baby maximus: adjusting

In just 5 days...

We came home from the hospital.  

This is what Karl's first night sleeping in a bed for a whole month looked like.  We were afraid to stick Maximus in his crib and make him cry it out after such a traumatic month so we held him until he fell asleep.  And then he tossed and turned all night.  So we did, too.  And Samuel decided to join us.  If you have had a newborn, you know how my head was feeling.  This looks semi-peaceful but it wasn't.  There were four in the bed and the little one said...

It only took one night of that to realize that the sardine can/bed situation wasn't working.  The next night it was crib time.  There were a few tears.  But guess what?  He slept like a champ.  So much so that I started to worry.  After an hour of worrying and occasionally standing outside his door wondering if he was okay I tiptoed into his room.  He was hugging his blanket.  He said, "Hi!" I think it would be hilarious to watch my mom tiptoe into the room all the way to the crib, stare at me for a minute and then see the look on her face when I say, "Hi!"  Maximus is hilarious.  He was fine, then I had to leave the room and make him cry.  I am awesome. 

He hasn't forgotten how to sleep at night and that deserves a great big thank goodness.  It makes life  a jillion time easier. 

 

Maximus has gotten his appetite back.  

Chopsticks!  He insisted.  

I was actually happy to share my hospital mint brownie when he asked.  He finally asks for food.  Such a relief.

We went back to the hospital three times.  

It's routine.  Wound care and therapy.  Our new life.  

The bandages are getting less and less.  His right thigh is bandage free.  It looks like it really wants to be bandaged but they assured me it doesn't.  That means it the skin has healed.  
Our new life in addition to our old life.  

We have changed miles of bandages and done hours of therapy stretches.

At home we are supposed to change his dressings and stretch his hands three times a day.  

We have sorted through all the stuff we have here in UT.  

Our friends let us put some stuff in their shipping container headed to Kauai.  And I just can't even explain what a huge relief it was to not have to do all the work that it takes to arrange that.  It is a decision making nightmare times 10 and add the money stress and we'll times that by 100.  I started the process a couple of times and quit.  Too much work.  And the work I was avoiding sat and waited and bugged me constantly.  So thankful.  Times 1000.

We pulled two all nighters to get that done.  And we aren't college spring chickens anymore. Aging rapidly.  Times 10,000.  
We have a crazy life that we chose.
Plus this new crazy life that we didn't choose.

Another eating photo.

Can you tell I am excited?  

He went from only eating two goldfishie crackers the whole day to eating two in one bite.  

We are coping.  Even having fun sometimes.  How?

Looking through my photos, it looks like sugar is helping me get through this.  

No, my hand isn't unusually small.  That shake is gigantic.  Karl and I may not agree on a lot of things.  But we agree on Iceberg :).

Karl got some iron port syrup for father's day and we have been making them italian soda style with Sonic's ice nuggets.  Two chubby thumbs up.  

Burn life is in addition to our other life, too.

Eva and my sweet niece in their yukatas that my aunt sent them.  

I kept waiting for a pause.  I don't think we'll have pauses for a while.  I found the old baby monitor and set it up so I don't do stupid things like walk into Max's room and have him greet me and then have to walk out again and upset him.  Tonight, there is just me in my bed.  Big contrast to the first night home.  Ahhh, the space.  Karl must have fallen asleep while putting Maximus down.  I wouldn't be surprised if he just collapsed face down on the floor.  I can hear hear him snoring in the baby monitor.  The snoring means he is exhausted (he tells me he only snores when he is really tired, then I joke that I only sleep when I am really tired.  Funny me, I know).  Not sleeping for three days will do that to you.  Karl is in there, so I know Maximus is fine.  So, I'll turn off the baby monitor.  Just as soon as I'm done giggling.
5 days home.  He's 5 days closer to getting all better. 

I'll admit, I don't know if we have ever had a normal day.  But I guess that is our normal.  

We've got some major adjusting skills.