to his and my expectations of what I can do with this camera!

Gi Gi (Cecile) and Paw Paw (Ron), Adam's parents.

Paw Paw.

Gi Gi.

Adam, my darling husband.

Suzie, Serena's beautiful Mama, and Adam's little sister.

Paw Paw occupying Max as I ignored my children to take everyone's photo.

Jesse, Adam's youngest brother, in his element as the Soccer King. I am really proud of this shot.

Jesse, waiting for Maxwell to kick his soccer ball back to him (with a little help from Paw Paw). I love the warm evening backlighting on this pic.