Real SPRING!



In between waterings Annie would say "muuuah (kiss) grow baby fowers (flowers) grow!"





Gardening is a full time job.



Annie at the zoo.



Our Easter

 Annie's little hairs after a 4 wheeler ride, blowing in the wind

 Grampy M, Annie, Grampy F & Great Grampy B

 Hunting for eggs

 Annie & the cat

 Grampy M, Grammy M, Katie & Annie taking a ride.

I'll do it myself!

Egg hunt

Annie & Grammy M

Annie & Grammy F

HAPPY EASTER 2011

There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. - Rachel Carson

Things are looking up around here. Spring seems to be on the way (a few days here and there at least), Annie no longer has a fever, and we've been slowly getting out and about and back to our normal activities. We've been back to the park, outdoor window shopping, took our first trip to the zoo this season, resumed play dates with Ava, and have been finally giving the hammock swing and backyard slide a workout lately. Annie is starting to eat a little bit better (NOTHING like her old self, but at least a nibble here and there some days), now if we could just get rid of her nasty cough, we'd be doing pretty darn good!

Annie has learned to say her full name: Annie Meek, and then points to us and says "Mommy Meek, Daddy Meek....Kitty Meek, Sammy Meek" (pretty much anything in our house is a "Meek"). It's so fun to watch her language skills develop, she's starting to say the cutest things. However, on a recent bridesmaid dress hunt for Aunt Shannon's upcoming wedding, Annie and I were on our own in a dressing room. And while I was trying to quickly slither in and out of dresses before her patience was exhausted (her patience was gone before we walked in the door of the dress shop) -- Annie was yelling "Mommy BOOBIES!" "Mommy NAKEE"! (that's naked) -- kids say the darnedest things don't they? I got a few looks on the way out from a group around a bride trying on her gown...as I gathered up my toddler and all the things that go along with her and SHE lead me out the door, I looked at the bride and said "this is what happens after that dress." She chuckled...and her mother, obviously anxious to be a grammy, clapped with joy....and Annie lead me to our car.

back to the park! sidewalk chalk hammock Whomever invented those silly cars/buses/trains/boats/space shuttles/ponies etc. that wiggle around for two quarters, and then placed them every 30 feet in public spaces that children frequent should be punished. We can't walk by one without either stopping for 20 minutes and then leaving in tears, or dragging Annie by, without stopping, in tears. Either way, these things just create chaos. zoo Night with Grammy F, and a spring present! Annie/Ava play date 20 & 10 months :)

Super Husband

Tonight Annie's Daddy is going to propose a memorial garden to my hometown. He's doing so on my behalf, in my Grandma, and Annie's Great-Grandma's memory. I had this great little idea, that the best way to honor Grandma, while making her hometown more beautiful, would be to make it pretty in the way she knew best. While Grandma Metzka was able (much longer than most!) she had a huge vegetable garden, and beautiful perennial gardens. I thought it would be so nice if we could recreate her perennial garden, somewhere in Custer Park, for everyone to enjoy. I was especially motivated when I heard random members of the community stand up at her funeral, and say that they remembered and enjoyed those perennials as much as I did. Who knew she was touching so many, I'm sure she didn't!

That said, I shared the idea with Daddy, and he has run with it. He came with me for the site visit, helped me choose a location, helped me scribble out a plan -- and he's since taken over all of the dirty work. He's made the phone calls, done the research, finalized the presentation, printed up the handouts...and will even be delivering the proposal to the township. (I had a conflict with date, I won't even BE there!)

And it's not like Daddy doesn't have anything else to do, like get his own work done, side projects, deal with sewer back ups, plumbers, dead car batteries, yard work, meetings of his own, and of course, the same sleepless nights we both share while Annie has been sick.

I didn't accidentally marry this guy ;) I knew he was amazing. But day after day, and year after year, he proves to be the strongest, most loving person I know. I can't even begin to show my appreciation for all that you do for us Jeremy. Annie and I love you so very much. We are so lucky to have you.

This will be the last time we optimistically save a fortune cookie that says: "everything will now come your way"

I've been meaning to write this post for some time now, but it just keeps getting longer before I can get it all out there! Let's recap the past two weeks shall we, just the highlights:

** Beginning the last week of March, Annie gets very sick (104+ fever, vomiting, lethargic...miserable)

** Annie goes to the doctor, is given an antibiotic for a sinus infection. (Mommy argues with pharmacist about galactosemia and milk - real bonehead pharmacist).

