A long line of mothering...

Every year, mother's day rolls around, it usually falls around my Grandma Fitzpatrick's birthday. 

On this day, I would buy my own mother something traditional, a plant, a nice, sappy card, maybe some candy...and I would usually do the same for my Grandmother's...but they are all gone now.

Until we have reached the top of the mother food chain (these days around here that's "Grandmother", as we have recently lost all of our local "Great Grandma's") it's hard to even imagine celebrating or experiencing "Mother's Day" on the other side.

In honor of my maternal Grandma's passing - and the incredible Great Grandmother that only one of my girls had the pleasure of meeting....we recently planted a memorial garden, in the small town where she raised her large family and across from her eternal resting place. 

My Grandma Metzka had a lovely garden; a flower garden and a vegetable garden.  Both of my grandmother's had me outdoors, down in the dirt and growing things...from as young as I can remember.  It was only natural (oh, the puns just keep coming!) that a fair tribute to her would have been something beautiful, something growing, and something that needed lots of hard work. :)

So I thought, "let's build a memorial garden in Custer Park for Grandma!" --- (that's all I did)

And then my fabulous husband, who makes all dreams come true...made this happen.

He helped me come up with a plan (where I rambled and insisted on this and that)....

.....and then he drew up the plan, presented the plan to Custer Park, arranged for the maintenance schedule, ordered the plants, and set aside time from his busy schedule to put this darn ol' garden into the ground.

Along with helpful hubby, previous colleague, my ambitious two year old, our on-call babysitting Grandma Fitz, my knight-in-shining-pick-up-truck-father, and the numerous family members who contributed financially to the cause...we installed The Violet Metzka Memorial Garden this week.

It went a little like this:

Future Garden Site.  There are 7 Ash trees planted in Custer Park near the town hall in memory of my Grandpa Metzka.  He had 7 daughters.  This is tree number 6, and where we planned our memorial garden.  Here you see hubby explaining to Annabelle how we will mark the bed lines for the garden installation.

Two year old Annabelle, and Great Granddaughter of the honoree, removing sod from the garden bed with Mr. Erickson.

Sod removal is hard work.  So hard, Daddy just points, Matt just drives the tractor, and we rely on the two year old to do the serious labor.  Annie didn't flinch...girl comes from a long line of hard workin' women...

Sod out...let's get some plants IN! 

 Oh, and bare toes in the dirt...must have bare tootsies!

Due to Custer Park's stringent child labor laws, we did allow Annie to have a quick PB&J near the boxwood.

Placing the plants.  (see toddler totally slacking in the lawn chair)

Fabulous hubby and hardworking daughter, planting my Grammy's Memorial Garden.
 Best. Mother's. Day. Gift. Ever.

Planting Hosta.

Planting, watering, etc...

Riding the tractor with Mr. Matt Erickson.

Annabelle watering the planted and mulched, mostly finished...memorial garden.

We are still plotting a memorial bench to top off the memorial garden.  So this project remains a work in progress - but the planting is done.  We've crammed a lot of plants in there...I'm guessing in a mere 6 weeks we'll be thinking it's pretty darn full ;)  I had such a wonderful time, being back home, working with my friends and family, running into the locals...  Super thankful for my MOM who took care of our itty bitty infant so that we could have free hands at the garden - so thankful for my Dad who never says no when I call for anything (this time it was a pick up truck) and who always makes me feel like I can do anything...thankful for the visits from Aunt Bonnie while we worked and the support we had from family along the way.  I can't think of a better way to honor Gram M, than with something that will continue to grow and change -- how else can you symbolize a mother of 7, grandmother of 10 and a great grandmother of 7 and counting...

Happy Mother's Day

Annabelle must have been in charge of the camera while she was visiting with her Great Aunt Bonnie.

A tiny clip of "garden installation through a toddler's eyes" :)

Translation:

Bonnie:  "....people I know..."

Annie:  "there's Mom and there's Matt and there's Daddy, and so...there's more Matt (Matt's helper's name was also Matt, so this clearly makes him "more Matt") over der and they're workin, and so, they're workin and stuff...."

Catching up with the girls...and an accidental soap box rant....

