Annie's First Christmas!
Thank you everyone for making this such a special year! We had so much fun! :)

The Holiday Tour begins...

Annabelle's first Christmas

Happy Holidays Blog Followers!

(all two of you ;)

Annie is now over 5 months old. She's interested in sitting up, and does so pretty well, but has yet to stop toppling over whenever she sees something that catches her eye. She's also just started solid foods...so far, just rice cereal, which she enjoys blowing all over Momma. Why swallow the food when it's so much more fun to spray it?

Annie's "capilary hemangioma" is holding it's own. Luckily it has not grown enough to warrant surgery or medication - however it is affecting her vision enough that the doctor is concerned about ablyopia (lazy eye). Her good eye has better vision, and at this point in her development, her brain may essentially shut down the "bad eye" in favor of the better vision. Soooo....of course that means we're onto another goofy treatment for poor Annabelle. For two hours each day, she now wears an eye patch over her good eye to encourage the bad eye to focus. Arrh Matey! That's right, we've got a pirate on our hands...well after halloween. ;) Cross your fingers this does the trick!

Merry Christmas Everyone, enjoy the holiday!
Love, Jeremy, Robyn, Annie, Sammy & Kitten

BAKE SALE FRIDAY!

December 4th!

Help Annie find a cure for Galactosemia!

Annie's First Thanksgiving - 19 weeks

Over the river and through the woods to Great Grandma Meek's house we go!

Annie in Kansas with Great Grandma

Annie's first brewery - Kansas City

Annie's first botanic garden - Des Moines

Happy Thanksgiving! Bring on the holidays!

Decorating is done, Christmas shopping is started! We're on our way to see family for Thanksgiving! Love and hugs to everyone we'll miss this week, see you soon!

18 weeks...

Getting ready for the holidays!

(Sorry kiddo...Momma's been dreaming of this day forever...Christmas tunes, decorating together...nearly-naked-baby-Santa-hat photo and all ;)

Annie's New Hat

17 weeks

Annie - 16 weeks

Annabelle -- 4 months!

Annie & the Chief - 16 weeks

16 weeks have flown by!

Annie sure doesn't seem like a stranger in the house any more - it's impossible to imagine life before her! I cannot believe how much she has grown this month. We were in "newborn" size clothes and diapers for what seemed forever, and now, every week I'm packing away things she's outgrown already, and she's about to overflow her size 1 diapers in favor of a larger size any day now. Her arms are chubby, complete with elbow dimples...her thighs have rolls...she's definitely beginning to fill out! It's amazing to think she used to drink 1-2 ounces of formula a meal, and now she's chugging down 5-7 ounces a meal, and packing in a good 30+ ounces per day. That probably explains the nice weight gain recently. We've also had to move tubby time from the kitchen counter to the big bath tub, she's just too wild and crazy in there these days, we were soaking the kitchen floor (and ourselves)!


A recap of the month:
-Annie sleeps through the night -YAHOO!
-Annie gets yet ANOTHER Doctor, this time an eye specialist. Annabelle has a "capillary hemangioma" under her right eye (hence the photos where she looks like she has a black eye) - it's essentially a benign tumor. Supposedly these "capillary hemangiomas" are somewhat common, and no big deal....if they're anywhere else on the body. But due to it's location (in her lower eye lid), we have to watch and make sure it doesn't get bigger (which unfortunately is pretty much what these do...get bigger). If it begins to affect her vision, she may need surgery. But for the moment I just stare at it, and will it to go away on it's own.
-Annie's umblical hernia has all but disappeared :) Yay! (out with the umbilical hernia, in with the capillary hemangioma...always something!)
-Annie has her first dip in a pool.
-Annie stays in her first hotel.
-Annie takes her first hike.
-Mom makes her first successful batch of Annie-cakes (galactose free pancakes) :)

We're currently working on sitting up (eh, well, seriously aided slouching I guess) and still the dreaded tummy time (A's not a big fan of using her arms) -- and looking forward to starting solids sometime in the next month or two.

Annie says....

Happy Halloween!

Annie's First Mini-Vacay!