** Annie continues to get sicker. Back to the doctor.

** Doctor asks for a urine sample (anybody ever try to get a urine sample from an un-potty-trained, toddler?) and Annie gets a chest xray (not as bad as it sounds, and she got a really cool sticker) and a new antibiotic. (Pharmacist this time is delightful, not a bonehead.)

** Annie's xrays show that she has pneumonia. Annie is still miserable (and at this point, no one in the house has slept much for a week). And new antibiotic is nasty stuff :(

** Annie was still sick when we were supposed to be at a lovely bennefit luncheon for HER -- the local Knights of Columbus and Ladies Auxilliary hosted a Card Party, with proceeds benefitting Annie Meek's Medical Fund (because, of course, aside from pneumonia, Annie is still galactosemic, and we are still unemployed, and barely insured...)

** Mommy decides to take Annie to the fundraiser luncheon for "just an hour" so that everyone can meet her, and her Grandma's could spend some time with her - with the intention that Daddy would come pick her up shortly after and take her home for more rest.

** Mommy, Annie, Grammy F, Grammy M, Janette & Lorna, all go to the Card Party. We get to our beautiful table, special just for Annie -- and we're not there 5 minutes before Annie takes a tumble out of a booster seat, head first onto the concrete floor. All happening less than an arms reach of Mommy, Grammy, and a pile of women anxious to meet Annie.

** Annie was excited about the toys on the table for her, and somehow while waving them around flipped sideways out of the booster, landed square on her forehead, her head stayed stationary as I watched her little body flop over backwards. (I can honestly say, there is my life, before that fall, and after that fall, I will never get that image out of my head.)

** We had to leave the luncheon early, and Daddy, Mommy, Grandpa M, & Annie all headed for the emergency room. The doctor there was concerned (I was kinda hoping we'd be sent home immediately with an "it's a bruise, don't worry") enough to order a MRI.

** So now on her 4th trip to a doctor or hospital in so much as a week, Mommy and Daddy watched helplessly as Annie was put into a little baby papoose (straight jacket) and put into a scanner. (this was defintitely far worse than the chest xray)

** Finally some good news, the scan showed that Annie's fall did just result in a super duper bruise, and we were sent home.

** Overwhelmed and exhausted, we were anxious to get home, get Annie better (in all kinds of ways!) and just try to get back to normal for a while.

** That was Sunday night.

** Monday afternoon, I'm walking down the basement steps with some laundry, thinking "MAN, I have gotta clean that litter box, it reeks" and about halfway down, I realize...our things are floating by.

** The village sewer has backed up into our basement...there was at least half a foot of sewer slop sloshing around in our things, my laundry baskets of clothes, our baby items stored, our shelving, our books...

** I look down the stairs at the slop, and back up the stairs, and little pneumonia Annie is standing there, runny nose, giant goose egg on her head, heading down to help me with the laundry! (Just what she needs, another nose dive, down old rickety stairs into sewage!)

** I scoop up Annie and put her in a back pack carrier, throw on some rain boots and head to the basement to start salvaging things.

** This soon proved to be a bad idea, and I called poor Daddy, I said rather frantically: "You have GOT to come home RIGHT now" (with the recent events, I have no idea what he was imagining could be wrong).

** Daddy came home and got to work rescuing our belongings, Mommy (still with Annie attached) began calling the village & plumbers. And we had a late night of throwing out a vast majority of what had been stored in the basement.

** Good news! It just so happened to be the night before our garbage day...so we just hauled everything straight to the curb. (just keep swimming, just keep swimming...)

** The following day, a cleaner was to come and disinfect our basement. Still sick Annie and I packed up to spend the morning elsewhere -- while Dad let the cleaner in, and generally took care of some business.

** While we were away, the sewer backed up again.

** (No, I'm not making this stuff up.)

** Annie and I finally came home late afternoon, the sewage had drained again, but the cleaner had still not been there. Sick of the fumes, the mess and having a sick baby in the middle of it all - Mommy called Danielle.

