Annie takes Daddy to the zoo...

Annie's first Carousel ride.

In the swamp

Checking out the sea lions

Free ride.

Happy 10 Months!

4 Generations!

Great Grandma, Baby Annie, Momma and Grandma

Busy busy...Annie has been adding new foods to her list of tasty treats, things like pork, beef, a new cereal and she even sampled a bit of cherry turnover - yum yum!  She just had a brief check up and blood test with the geneticist last week.  Blood for her Gal-1-P check...and a little extra was sent off to Emory University to "Dr. Judy" for research.  We're anxious to get the results back on both ends.  We just attended Great Aunt Bonnie's retirement party (photo above with Grandma & Great Grandma at the party).  In Annie's spare time, she's been busy pulling up on everything, babbling away, and a new trick, emptying the dishwasher, faster than I can load it....

Congratulations Great Aunt Bonnie! 

First grade will never be the same at Custer Park.

Happy Mother's Day!

Annie & Momma at the Mother's Day Banquet

Maggie, Dad & Annie

Annie & Dad practicing flying

Annie with cousin Grace

Annie & Dad

Grandma F, Momma, Annie & Grandma M on Mother's Day

What a great Mother's Day - we spent the day with tons of family on a gorgeous afternoon!  Annabelle managed to smile the whole day through with hardly a nap.  She's amazing ;)  Perfect day to celebrate the greatest relationship ever!  It was so fun this year to be the daughter AND the mother! :)

Never a dull moment around here....

Sooo....I have debated touching on our recent family news here on the blog...and because I'm incapable of keeping a secret (which this isn't) and even more unable to hold anything back...here goes:

This next post was GOING to be of Mini-Meek 2's first ultrasound pictures. That's right...TWO...Annie was about to move over and make some room in her nest -- for we had her baby brother or sister on the way, due to arrive early December of 2010. It was a bit of a surprise (I've never understood how such things can be a "surprise"...but now I can say I do. ;) While another baby has always been part of the plan, this was a little sooner than we thought, but we quickly became accustomed to the idea of two close playmates and the house getting a little more snug by Christmas. Taking for granted that the last time we were pregnant...it ended with Annabelle's appearance - we were quick to tell close family and friends. I ran right out and got Annie her first "Big Sister" shirt (which by the way, the smallest I could find was a 2T...for an 8 month old baby...)

In addition to the usual pregnancy lifestyle changes (there went my martini)...we had previously decided that during the next pregnancy I would take on Annie's galactosemic diet, as a precaution, in case this next baby was also galactosemic (the odds are 1 in 4 for another galactosemic). So, quite by surprise, and all in the blink of an eye (or a positive pregnancy test) I became seriously sober and essentially galactosemic. ;) It was a quick crash course in the diet that's for sure -- and also what prompted us to be so forthcoming with the news... It was one thing if I passed up a drink, it was another if I passed up anything with dairy, soy, tomatoes, etc...

So we got excited, we got the granny's excited...and last Friday myself, Daddy and big-sister-in-the-making, Annie, all piled into the Doctor's office to get our first glimpse at this new baby (which I had decided was most certainly a boy, or twins...you know, mother's intuition this time around ;)....only to ultimately find out that we do not have a viable pregnancy. I think we all knew as soon as we saw the big empty circle on the ultrasound screen...this isn't the same. (After all, it wasn't that long ago at all that we saw Annie there, so we knew what to expect.) There's a placenta forming, but no embryo - ie. no baby...to make a long story short.


I expected to be devastated...and I've heard before how hard miscarriages are - but as soon as I saw the empty screen, I think I processed the information pretty mater-of-factly and quickly turned my attention to Annabelle across the room. She was busy babbling, completely unaware that she had gone from big sister, to lone queen of the castle in a matter of minutes... Thank God they were there. No baby news...is much easier to swallow, when you already have a baby to love on. While we would have embraced #2 in December - and enjoyed every moment of two very close babies...we have a new chance now...to get a little better prepared.