 

Emeline's one month Cubs blanket photo (taken one day late, and posted two weeks later - and in need of some rotating, but I don't have time for that) ;)

“They” sad it would happen; your second child will not have nearly as many pictures as the first.  That’s slightly true, I still take a crap load of pictures compared to the average parent I’m sure, but I certainly don’t get them posted on this here blog five minutes later like I did the first time around.  Emeline does have far less photos alone, just the nature of being second, but that’s not so bad.  “They” also said Annie would get left in the dust for the new arrival, that part was all wrong.  If anything, I feel like I gravitate towards her even more now.  Of the two, she’s the one who can hold her head up, bring us a diaper, hold a conversation, tell a joke…tell me what in the world she's crying about...  Poor little Emeline has some catching up to do before she’s working the room quite like big sister.  Although, second child or not, when that kid squirms, burps or gurgles we all still melt as if she just walked on water.

“They” also said going from one to two was the hardest transition.  So I prepared myself for that.  I spent the entire pregnancy imagining my completely overwhelming life once I had a toddler and a newborn to care for 24/7.  Again, wrong.  With my vast parenting experience (that I just gained in the past 6 weeks) as a mother of two, I have to say, hands down, going from zero children to one was the craziest.  Nothing prepares you for life with a child, like a child.  Well, we already did that.  So when Emeline cries, I’m ready for it.  When she cries regardless of my attempts to change, burp, feed or soothe her…I’m prepared for that too.  With Annie, when she cried endlessly, I wondered what I was doing wrong, and cried right along with her.  I had ONE baby to take care of, and I cried nearly as much as she did.  Now, I have two, and I swear I haven’t shed one frustrated tear, yet.  ;)

Here’s my secret to happiness:

I have lowered my standards to below low.

My house is a wreck, dishes pile in the sink, dust bunnies are chasing the cats, weeds are growing in our garden, and the seeds we planted (as we do every year) haven’t been watered once since Annie and I planted them…3-4 weeks ago, I can’t recall, either way, that project was a failure.  Our tiny house is filling with things, things to store, things to use, things to put away…things that once would have drove me crazy.  I don’t care.  I’m not saying I’ve given up and plan to live a life of a slob.  I just know my chances for success at the things I once prided myself in staying on top of, are all now trumped by everyone around here being fed, loved, and somewhat clean. 

So that’s the goal each day:  food, beverage, moderate cleanliness for all. 

Anything else is considered overachieving.  And THAT is the secret to stay-at-home-mom-of-two happiness.

And while I’m on the topic of the ol’ stay at home mom…

The whole “mom’s who stay home don’t work” thing was in the news again recently (catch yourselves up here if you missed it:  http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/20/0412/Obama-defends-Ann-Romney-after-Democratic-consultant-s-comment) 

This topic drives me crazy.

If I am a day care worker, if that were my “job”…that’s a JOB right?  My title would be “childcare provider” or “day care assistant” etc.

A “babysitter” earns money, caring for children.  That’s a JOB, right?

People who care for other people’s children are respected for their services, for their ability to feed, teach, soothe, and for about eight hours or more a day, raise other people’s children.  Children whose parent’s “work” – are providing the opportunity for these caregivers to WORK caring for their children.

My point is, there is a JOB that needs to be done.  People have kids, and then someone needs to take care of them until they can take care of themselves.  Whether it’s the lady at the Kiddie Coral, the neighbor, the Grandpa, the nice church day care, or the parent’s themselves…someone is filling this position.

I was a “landscape designer” for 8 years.  I had a desk, hot coffee, bathroom breaks at will, I showered every morning at the same time and put on clean clothes.  I got paid to do it (not well, but I did get paid).  When I did that, I had a “real job” and was respected amongst my peers.

Now I am a “mom”.  I get up at all hours of the night, without catching up on my sleep on the weekends (Mondays are the same as Saturdays in my new profession), I only pee when the little people let me, much less shower.  Hot coffee?  Only because we have a microwave.  I cook, feed, change, soothe, rock and read all day long.  If at all possible I try to plan days that will help my kids learn something new, meet someone different, experience something exciting…  I don’t need a bozo button, but seriously folks, I could pay someone else to do these things for me?  Or, I could take on this JOB myself.

Whew. 

I gotta stop listening to the radio – “mom’s don’t work” gets me fired up every time.  If I don’t “work”, neither does your daycare owner.  And easy with the “well I’m a mom AND I work”…are you taking your kids to work with you? (I do see this sometimes, now that’s WORK!) (Hats off to the lady at the second hand clothing shop we go to who runs her business seemingly eternally pregnant with a toddler all day long, that chick WORKS.)  Anyway, unless you’re taking your kids to work with you – you’ve got your eight hours (give or take) each day to focus on your work, not your kids and work simultaneously.

To each their own – I’m fine with that…but if one more person acts as if I “stay home” because of my love for bon-bons, or we won the lottery…puh-lease.

