Yesterday was my grandfathers birthday. He would have been 88. He died last March, of pneumonia. When he was younger he went away to war but returned shortly after, due to having pneumonia. It's ironic that the one thing that "may" have saved him when he was younger, was what took him in the end. He was an incredibly caring man that would do anything for anyone.

He developed dementia about 8 years ago. It was gradual, starting out with the repetition of stories from the past, about how he was a boxer and other funny things. He seemed to stay this way for many years, but suddenly 2 years ago went "downhill" quite fast. It was then the full-blown Alzheimer's. My parents and grandmother kept him home for as long as they could before putting him into respite care. At first he wouldn't fight you when it was time for dressing, washing etc. At the end the poor guy had no idea who anyone was and had lost all faculties.

I remember the day he died. He was diagnosed with pneumonia the day prior to and we were basically told how it was futile to do agressive treatment for him at this stage. That they'd start IV antibiotics and switch him to oral ones and that was as aggressive as they should go. We agreed. Why prolong the inevitable? Anyway, I went to visit him the morning he died. He actually remembered my name and who I was and was quite bright. We had a great conversation. That was the last time I saw him alive. I'm glad that I was there to see him that way and that is how I will remember him.

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On to other things, my son is slowly feeling better. He made a "list" of things to buy him at the store, including ice and root beer and peaches. As long as he'll drink and try to eat I'm happy. No one else in the house has been hit with this yet.

I'll let you's know how my meeting goes with his teacher when I go to it. It's not until the 24th of this month.

The baby FINALLY cut her first tooth. It was on Tuesday and it's her lower left one. The tooth next to that is coming soon. You can just see the glare of it in this picture. :)

She's also on this kick of having me hold her hands while she "walks" around the living room. I dug out my son's old baby book and she's doing exactly what he did at the same age. He was walking at 9 mos! Hope everyone has a great long weekend.