We'll take this opportunity to research the galactosemic pregnancy diet a bit more. We'll have more time to give Annie all the undivided attention she deserves. Mommy will take this opportunity to throw back some summer cocktails, sign up for the Chicago Half Marathon, and generally enjoy summer before returning to incubation mode sometime soon :)


For those of you who have followed our short "pregnancy" all this time, thanks so much for your support. I can't believe the amount of calls and emails I received from so many of you who have gone through this very sort of thing. We have the best family and friends - and everythings gonna be just fine :)

Jimmy Johns - customer service so unhelpful, you'll freak!

So - I've been searching for places to safely take Annie to eat in the future (luckily we're not really quite there yet - but most of you know, I'm a planner!) I figured fitting a galactosemic diet into most convenience places would be tough, but we've had great luck getting information from most places about ingredients. One of the places I was especially excited about was good ol' Jimmy Johns...they have simple Italian bread, it's likely safe...build your own sandwich, we could pick our own ingredients from there - Ta-Da! Right?...... Wrong. I emailed the company for information regarding the ingredients in their bread. This was my experience:


Me to Jimmy Johns:

I am looking for an ingredient list in the bread at Jimmy Johns. My daughter has a very specific medical diet she must follow - but we would love to bring her to Jimmy Johns, could you please provide me with an ingredient list for your breads (and any other items on the menu that you could share!) Please send info via email. Thank you, Robyn

Jimmy Johns to Me:

Robyn,

Thank you for taking the time to write.

We do not give out the ingredients in our bread.

If you provide the specific ingredients you are trying to avoid, I can help you out.

Thanks,

Kelly

Me to Jimmy Johns:

Wow, Kelly, that seems crazy to not share the ingredients of your foods!

Due to being galactosemic, myself and my daughter cannot have any of the following, per our medical diet:

*I went on to list the multitudes of galactose-full foods and items (much too long to post here)

Jimmy Johns to Me:

Thanks for eating at Jimmy John's! I am writing you back in response to your earlier email.

Given that your need for information is so extensive, and because we would not want to make a small mistake in providing you perfect answers to your questions, we think it is in your best interest to not eat at our stores. We will miss you as a customer.

I hope that this answer is helpful. We appreciate your business.

Jimmy John's

Me to Jimmy Johns:

Aimee:

Sadly, I have just lost that warm fuzzy feeling I had always associated with Jimmy Johns. I had seen previous posts on facebook and various blogs regarding people with food allergies and disorders having trouble getting information from Jimmy Johns. I didn't believe it, so I went ahead and requested information on behalf of my family. Unfortunately I see, the negative experience others have had finding ingredient info is consistent. I too will miss Jimmy Johns, but much less so now that I realize what very little effort is given to keep customers.

~Robyn & Annie Meek

Sad story huh? Top secret bread I guess...

I will miss Jimmy Johns, but I think I'll get over it. PS. Subway was VERY accommodating with their ingredient list.

9 Months 1/2 Months....

Where are your glasses young lady? (this is Annie's "Ha Ha, I WIN" face....)

Hmm...Annie AND Grandpa Fitzpatrick are without their glasses?

Annie with Aunt Shannon & Cousin Maddie at Great Grandma G's 80th Surprise Party

Outdoorsy Sunday...

Is this a little sunshine or what!? :)

Dad & Annie enjoying nature, naturally ;)

Nine Months...

9 months of Annabelle lovin' has flown by! This week Annie has been busy crawling (much faster these days) all over, and pulling up on anything she can get ahold of. She really enjoys standing in our upstairs windows and hollering down to any unsuspecting passerby.

9 month check up:
19lbs 9oz
28.5" tall

Opening day at Wrigley....

...we celebrated at Wrigley-West ;)

Go Cubbies!

Spring!

Annie ready to hop her way to church Easter morning.

Annie in the hammock swing :)

Annie & Grandpa Meek on Easter

Annie & Grandma Meek on Easter

Opening day at the Meek house...

Kitten teaches Annabelle the fine art of bird watching.

We're lovin' spring...Cubs are finally into the real season (albeit a pitiful start), we're taking advantage of the warm days for long walks and trips to the park - and Annabelle has recently started some new foods (banana, chicken, sweet potato and broccoli among the most recent), she's pulling up to stand on anything possible (mostly one of us, or Kitten...who seems to tolerate it quite well) and is cutting her 2nd toofer :)