** And Miss Danielle, made a phone call for us, and got us put up at a lovely local hotel FOR FREE! We were able to get out while the cleaner was here, and spend the night away from it all. Thank you D!

** Sewage receeded, basement cleaned...and now we're working on getting a sump put into our old house, in hopes that this never happens again.

** Did I mention while all this is happening, Annie has now broken out into a rash? It started on her face, and spread to her neck and back, and then, her whole body. And of course, she has continued to be miserable in general.

** Today, I took her BACK to the doctor, and it was determined that she either has/had Roseola, or she is allergic to penicillin. And MORE good news, (can you believe it, first, the sewer backed up the night before garbage day, and now this) we were told to stop giving Annie the antibiotic she's currently hating. AMEN!

Soooo....that's what we've been up to ;) For those of you who have emailed me or called me regarding any issues not pertaining to pneumonia, xrays, cat scans, sewage or rashes...maybe resend that email...or remind me...or something.... .

Annie, with pneumonia, but pre fall, getting a spring present from Grammy M before heading to the luncheon.

Annie passing time with medical gloves in the emergency room.

Annie and Lorna salvaging their luncheon date once Annie was sprung from the ER.

Annie smelling some flowers at the conservatory, while cleaners at the house were smelling sewage.

Annie in what is becoming a usual spot. On the couch, with pneumonia, a bump on the head, and now a rash...

I would normally never let Kitten in the crib, much less nap with Annie. But after the past two weeks, if Kitten wants to watch over Annie as she naps...I'm all for it. <3

Longing for spring...

Where's the warm weather?? Annie and her trusty pal, Kitten, have been gazing out the window, waiting for spring to arrive. Unfortunately, Miss Annabelle has been terribly ill this week, so we have had to miss all of our fun activities and spend a tremendous amount of time indoors. Cabin fever for all (along with an actual fever)!

Despite doses of medication, we're all keeping busy. While trapped indoors most days, Annie has been getting her fill of "Signing Time". Last night at the dinner table we were playing "what's this sign" game, and she easily rattled off 30 signs for us (and could have kept going!) We have more fun signing with her!

Mom & Dad have been busy with the PGC Outreach team! Since taking over the team we have found SEVEN new families (just in a few short months!) -- galactosemia doesn't seem all that rare some days... It's been exciting and rewarding getting in touch with new people and helping them through those tough early days when all of the information (or lack of) seems terribly overwhelming.

Cubs home opener tomorrow! Spring weather or not -- spring starts tomorrow at the Meek house! Yay!

What Annie's been up to....

Annie's first "pedicure" - some sparkly pink polish on the tootsies (passed some time on a long drive to Kansas)
Annie taking in some fresh Kansas air at Great Grandma's

Family time with Grandma M, Grandpa M, Cody and Lizzy!

4 Generations: Grandpa Meek, Dad Meek, Annie Meek, and Great Grandma Meek

4 Generations take 2: Grandma Meek, Dad Meek, Annie Meek & Great Grandma Meek

Bed Head

Mardi Gras in St. Louis

Annie gets a few necklaces (which she LOVES and calls "neckies")

Annie at the butterfly garden.

I handed Annie some treats in the car...and when I finally looked back, I realized, it wasn't her that was hungry, oooh Grover! (whom Annie calls "Grovie")

A morning with Annie...

This morning Annie surprised me by putting together some phrases (two word phrases are a nice milestone at this age) and while washing her hands she said "mommy pee in the potty and daddy at work" (that makes me sound pretty productive eh?). After that we were sitting on the floor getting our shoes on and Annie really HUGGED me for the first time...she hugs of course, she'll lay her head on my shoulder, or cuddle briefly, but this was an all out arms around the neck, squeezing and lovin' -- all with an "oooh mom"...to go with it while she patted my back. She then pulled away, said "mom" and kissed me. *SIGH* From there we took a walk to the post office to mail a card to our new friend, Sam. (Sam was just born a few days ago, very prematurely, keep him in your prayers!) After the post office, we walked over to the library to read about goldfish. We recently replaced our long string of failing beta fish, with two darling goldfish. It hasn't been 24 hours yet, but Grouper & Gus seem to be getting along quite swimmingly....quite possibly the best $.56 we've spent this week.

