Our Weblog

Endless Summer '08

This year we saved it all up for August- one week in Bay View and 1 week in Pawley's Island. Who needs work, when you can just travel around and show off your two year-old? We were finally able to introduce Michael to his Burton cousins, included Tag, our the newest addition to the family. Pawley's was absolutely the best adventure we have had there yet, with 4 kiddos all under the age of 4.

We decided to start the summer with a 200 mile MS150 charity ride in June- special thanks to Mom and Dad for holding down the fort for the weekend while we endured the record heat in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. Somehow we can still tolerate Powerbars, but after that event the new "rescue food" of choice has changed to frozen Milk Duds. Additional craziness occured at the Greene County 5K that Jennie won while pushing Michael in the jogger, even after starting in the back to avoid stroller-related badgery from other runners. Rob managed to prepare for and pass another Personal Training certification exam...this one called "Corrective Exercise Specialist." It sounds like it's a PT credential that allows him to train inmates.....it's actually just more applied knowledge to help most of America with their common lifestyle- related ailments, like low back pain and shrinking posture. He has yet to prove that exercise is the best solution for hair loss, but he has found it to increase hair growth in strange places starting in one's late 30's. Enjoy the photos....this summer went so fast, we'll need our own blog to help us stop and smell the roses! -R & J & M

Spring Break with cousins!

Four fun-filled days in NC to see the Guthries and the Leightons along with Nanny, G and Grandad! Congrats to William for learning to ride a bike without training wheels, Katie for breaking in her first very own set of clubs, Michael for learning to kick in the pool, and Meg for turning 1 year in style with a face full of cake!!!

March 30, 2008

A trip to Dayton and a new bike topped off a fun winter while Mom and Dad stayed well-invested in various antibiotics and Nyquil nightcaps. Can't wait to go to NC in early April for a birthday blitz with Katie, William and Meg! Training season is in full force for our next MS 150 double century ride (200 miles in 2 days), June 7-8.

New Family all around!

Michael visits his new cousin Meg in NC, and meets Ellie and Mahony in Chicago. Back home, he takes over Preddy Creek on Halloween night so Mom and Dad can enjoy the contraband........

The Slowskis

WE FINALLY GOT DSL! Now that we can update our weblog faster than making sap, we have added a few new photo albums of the Whittakers and life in VA. Enjoy! R&J

Homecoming

Michael is home! After deciding to remove his own feeding tube one night late last week, he was given an accelerated POD schedule (eating by mouth). He made great progress completing his meals every three hours, and he was put on a reduced calorie formula supplement that would still allow him to gain weight. He was discharged Monday, Jan 23rd at around 4 PM. Upon arrival at his doorstep he weighed in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. He is loving his new nursery and all the time he gets with Mom, Dad and the grandparents. Harleycat and he are getting along fine too. This little boy wins the yellow jersey for his Tour de NICU! Check out the photo album "Homecoming" about his arrival and the first day or so with the family all under one roof. Love to all- R&J

2 week birthday

At what would be his 35th week in utero, Michael is 2 weeks old today (1/11) and now weighs over 5 lbs. Today for his 2 week birthday meal he chugged 30 cc's of mom's turbo juice via bottle, leaving only 15 cc's to get through the feeding tube. This is great progress, as he must be able to eat 100% via bottle and/or breast in order to come home. All other indicators such as respiration, billiruben (aka jaundice) and thermoregulation are stable and a-ok.

As he hangs out on "Feed and Grow Row" and enjoys visits with grandparents Bob and Sue, our visits to the NICU are becoming more frequent and more intense in order to practice properly caring for him at home. His immune system will be very vulnerable for a while (compared to non-premies), and his innate eating/ breathing reflexes will still need close monitoring to ensure he gets consistent practice and enough calories. We will have a chance to "room in" with him in the hospital for a night just prior to his discharge (perhaps in 2 weeks), as well as some experimentation with the car seat to make sure his head will be supported properly. Finally, we will take advantage of a lesson in newborn and infant CPR in the NICU before we fly solo with him. And we can't wait for the day!! Stay tuned for more updates and photos!

Making progress!

Michael is 34 weeks as of yesterday (Tues. 1/3) and is doing great! They have removed his IV line, and he is taking in food through a tiny tube from his nose to his stomach. We are hoping to start bottle and breast feeding within the next day or two. He continues to be very responsive during many of our visits, including a few baby smiles here and there. I'm posting more pictures this morning, including a hilarious shot of him covering both ears with his hands as if to say, "Please be quiet. Can't you see I'm trying to sleep here?".

Jennie continues to become more mobile as we adapt to the feeding and visitation routine. Sleep is still a top priority. It seems in the last day or so, the exhaustion from the last five plus weeks is hitting us both, and we have to be very careful about expectations. Fortunately, her soreness is lessening, which means less side effects from pain meds as well. Her spirits remain very high, and I have to say that despite the prolonged and stressful hospital stay, this chapter in our life has brought us closer than ever. I am reminded of a great quote I received from our friend Grant Gamble at ACAC...."Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into." (Wayne Dyer). God bless- Rob

Jennie is home!

Hello and Happy New Year to all! Jennie was discharged on Saturday (New Years Eve) and she is recovering well, just happy to be home after a long and tough journey. Baby Michael is in the NICU and doing fantastic. Upon delivery, all he needed was a little extra boost of air pressure to help his lungs fully inflate as he breathed. We were so relieved after his initial assessment that so far, everything looks great, and very normal for a "33 weeker." All he has going now is his little tiny feeding tube to his stomach, along with an IV for vitamin-enriched fluid and some fats. This little guy is strong!

We have been visiting him often and delivering food (colostrum). We are fortunate that our NICU is open 24/7, and they allow us to stay as long as we like. We also have a special laptop that allows us to look in on him from home.

Michael loves to be held and sung to, and he knows Mom and Dad's voices, as well as Rob's mom ("G").  When he is awake, he will look up at us as if to say "Hello! I'm a little early for my appointment- hope that's alright!" We are fascinated by his every move and sound. It's nearly impossible for us to leave him when we are there! We are excited to start training him to breast and bottle feed. We are told that if all goes well, he stay in the NICU will only last another 3 weeks or so. Naturally, they do not commit to dates, but to developmental indicators he must achieve before he could go home.

Additional photos are forthcoming. Thanks again to everyone for your support and prayers!

Greetings!

Hello everyone! It is a few days before Christmas, 2005. Since the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we have been residing at St. Mary's hospital nurturing our "delicate egg," Michael Adam Whittaker, who we hope will be born sometime between 10 minutes from now and the 2nd week of January. We are headed for our best Christmas ever. We decided that now is the perfect time to make him and us accessible on a personal weblog, in hopes of making it easier for everyone to check in with all things Whittaker. Lot's more to come...stay tuned, and Merry Christmas! -Rob