Happy Birthday Gabriel!
15 years ago
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The Whole Family
Guardian Angel
A very special gift from Bill and Marty Keim
About Me
- Wittmer Family
- This blog page was created to keep our friends and family updated on Gabriel Timothy Wittmer, born May 24, 2007 with a rare congenital diaphragmatic hernia - referred to as a Morgagni's hernia. Our many ups and downs are chronicled here to share with those who care so much about us.
Peek-A-Boo!!
Where's Gabriel....?
Fun with food
I think this was a piece of a little debbie oatmeal cream sandwich. Gabe loved it
Visit with Laura
NICU visit
Marsha, Deb and Shannon
Second one down...
Twas The Night Before Christmas
The perfect bedtime story on Christmas eve
Bounce Time!
He is really getting into the bouncer seat, and getting better and placing those feet!
Grumpy!
We show all of his happy faces - but don't get me wrong, he has a temper!!
Porcupine Play
I want that bug
He really works hard to get the toys he wants now - but it still easily distracted by other things like voices and camera flashes ofcourse
Look at me!
He is getting stronger all the time - I love seeing him really get the shoulders up
Sleepy Baby
Now we have pictures of all three boys asleep at the table
Holding Hands
these two brothers are fascinated by each other.
Sitting up
The joys of eating!
"Bib licking Good"
Prune Face
Gabe's first Halloween!
Ok, where's the patient. It's not me.
This is pretty fun
these are for chewing, right?
AJ Goebel, Justin and Kendrick at the YMCA Fall Party
Reunion
Well, just a teensy one. Since she was just coming to work and hadn't held any NICU babies yet, Tabatha got in a little cuddle time before work.
Bedtime prayers
looking at Justin's legs - I am trying to figure out how the little contortionist did that. Ahh...to be so limber!
Gabe thought prayer time was funny. Justin is telling him to pay attention....hello kettle? This is the pot and you're black!
Roll in the Hay!
Justin, Kendrick and Austin on the hayride
Scarecrow Race
Justin racing
Kendrick in the scarecrow race
The guys
I guess they were pretty excited to be riding in the back of the truck
Kendrick
can you tell what he had for breakfast? powdered donuts!
Favorite Toy
Gabe really loves his Octopus toy - it was Justin's favorite when he was a baby for a while too.
My hands really taste good!
He's really been chewing on his fists. Over the weekend he was almost sucking his thumb - yesterday Grandma Maggie heard sucking noises, and sure enough - mission accomplished!
EEG
...and he was NOT happy about it
Uncle Tim
Cereal Time
MMM...let me see if I can get some of this in myself...
Chow time!
He seemed to like peaches, and sitting up in a chair!
Happy Sitting up!
Mom propped him up on some pillows and he really loved sitting up all on his own. He was smiling and jabbering!
I got it!
He finally grabbed a toy sitting in his bouncer - this is actually kind of a big deal developmentally.
Getting stronger!
Gabe is doing so much beter getting his head up!
See my tongue?
I like my hands
Boys getting ready for bed
Justin and Kendrick were getting him to smile for the camera - it was fun to watch
I'm so cute
Sneaky picture!
I didn't even know this picture had been taken until I loaded the pictures on the camera and saw it. Nice one Josh - just remember what they say about paybacks...
We enjoy bath time now!
He used to get a little cranky at bath time, but last night he was really hamming it up - I think we are approaching our first real laugh (as this picture shows). Actually he may be so happy b/c we took everything off of his face and out of his nose. Well, he pulled the ng tube out, we just figured if he could go through two hours without oxygen during the sleep study with no problem, we could get through a few minutes in the tub without it.
Now I love bath time Thiiiiiiiis much!
Rubbing of the eyes! I guess that means bath time is over!
Such a happy boy!
First Pic with Grandpa O
Gabe and Grandpa O having a chat
Baptism
A special gown and a family tradition. The gown was made from the underskirt of Gabriel's great great grandmother's wedding dress.
Blessed baby
Father Gregory did us a huge favor by letting us come to the cathedral a full hour after mass was over.
Gabriel's Godparens: Ryan and Jennifer
Godparents
Very good friends Ryan Echert and Jennifer Sieben.
The whole Family
Grandparents
Aunts and Uncles
Uncle "Big" Justin
We couldn't believe after all this time and all of his visits to the hospital that we never got a picture! It was also Justin's first time holding Gabriel.
Uncle Gerald
Also a first picture with Gerald of the first time holding Gabe.
Cuddle time
...with Aunt Kaci
Getting ready for a walk
Daddy getting everything together.
Our first walk around the neighborhood
Playtime!
Gabriel loves his kick start gym
Grandma Maggie and Gabe
Head's Up!
Well, trying anyway!
What's that?
That is just what his face looks like to me. He is probably looking at a light. Note the improving head control!
Nice hair!
I would say he has his Grandpa O's hairstyle, but Gabe still wins for more hair.
Brotherly Love...?
He looks a little worried...
Snuggle Time
That is what Sundays are for, right?