We took Annie on her first mini-vacation to Starved Rock. We did a lot of hiking, swimming, and chillin' -- we all had a great time. Annabelle was quite a hit with the other lodge-goers, she was very well behaved and down right charming most of the time :)

Annie 14 weeks

Annabelle soaking up the outdoors on one of our last nice days of fall! (Time to start planning that Florida trip!)

Too many cute pictures this week for me to pick just one! Despite a puffy eye (Annie has a little eye infection, no that's not a real black eye ;) - we've had a great week! Annie's Gal-1 numbers came back, she is at 7 now. We went to the pumpkin patch to meet up with some of our PGC friends - Annie napped through the giraffes and tigers, but Mom & Dad were plenty amused. We had a great visit with Grandma Fitzpatrick and Grandma & Grandpa Meek and are looking forward to another fun filled weekend!

Happy Birthday Grandma Meek!

Love,

Annie

Lucky 13 Weeks!

Our Darling Annabelle....is STILL sleeping through the night. It wasn't a fluke :) AND, she seems to be sleeping in a tiny bit more each morning. We've been working on tummy time and rolling over - she's about half way there!

HEAR YE! HEAR YE! ANNIE SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT!

HUGE news...Annabelle slept from 9:30pm-5:22am last night. This is probably most life altering for Mom - but looking forward to a few less bags under the eyes! 12 weeks and 2 days old...lets see, that's about 50 days on little sleep? Life is about to get real good :) I'm a believer now, we heard that 11 pounds was the magic weight for sleeping through the night, and she nearly hit it to the day!

YAHOOOO!

Annie's Doctor Visit

learning to sit

Annie saw Dr. Hoganson today! She did WONDERFULLY....barely cried during a blood test! (Much less crying than Mom would have done ;) She turned on the charm, gave a few smiles, held her head up and looked great! She's now weighin' in at an impressive 11 pounds and a little over 23 inches. We should know her Gal-1 numbers in a few days.

12 Week Annabelle

10 Week Annabelle

Annabelle had a party this weekend! Thank you to everyone who hosted and joined us for the Fitzpatrick Baby Shower! We had a great time and are so grateful for all of the beautiful gifts!

Annie also spent a lot of time with Grandma Meek while Mom & Dad were busy with a few events this weekend. We're so thankful for all of her help - Annie loved being with you Grandma!

Ma, Pa & Annie 9.26.09

Annabelle with Great Aunt Fran at her baby shower.

Annabelle with her Great Aunt Karen.

Annabelle 9 weeks

Bundled up for an evening walk.

8 Week Annie

....and, Annabelle is already learning to share....her carseat (and her pack n play, and her play mat, and her blankets)

What's Annabelle so giddy about??

That's not gas...those are real smiles! Annie's Daddy just passed all of the LARE! We're so proud! After over a year of hard work and studying, he's just some paperwork away from being a Registered Landscape Architect!

Annie @ 6 weeks.....

Annie visits with Great Grandma Fitzpatrick early in the week, then takes her first out of state road trip, visits the lake for the first of many times, has her first boat ride and spends some time with Grandpa Fitzpatrick & Grandma Nancy. A great weekend!

Watching TV with Grandpa Fitzpatrick

Annabelle makes her mark on the wall at the cottage.
(with some help...)

Annie's first boat ride (on a COLD August day?!)

Also, news about the Galactosemia research that was done in Boston this week! See link: http://www.boston.com/community/moms/articles/2009/08/31/patients_from_across_us_take_part_in_study_of_galactosemia_at_childrens_hospital_boston/?page=1

How cute is this baby??

Annie's Sunday Stroll...

Crabby Annie & Carter (yes, Alyshia...you have the happy baby this time ;)

Momma & Carter with Alyshia & Annie

5 weeks

Dad's Illini Fan

Mom's Sun Worshiper

Annabelle visits Grandma & Grandpa Meek's House

Annie with Great Grandma Meek

Annie & Grandpa Meek

Rolling right along...Miss Annabelle OFFICIALLY rolled over (partially at least, from her belly to her back) at 4 weeks and 5 days! No more leaving her ANYWHERE for 'just a second' anymore!