Kitty is finally getting around to the job of inserting some pages into the photo "album" from last year. Getting the Europe photos uploaded took so much time that Paul and Kitty were in Arizona before she had even "recorded" the shorter trip to the US east coast in September. The chief reason was the christening of the first grandchild in the Antonik family - Madison Nicole, or Maddie for short - granddaughter of Kitty's youngest sister Mary.
We drove from Toronto in one long day to southern New Jersey and made ourselves comfortable in a motel that would be convenient for the next day's - Sunday Sept 1 - events and also for continuing on to other visiting on Monday. The church ceremony was followed immediately afterwards with family celebration in the home of Maddie and her parents, Aaron (Mary's son) and Lindsay.
Mary had flown in from England for the event and chats with Paul before we enjoy lunch.
Maddie on Aaron's knee gets Paul's attention.
Mary was like most new grandmothers - couldn't resist the big eyes and smiles of her grandchild, just out of camera range. Kitty just likes smiling at Paul, who's manning the camera.
Lindsay poses with Maddie before "assisting" her with the cake cutting.
Maddie doesn't seem to care at the moment that she's being recorded with her father and paternal grandfather, Howard.
With Maddie taking great interest, Aaron and Lindsay open her gifts. Being great fans of Dr. Seuss, Paul and Kitty started off a collection for Maddie that we hope will be added to by others over the years.
Kitty caught the "cousins" in the kitchen - Aaron, his sister, Stephanie and brother, David on either side; and his 2 cousins Lisa and Karen, his father's neices.
Grandmother's can be a great set of extra hands. In this case, Lindsay's mother, Gaye, has volunteered to take Maddie for a walk to "rock" her to sleep away from the crowd.
Before the party broke up, Maddie was awake and downstairs again for the last of the picture posing - here with her beaming grandmother, Mary.
Maddie, the first grandchild for Mary and the second for Gaye, is a treasure for both of them.
Maddie made Mary a grandmother for the first time and also provided Kitty with the title of great aunt.
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