So, back to what I really came to blog about:

 Here are some photos I took while spending time with my kiddos. (which “they” are right…taking care of them isn’t “work” – it’s just life!)

Nothing special happening here, just an afternoon on our front porch.  Annie enjoying the outdoors and waving to people walking by, while I fed Emeline.

A visit with the cousins - Maddy, Ava & Annabelle.

When photographing kids, it usually takes 10-20 photos to get everyone looking...I should have posted the whole series :)

Emeline's non-rotated cause I'm outta time, one month photo.  Squirmy little thing she is!

I love these pictures...this one is especially great: sleeping baby (woo!) and the size reference to the "blankie giraffe" that will come in handy over the years.

Cuddling with Aunt Shannon

Annabelle asked for my glasses,put them on, and TOLD me to "take a picture mom, this is great!"

My unsocialized child (after all, we just stay at home all day alone and eat bon-bons) is seen here with her library pals playing ring around the rosie.  Her favorite! (Annie is in the pink)

Opening day at the Meek homestead!  Hot dogs for all (all who have teeth anyway).  And a big fat Cubs loss...great start boys in blue!  Grrr!

While I didn't pay this babysitter, I did have a hand watching the baby while Aunt Colleen came to stay with us.  She's going to do great, she's managing to keep the baby alive and "work" in this photo.

The Easter Bunny (or "bunny easter" as Annie calls him) brought Annie a bunny cookie Easter morning.

Grandma Meek with Emeline

Easter Annie

Easter Emeline

Annie & Grampy Fitz

Annie & Grammy Fitz

Swinging at Grandma & Grandpa Meek's House

Quality time with Great Grandpa Beeler - working on the ol' John Deere.

Emeline - 1 Month

One Month Old!  Little Emeline is now 7lbs, 9oz and 22inches tall!

It's March in the Midwest, right?

Emeline 2 weeks

Mid March...?  Feels like June around here!  We've been enjoying a string of 70 and 80 degree days - trips to the park, the beach, the city.  Our magnolia is starting to bloom, the tulips and daffodils are well on their way...spring is definitely here and on fast forward it seems!  No complaints!

Emeline is proving to be a very easy baby (hope I don't eat my words in a few weeks ;) -- barely whimpers now and then, sleeps often, smiles easily and generally goes with the flow (as if she has a choice around here these days).  I'm sure being second time, seasoned parent's doesn't hurt.  I had prepared myself for utter chaos when going from one child to two...and so far, I'm pleasantly surprised at how well things are going (minus the bags under my eyes, easy baby or not, there's still no sleep at night for Mom, but all that will eventually change :)

Annie has made us so proud as a big sister.  She's always stopping what she's doing and running over to kiss Eme and say "I love you little Emeline" -- if baby does cry, she's right there saying "oh it's ok little baby..."  She loves to hold her, she seems almost as mesmerized as we do just watching her look around, and wiggle her little mouth or flail her scrawny little chicken wing arms ;)

We just took a trip to the city for the Flower and Garden show on Thursday - both girls were fabulous for a long drive, a long day walking and a late night!  We didn't know what to expect, we were perfectly prepared to make it an hour and head home, or actually see most of the show.  We not only saw the whole show, wandered Navy Pier a good part of the day, shopped, ate, and rode Annie's first giant Ferris wheel...but we even had a chance to get down to the beach as well before heading back to the ol' homestead.  It was a great day, and a great outing for a 2 year old and a 2 week old to say the least!

Annabelle 2.5 years, Emeline 2 weeks in the Navy Pier Conservatory

Annie, Daddy & Eme on the beach (80 in March in Chicago! Woot!)

Little Emeline's first trip to the beach at 2 weeks old.

Annabelle!

Chicago Flower & Garden Show 2012

We're a little bit of a lotta things...but we do love being Irish most of all!  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Calling the Grammy's from her bananaphone

First Ferris Wheel Ride and it was a big one!

Big Sis & Lil' Sis

And just like that...we are FOUR!

Emeline Joy Meek

02.28.12

3:54am

6lbs 5oz, 19.5 inches

...and a tiny little reddish blond fuzz on her head!