GREAT Grandma Violet Metzka

I'm 32 years old, and therefore should consider myself pretty darn lucky to have grown up with my grandmothers. We're even more lucky to have had them around as great grandmothers to Annabelle. And yet, lucky, just doesn't seem to be the right word when we lose them.

I’ve lost my last Grandmother. I’ve lost both in the past 5 months. One by one, so quickly, those solid family rocks have left us. Each time, a bigger hole in our lives, and with it, a greater need to live up to all that they were as we try to move on.

Annie’s Great Grandma Metzka raised seven children, seven girls….(I feel like I could just stop there…pretty hard to say much more than that! But oh, there’s more…) She was the warm and cozy Grandma, the cookie baking and the bedtime story reading Grandma. She sewed when we were young, making me everything from Halloween costumes, to pajamas, to some prized homemade Care Bears. I spent most mornings there during grade school, she would make me breakfast, and I would walk to school from her house. And many evenings I’d return for dinner as well. I have countless memories of giant family gatherings in the old house and the new, running and playing with my cousins - and Grandma was the hub of it all. The smell of dove soap still reminds me of taking a bath at Grandmas. And I still can close my eyes, and picture crawling into bed upstairs in the old house, bedroom on the right, with the crisp clean sheets, my golden book of choice on the bed, and a nice fresh glass of water on the nightstand, running my hands along the chenille bedspread…an overnighter at Grandma’s was always cozy.

She told me she loved me a million times. She told me how proud she was, how perfect we were, how beautiful and smart her little Annabelle was. I’m not sure I’ll ever find such a fan in life again. She thought we were flawless, and we loved to believe her ;) She was the epitome of unconditional love. At 92, she was never done, never tired, never wanted to be out of the loop -- every time we saw her, she wanted more, more time with us, more stories of our days, and wanted to know when we would be back.

Our last few visits with Grandma were fantastic. I have recently learned not to take any time for granted, so I’m happy to have the memories we made just before our time was over. Just over a month ago, Annie and I spent the morning at Great Grandmas, and I asked Grandma if she had a family tree, or knew of any family history. Siiiillly me! Grandma went to the back bedroom and hauled out a binder, not just a little binder…a ten pounder FULL of family tree info that she had started on in the 70’s. She was ecstatic to talk about it, she wanted to read every page with me, and tell me who was who, and what she knew of their whereabouts now. It was INCREDIBLE! (I consider myself a family tree buff…but I gotta say, I was lost after a page or two - our family tree, is a bit more like a forest!) She was so excited that I was interested, and was very concerned if a page was out of order…she told me Linda had started helping her get it together years ago, and hoped they could finish it and update it. I hope I can help carry out that wish.

Another recent Grandma moment…the day my Grandma Fitz died, we were at Grandma Metzka’s. It was bitter sweet to be mourning one Granny, while trying to soak up the moments with the other. However, up until that day, Grandma had always said she was sad, but her arms were too weak and she was afraid to hold Annie, she didn’t want to drop her. That day, we walked in, Grandma didn’t say a word, she just scooped Annie up. I watched, nervous that Annie would squirm away or be less than loving as toddlers can be at the worst moments. But they had a magical moment…Grandma’s arms were as strong as they were with that first of seven babies, and Annie locked eyes with Grandma and just smiled. And of course, I cried. :)

Grandma continued to scoop Annie up every time we visited, right up until our last visit. And every time, Annie was as loving and in awe as I could have hoped for - she knew she was being loved by one of the great ones.

I often asked Grandma for parenting advice. Afterall, after 7 children, and countless grandchildren and great grandchildren, she was more than an expert. I expected it to be routine for her. But she was looking at Annie and said “oooh my heavens, they’re just amazing aren’t they?!…each one is different from the next, I had seven, and never did it feel the same, each baby is it’s own little buddle of love. Some walk early, some talk late, you’ll never know what you’re doing, but you’ll always know why you’re doing it when you see them smile, or hear them say your name.”

I’m not ready to say goodbye, again. And I know, Grandma wasn’t either - she always knew there was more to see, more stories to hear, and more hugs to give. But she’s left us with the greatest gift of all…each other. Let’s remember that family - stay close, stick together, and keep giving those snug hugs with the back pat. Annie already knows the one :)