Surgery #1 done :)

Hey Ryan, let's get out there and see my Daddy!!!! Snuggling with Liz.........

Finally, sleeping at home with my own pillow, blanket, and my puppy :)

These stickers are extra cool with this crazy medicine :)

We are so happy to be writing that we are home with our dear Matthew and his first of 2 surgeries is done and it went well!!! We could just feel ourselves surrounded with love from so many, and were definitely peaceful going into this today. Thank you for those that have sent us well wishes, prayers, and for the calls. We appreciate them more than you know.

Last night we prayed that Matthew would sleep well through the night, and HE DID! That is the first night in many nights that he slept! Mommy and Daddy also got some sleep too, so that was great! Matthew entertained the staff at the hospital today and was cute as ever in his monkey PJs. He played with stickers and his new Elmo tablet to pass the time, and was absolutely hysterical when they gave him the medicine to relax him before they took him back into surgery. He thought that the fishy stickers were the coolest ever, and Mommy and Daddy were wearing them in the strangest placed. Then he was pursing his lips giving us kisses left and right.....did we mention how much we love this little guy????

Surgery went very well, and the doctor was able to repair everything, and he noticed he also had another issue called chordee, where he had to straighten things up a bit. So, he came home with a catheter, a splint over everything and we are doing double diapers with his little contraption he's got going on. He slept for a long time at home, and woke up enough to eat some lunch, then he was back to sleep until about 3:30. Then, the epidural was wearing off, and he was starting to feel a lot of pain. Chris and I were changing his diapers, and it was awful. The tears were streaming everywhere and he was so upset. He wouldn't get out of my arms for over an hour after that. We called the doctor on call, and they increased his medicine for bladder spasms and we are alternating Tylenol and Motrin every 3 hours. He also has his regular medicines plus his antibiotic so it feels like the poor little guy is always getting something!!! I had to make a chart this time, so I didn't forget to give something or for that matter, give something twice!

A little after 7pm, Matthew really turned the corner and decided he wanted to play, and when he saw Daddy go outside to cut the grass, he wanted to go outside too. He ran to the neighbor's cozy coupe and went for a short ride. Heather and Ryan had come over for a visit, so they walked with us for a while which was nice. Matthew lasted for a little bit, and then the exhaustion and pain came across his face....God love him for wanting to play though. Kids are so amazing....and our Matthew is just truly amazing!!! His friend Liz then came over, and he went right to her, and pretty soon was tucked into her shoulder. He is such a little lover and surely loves her.

Right now, Big Bird is on the DVD player and he is playing with his doctor's kit of all things.....he is looking a little pale and wiped out, but is such a trooper. We are hoping he falls asleep soon. We have the alarms set for his medicines every 3 hours starting at midnight so we keep his pain under control. God love him for taking medicines like a trooper. Even when he was still sleeping from anesthesia he sucked on his little syringe of Motrin like a little baby and melted a Mommy's heart.

Daddy's back to work tomorrow and Mom-Mom and Uncle Dave are coming to keep us company.....thanks again for all of your prayers and well wishes as we are thankful for them all. We gain our strength from Matthew surely - he is our gift from God :)