BIRTH STORY (graphic and boring, skim ahead if this isn't your thing):

We headed into labor and delivery late Monday night, Momma had been having contractions since Saturday (and cried wolf for two days straight to poor stand-by Grammy Fitz, I just assumed Annabelle's labor was fast, this one would be even faster!)  So after on again off again contractions, we decided to head in and just see if things were imminent or not.  Since it was after hours, we had to go in through emergency to get checked in.  I said "we're here to get into labor & delivery", the woman said, "ok, last name?"....I said "Meek, M-E-E-K"...she clackety clacked for a while...asked me for the first name...clicked around on the computer some more and said, I don't have anyone checked in by that name?  I was confused for a second, and then I said..."No, ME, I'm Robyn Meek...here to get into labor & delivery"  --- Obviously I didn't look that laborious :p  But after clearing up the confusing we were sent on up to see if we would be admitted or sent home to keep waiting for baby.

That was about 11pm.

We checked in at the desk, I was still having mild contractions about 10 minutes apart, but still not looking too desperate.  As soon as they got our name and information, they ran to the back to pull out our "file" -- the hospital, pediatrician, geneticist, dietitian, OB staff and NICU had already long since coordinated and prepared for our Baby Meek to arrive and the possibility that it may be galactosemic.  Considering I was mildly concerned when we started the coordination process...I was blown away by the organization and amount of people involved when the time came.

We were given a temporary room, and I was hooked up to a fetal monitor.  Baby was fine, I was only dilated to 3cm and contractions were still 10 minutes apart and mild.  But, as I had a feeling, the cervical check alone would get things moving -- it did.  We were told they would watch us for an hour, if I didn't progress, it was likely I would get sent home - but if contractions picked up they would continue to monitor a little longer.  In that first hour, contractions went from 10 minutes and stronger to 9, 8, 7, and 6 minutes apart.  And literally 45 minutes later, I was huffin and puffin and saying, if they don't admit me...I ain't goin' home like this!  Sure enough, I was checked again an hour later, now visibly laboring and with hard contractions...yet I was still only dilated to 3cm (are you kidding me?!) -- so at that point, the nurse wanted to continue monitoring me to see if I would stay (I tried telling her I wasn't going anywhere regardless - but I guess since I was under 39 weeks, and less than 4cm, they technically couldn't give me anything to speed up labor (um...no need, I promise!)  So I suffered through the formalities a bit longer, then hit the call button to say - we gotta talk about some pain meds and I'm not going home without this baby on the outside :)

We got into our delivery room around 1:30am - contractions now 2-3 minutes apart - and I'm not sure if I'm just a pansy or what, but my labors are FAST, but AWFUL (delivery, piece of cake...labor...BAD).  I was begging for the epidural (learned my lesson last time trying to be au naturale (HA!) -- but still had to get an IV and "x" amount of fluid bags pumped in before they would attempt it -- meanwhile, contractions now are so bad I was just one big trembling mass of pregnant woman, hyperventilating continuously.  (You'd think I'd paint a better picture of myself - but just gonna tell it like it was ;)  By the time the epidural guy showed up I could not hold still (as if I was shaking for fun in the first place?)  But I didn't have enough down time between contractions to hold still, I'm not sure how they eventually got that needle where they needed it being that it's such a tricky proceedure - but with what little breath I could muster I was making it adamantly clear to the nurse and Mr. Epidural that it had to happen one way or another.  They finally gave me a little pain medication to take the edge off enough so I could stop trembling, so they could get the epi in (which was awesome, for maaaybe 2 minutes - I was back to convulsing long before the epidural procedure was done).

(oh, and PS...all these bad ass contractions, and my water still hasn't broke and I'm only dilated to a 4, maybe 5 now)

Epidural eventually gets in, I go from 4cm to saying...um, guys, I gotta push?  The nurse looks at me like I'm nuts?  Checks again, and says, "oh, you're 8cm, and that's your water about to break", before she can finish talking, water breaks (people start scrambling that they REALLY gotta call the doctor in now).  I say, "that may have been my water, but I still feel something..."  It was about 2:50am at that point - and I remember joking to Jeremy best I could that we probably weren't going to get the same birth time (Annabelle was born on a Tuesday morning at 3am) - but we started placing bets at what time it would be.  Daddy was guessing a 5am arrival...

The doctor walked in just as the nurse did a final check and said "woah, she's ready, there's a head right there!"  (um...did I NOT just say, I feel somethin...gotta push?  The epidural doesn't work THAT great).  Anyway, the room got busy prepping for the birth, we were in luck, the doctor that was on call the night we had Annabelle, was in again with us that night.  (We liked her :) She took a look and said, this shouldn't take too long - I leaned forward to catch a peek at what was going on, and I kid you not, Emeline nearly fell out at 3:54am.  The girl was ready!

...and that's how little Emeline got here :)

Birth? Check!  Next on our to-do list, get big sister here!