A special Eagle
A special gift from The Knopsnyder's, in reference to "Gabriel's Song".
Another little smile
Hi Grandma!
I love th is picture, it is so sweet - and demonstrates how much better Gabe is holding his head up!
Tummy time
Justin loved "helping" Gabe with his tummy time, and ofcourse giving him lots of love!
Hmmm...
just thought the finger on the cheek looks very, well, thoughtful!
Awww...
Just a cute picture after bath time
Riley's Tube Feeding
Kendrick's bear, "Riley"
Leo's Tube feeding
Justin's lion, "Leo", from Build-A-Bear
Breathing Treatment...
... for "Riley"
snuggle!
Another perfect shirt
Aunt Brooke found this one.
down time
nap time at home
A new smile
Justin's first lost tooth
The guys
Happy Birthday, Daddy
"Welcome Home Gabe"
A special gift from Justin and Kendrick (they had some help)
One big happy family
Here we are!
Trying to figure out how to juggle the car seat, the monitor and the O2 tank.
Ready to go!
I'm in my seat, got my new duds on (courtesy of Laura) and I'm ready!
One last cuddle
Laura was there today to send us off!
NNP
Kathy Nawa is the neonatal nurse practitioner who was there the day he was extubated (and made the recommendation to the neonatologist). We talked to her right after we had decided to take Gabe him home. She basically told us to believe in our decision. If we felt it was right, then it was and not to second-guess ourselves.
Say Cheese!
Paula made the tape balls with the boys last weekend. You can imagine how often Justin had the nurses laughing with those.
See my picture?
the boys have a lot of fun with Ally, unit secretary
Project time
Laura is a great teacher for art projects.
Fluorscopy
This was neat. We cold see his diaphragm moving on the screen.
Note the dark line running down and into the stomach. Josh placed that ng tube perfectly!
to really see the diaphragm move, they needed him to cry. The radiologist told Josh to blow (gently) up Gabriel's nose. It worked!
Sleep Study
the room for the sleep study was very cute - ZZZZs on the wall and moons and stars in the tile on the floor.
how can he sleep with all of that stuff?
Don't you wish you were me!
I was standing down in the lobby talking to the Hufty's, back for an appointment already, when they started setting up for the trophy to come in. We hopped in line right away!
very cool!
Blood pressure
I just think the teeny blood pressure cuff is cute, no other reason to put in on here.
Dietician
She is frequently in the module and always has nice things to say to us and about Gabe.
Xray!
For real this time! One more xray before we go home!
Pretty feet
Amanda did his feet molds the first week he was here. A few days before, a nurse was working on foot molds for a baby that wasn't going to live, so when I saw Amanda with his molds, I had a bad moment. They actually do them for everybody up here.
Another night nurse
Monica has never been his bedside nurse, but she was his ECMO tech his first night on the circuit. She told us about a baby who was getting cpr as she came into the module. She went on ECMO and is now 7 or 8 years old. That story really gave us hope and I am so glad she told us about it.
Car seat study
Lori getting Gabe snapped in for his car seat test - he had to sit there for the length of his ride home. He got his phenobarb, atavan, and morphine right after getting buckled in. He slept through the rest!
I think he likes his car seat - it's a good thing, it is a long ride home!
Treatment time
RT helping Kendrick give Gabe his albuterol treatment
Checking in
Kim, in respiratory therapy, arranged for us to meet Ellen Fleig - mother of a left DH who was here for months! She works down in surgery.
Tattoo Parlor?
No, just Deb and a marker in the NICU
monke tattoo, courtesy of Deb
First Tub Bath
The boys just loved helping give Gabriel his first real bath.
He was not at all too sure about his first tub bath, but came through it ok.
Clean and Dry
...and exhausted.
The Hufty's
well, minus Logan. This was just shortly before they took Jack home.
Pretty pictures
Gabe has lots of beautiful picture collages by his bed - all of them made by Laura. She was there for our first time holdng Gabe and many other important milestones.
Gabe's special friend
Nancy said when she did his first echocardiogram (and she has done several) he curled his fingers around hers. She knew he was strong right then - she checks on him often, even when she is not there to scan him.
Dr. Denne
Gabe's third Neonatologist
Sweet Baby
Happy Baby
He's really been starting to smile!
And then I want...
Doesn't it look like Gabe is having a conversation - and making a point about something!
First feeding
...at least the normal way
Breathing Treatment
Daddy giving Gabe his albuterol treatment
A special gift from special friends
a very special gift from Shannon and Melanie, long time friends. The printed words are comments from the blog
Hearing Screen
...and he slept through it, just like he is supposed to!
Neonatology rounds
I didn't tell them I was snapping the picture (I wanted it to look real!) and they begged me to delete it. Ummm...don't tell!
The party nurses
well, they are the night nurses and b/c he is always asleep during the day, we assume they are keeping him awake! ok, probably not. Cindy, Katie and Stephanie
More Party nurses
more party nurses - Queana (sorry if I spelled it wrong), Sabine and Pam
In the CT scanner
I couldn't go in, so Marcia took a picture for me
Gabe did not like being strapped down for his scan
Xray!
