There's no place like home

I remember when we brought Jayci home from the hospital (almost 3 years ago now) thinking they couldn't be seriously letting us bring this baby home and trusting us to take care of her without some further training or something . . . Multiply that feeling by about a million, and that's how I felt yesterday when we got to bring Caden home.

I know they wouldn't let us come home from the hospital if he wasn't ready - but without his monitors and such, I've been a hot mess worrying about him. I'm trying to go about my normal life with a "normal" newborn, trusting the Lord and trusting myself. I mean, I have to stand on the truth that God would NOT have made me Caden's momma if He hadn't also equipped me to take care of him. I need to stop letting my insecurities rule me, and instead rest in the same trust and peace that enveloped me when we were in the hospital.

 Daddy taking good care of his baby boy . . .

I thought I was scared to give Jayci a bath for the first time . . . That was nothing compared to this. I was too panicked to even pick up my camera during the actual bath, so you just get a few shots of our little sweetie after his bath. Poor thing has so much tape gunk all over him from all his IVs and such, I dont know how we will ever get it all off.

Ready for bed!

The obvious question for us is "now what?" What does life look like now that Caden's home?

Well first of all, we have to try and walk the delicate line between allowing ourselves to be excited and rejoice over the miraculous things Jesus has done in our son's heart, and also recognize that we still have a long road ahead of us.

Caden has three doctor's appointments in the next two weeks, and he will have continual follow up and monitoring to see if he needs another surgery. We would still love for everyone to be praying for that left ventricle to remodel, because another surgery just seems like it would do us all in right now . . .

He came home on a feeding tube and several medications. And, quite honestly, the feeding schedule is grueling. I am not complaining and I couldn't be happier that we get the joy of feeding him ourselves at home, and that he has come so far already . . . but it takes an hour and a half every three hours to feed him through his feeding tube, and somewhere in there I have to pump too. So basically we have no hope of sleeping for more than an hour at a time. I'm not sure how we're going to survive once Jayci comes back from nana's house this afternoon . . . At the beginning of each feeding we have to try for 20 minutes or so to give him a bottle. He has to relearn how to suck and swallow and do all the things that normally come instinctually to a newborn, because for so long he received his nutrition through an iv, was paralyzed, etc.

We would love for you to keep Caden in your prayers. That he would adjust to being home, that his heart would be strong and continue to heal so he wouldn't need more surgery. For his bone to heal (they cut his sternum for the surgery and it takes 6-8 weeks to heal), and for there to be no infection in his incision. Please also pray for us that we will figure out how to juggle his feeding and medication schedule and get some rest ourselves. And for Jayci coming home - for her to adjust well, for her to understand that she HAS to be gentle with her brother, and for us to have wisdom in handling both of them together.

We are so thankful for the amazing things God has done. And for the people He has brought to carry us and support us through the last two weeks, as well as the next months and years as we navigate being Caden's mommy and daddy.