 Annabelle June, meet Emeline Joy!

Emeline, Annabelle and Mom (about 5 hours after Emeline was born)

After a somewhat tentative start (wait, you weren't kidding with all this "there's a baby coming stuff?!) Annie jumped right into her big sister roll.

Grammy Fitzpatrick & Emeline
(without Grammy Fitz, dropping everything, for days on end, we would not have had such wonderful support!  Thanks Grammy!)

This kid came OUT smiling...lets hope that's a sign of overall personality :)

Grandma Meek & Emeline!

Emeline day one...

A visit with Miss Janine & Dr. Mel!

Grandpa Meek & Emeline

Auntie Shannon with Annie & Eme!

So, we planned to go home on Thursday morning...but after getting a little bored in the hospital - I asked if we could still head out whenever (Emeline was doing great, I was doing great...) and we came home Wednesday afternoon.  Grammy Fitz ran some last minute errands for us, and Dad & Annie came to the hospital with the trusty ol' carseat so that we could bring home baby!

Our first family 4-some photo (golly, I look kinda fat & tired)

I was hoping we'd make it to March for Emeline's birthday - we got close...she must have been wishing that too.  Green get ups really bring out her red peach fuzz hair :)

My little toddler now seems GIGANTIC to me - they are both so beautiful, it's so exciting to watch the process begin all over again, but this time with a sibling to share every moment with.

Eme & Annie -
 Emeline definitely seems comforted by Annabelle's voice - she's been singing to her and begging to hold her.  Ugh, I can't stand it!  Soo awesome!

Behind the name:

We've had a lot of people inquire about Emeline's name (Where did you get that?  How do you say it?)  First off, it's pronounced Em-eh-LINE (rhymes with clementine, (not EmeLEEN, or EmeLYNN - although, I hear in Europe EmeLEEN is the standard pronunciation...either way, our Emeline is EmeLINE :)  Joy, is pronounced "joy" (like the feeling ;)

We were looking for an old fashioned name to go along with Annabelle.  Something "fancy" like Annabelle, but of course, the old classics have become quite popular these days, so we also didn't want to pick out a top 10 name and have little (Sophia or Olivia or Emma whomever be one of 5 in her class all her life) -- so we needed something with a little creativity, but nothing over the top, and hopefully a decent nickname option.  On our daily walks during nice weather, we would often wander around the local cemetery for name ideas (kinda morbid, but find an old stone...and you're guaranteed a nice old classic name :)  I'd see the usuals, Mary, Elizabeth, etc...but one day I came upon an Emeline...I had never met an Emeline!  But I loved it!  That name got thrown into our short list - and over time, just seemed like THE name for us and Annabelle.  It was a unique name, without being TOO unique, and could easily be shortened to Eme.

Which leads me to the "nickname" -- personally I think a nickname evolves (and I'm still waiting for the day when Annie realizes Annabelle produces not only Annie, but Ann, Belle, Elle etc (she's already told me, no mom I'm Anna sometimes, but overall I think she's good with Annie for the moment.)  We had planned that Emeline will easily shorten to Eme (or Emmy) -- however I know, it's going to be all too tempting for most people to pronounce her name EmeLEEN, and then call her Emma for short :p (which then gives her like the #1 or #2 name of the year, which is exactly what we tried to avoid)  We considered that when choosing names - and I just figured, she's going to be correcting people all her life - but just like my own name, nearly everyone spells my name R-O-B-I-N, when it should be RobYn...people I'm close to, know the proper way to spell it (or in Emeline's case, say it) -- and the random telemarketer or acquaintance can say it however they want to, they'll only be saying it once or twice anyway ;)

And last and definitely least, many people have been repeatedly asking, "Is Emeline galactosemic?"

We got the call about the test results on Wednesday afternoon.  Emeline is a carrier of galactosemia (which we had a 50% chance of), but not galactosemic herself (25% chance of) and not completely free of some galactosemia connection (neither carrier nor galactosemic, which we also had a 25% chance of).

She was started on powdered soy formula to be safe, and seems to be doing well with that.  I personally feel I've missed the breastfeeding window of opportunity (had a rough time last time to begin with, so now that we've let 48 hours go by without working at it full time - and Emeline has only known "bottles" since birth - I think formula/bottles it is for us, it's what we know best :)  Now...question is, will she stay on soy?  For now, I plan that she will, it certainly didn't do our little genius Annabelle any harm - but if soy doesn't turn out to suit Emeline as well - we will be able to try out different options along the way.  Just as we learned along the way the first time...we'll be learning along the way this time.