That is what they always say just before taking an xray. OK, so he isn't really getting one right now, but since he has had so many, I asked the tech if we could get a pic of the machine, and he offered to position it as if he we really taking one!
A real fighter!
The hat and booties are from Jenni and Abby Becker, Big Justin's Mom and sister. After we blogged that Gabe could wear clothes, Abby ran out and got the rest of the outfit!
Surprise!
I picked that title just because he looks surprised
Another fav nurse
Even though she doesn't get to be his nurse too often, she is another module 3 favorite, Shawna
Aunt Brooke's first cuddle
Grandma Maggie's first cuddle
Aunt Kaci's first cuddle
Grandpa Mike's first cuddle
Brotherly love
Justin and Gabriel
Kendrick and Gabriel
Independance Day!
I had to put a flag on his crib!
Here's my face!
No more cpap!!
check out my new "crib"!
"Waiting to Exhale"
Rebecca (his Respiratory Therapist) preparing to extubate, along with Marcia's help
There it goes
his ET tube, coming out!
That's...better?
A look at his face without tape, and his first cries!! Ok, so it should be better, but the process is a little traumatic
Much better
He is a lot happier on his belly, with his pacifier. This is my best picture of the cpap
His first nurse!
Kathryn was his nurse the night he was admitted and has been his night nurse many times. His actual first nurse was Deb - see below.
Our Social Worker
I can't say enough wonderful things about Betty. She just knows what to say and is the perfect listener. We love her! Note Gabriel watching his toy!
The perfect shirt!
In case you are having trouble, it reads "I won't remember any of this"
First Meal!
I think I have snorted milk out of my nose before, but never had it going in....
Go Colts!!
Justin and Kendrick posing with a couple of Colts players visiting the NICU - check out the ring!!!
The Boys
Justin, Kendrick and Logan - hanging out at Logan's parents' house - another NICU family that invited us over for dinner
Lonnnng Day
Kendrick catching a quick nap in the car
A favorite nighttime nurse
Lori takes such good care of me at night!
Surgery number four!
This is how they transport me to surgery - here we go again!
Yet another Hero
Dr. Bryan Duffy
Don't I look alert?
"Battle Scar"
This is his incision from the BIG surgery - the hernia repair and moving the liver back down
Happy Father's Day
air hockey challenge!
we love trains in our house
...and cars
More favorite nurses
Tabatha on the left, Vicki on the right
Most recent family photo
My Three Sons
Justin and Kendrick get so excited when Gabriel has his eyes open. Even when they are in Evansville, they ask us every day if his eyes were open.
Are they blue? Still hard to tell
Our favorite Things...
Not exactly "raindrops on roses" but the people mover definitely tops our list!
riding the glass elevator is probably second from the top of the list of favorites!
First cuddle
Daddy's boy!
Words can't express the joy...
So content...
Gabriel loved his new blankie and pacifier
Fun at the Zoo
Everybody had fun at the zoo, and it was a nice break
G is for Gabriel!
Actually, it's for the Gap, but don't tell...
"Believe in Miracles"
A beautiful cross hanging at Gabriel's bedside. It was found by Grandma Maggie, Aunt Kaci, and Aunt Brooke
Another Hero
Dr. Little came to my room that first night after Gabriel was born, and has been involved in all of his surgeries.
Real clothes!
well, sort of. They told us last night that he could wear socks and a hat
Froggy hat
More special people
nurses Shannon and Stacia - regulars at the bedside
Hey bright eyes!
He is waking up more and more often - but didn't really care for the flash!
Grandpa O checking on Gabe
Grandma Carolyn checking in
The blanket under Gabe was made by Grandma Carolyn
Miracle Ride
Lots of money for a great cause
Watching Cars
Justin and Kendrick made friends with another big brother - Logan
Fun at the Children's museum
On surgery day, Kaci's future in-laws took the boys to the Children's museum - Thank you!
Chest X-ray Before Surgery
No wonder he couldn't breathe! The black spaces denote air. The biggest black space is his stomach, not his lungs. The two tiny black spots down at the bottom of the chest cavities are the only air pockets in the lungs.
After Surgery
That's better!
Post-op with Dad
real smiles, at last!
Post-op with Mom
real smiles, at last
Heros
ECMO Director (Jim) and nurses/ECMO techs Susan (far left) & Deb (middle)
Heros
Two fav nurses/ECMO techs:Marcia (left) and Laura (right)
Heros
Dr. Rouse and ECMO Tech/Nurse Staci
Hopeful Hands
Justin holding hands with Gabriel
Hopeful hands
Kendrick holding hands with Gabe
Moving to CT
It's amazing what this staff can do.
New scenery
It took 8 people to move me.
Big brothers
The big brothers wait patiently...while watching Nick Jr. Their favorite things to do in the hospital are riding the People Mover, playing with their cars from the movie, Cars, and riding the glass elevator.
Meet the Family
on the way to Riley
Gabriel's baptism
ECMO
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