Welcome baby Max!

Friends and family:

Most of you know by now, but we've had several who are just hearing, and our time is very limited, so we just decided it was easiest to put out a blanket note.




We welcomed baby Maddox James "Max" Robinson to the world last Friday morning at 8:27. He was 15 weeks early and weighs only 2 lbs and 2 ozs. Needless to say, this is all quite a shock for us and we're still just learning how completely upside down our lives have all been turned.

Max is doing as well as can be expected so far. He has endured two episodes where his heart and breathing stopped. Luckily both times he made a quick turnaround. He has a perforated bowel, a possible small brain bleed, a heart murmur, he is on a ventilator, and he's been battling an infection.

This will be a long road for Max and the doctors tell us it will be a roller coaster for all of us. He will be in the hospital for weeks, months to come. We don't expect him home until AT LEAST his due date, which was July 30.

In the meantime, we have to try to keep up with the daily duties of our lives as normal, as well as adding Max's needs and our desire to spend as much time as possible with him to our daily schedules.

Troy and I are overwhelmed, but coping and learning about new challenges and changes everyday. We want to spend every minute with Max that we can, in case his time is limited, but we also have responsibilities that we have to keep up with in the "real world."

The kids are still very unsure of all this. They cannot see Max and won't be allowed to until he's healthy enough to come home. That is very difficult for them to understand and it is very scary for them. They really want to bring their baby brother home.

We are so blessed by the thoughts, prayers, and the support so many of you have already offered us. We will forever be grateful and hope that someday you'll be able to meet Max, so he can thank you himself.

Many of you have asked how you can help:

- Laura Jones (913) 859-9681 is organizing meals for the family (so the kids don't eat McDonald's every night!)

- Childcare for Ella and Alex is an issue (We're paying for Alex to have care these first two weeks and friends are just helping pick up Ella) If you are available to keep them for a day, half day, or even just a play date, let us know! Or you can contribute to the childcare fund.

- We have hired someone to clean the house every week and disinfect.

- We are looking to hire someone to mow the lawn every week.

- We can't use cell phones in the NICU and the house phone only makes local calls, we could use phone cards to make calls from that house phone in the Parents Room, so we don't have to step out of the unit to call the grandparents who are long-distance.

Please don't feel you have to do ANY of this! But so many of you have asked how to help and these are just a few of the areas where we are already finding a need. Mostly, we ask that you please pray for all of us in the weeks and months to come.

Thank you again,
The Robinsons
(Troy, Jennifer, Ella, Alex and Max)