Home (Day 4 + 5)

It is so nice being home. We are all so much more comfortable in our own beds - Greg and I especially. Gavin is pretty much back to being himself, which is such a relief. He is quite a bit fussier than he has ever been, and he isn't sleeping very well (it's like having a newborn again!), but he is smiling (still no laughing, dang it!), shoving his fist/fingers in his mouth, and cooing and blowing bubbles.

We are using regular infant Tylenol to try and keep what I'm sure is a massive headache at bay, but we've had to use the hydrocodone a few times when the Tylenol hasn't been enough - especially at night.

His incisions look pretty good, considering. These are photos from day 4 (October 12th).

Since we were finally home for our bedtime routine (he fell asleep on the way home from the hospital the night before), I was able to give him a bath before bedtime on day 4 - thank goodness! He smelled like the hospital to me, and his hair was matted and stringy. The doctor told me to wash his hair like normal and use a craddle cap brush (soft bristled) on his incision. Gavin loves his bath time, and he was content and relaxed while I scrubbed his head. He doesn't mind at all when we touch his head and incisions, and I was able to clean everything up nicely. These photos are from day 5 (October 13th), and with the exception of one spot, there is very little redness or scabbing.

We are back to doing tummy time and sitting in our Bumbo, although he has lost a lot of strength/stamina during his stay in the hospital. He used to be able to sit up for 10 minutes or so in the Bumbo, and he was pushing up on his tummy. Now, we are lucky to get 2 or 3 minutes of sitting and he is only able to hold himself up on his tummy for short periods of time. I decided to put together his jumper, which he seems to like, even though his feet barely touch the ground on the lowest setting. So far, he will only tolerate 5 or so minutes of that.

The hardest part since being home has been sleeping. Before his surgery, Gavin was sleeping through the night at times (8-10 hours) or waking up just once around 4:00 am (6 hour stretches), and would put himself to sleep in his crib at night. Now, I'm lucky if he sleeps for 3 hours at a time, and he has trouble putting himself to sleep. I feel like I am back during the first few weeks after he came home from the hospital, but I'm hoping this phase will pass as he continues to heal. I don't know what I would do without Greg and my mom here helping me!

Gavin is such a trooper, and I am so thankful for the wonderful doctors, surgeons, family, and friends who have made this ordeal so much more manageable. We are surrounded by so much love!