We are all so happy to have our little Joey home! God's timing is beautiful, as Gram (Patrick's mom) was still in town to enjoy him at home and more time with the girls.
He had 2 obstacles to conquer, and I'm happy to report on both. On the nutritional front, he needed to keep eating! It's important for all little babies to stay well nourished and hydrated, but this is especially crucial after surgery! After surgery the body requires extra calories for repair and healing. Plus, the more weight he gains the stronger and healthier he is before his next surgery in a few months. The result: 2 full ounces gained in just 2 days! This is great!
The next challenge we face is his lack of voice. As I mentioned here he has no voice. How exactly does one manage caring for a baby that no one can hear? We've had several very creative suggestions, for which I am very thankful. In the high-tech department, we have a video monitoring system, which brings me great peace-of-mind. I can actually take a peek at his little chest rising and falling with each breath any time I want. My favorite solution for sleeping, though, was to tie bells around his ankles. He kicks when he starts to cry, so this means that I have a nice, simple, low-tech solution that allows me to sleep in peace.
The first night home we took shifts of being awake with him, but this could not last. The following night we took turns half-sleeping next to him. Finally, we felt confident enough that Kate slept on a mattress on the floor with him on the floor beside, bells around his ankles. This worked really well, and we're all starting to get some rest!
Bells! What a good idea!
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