Released!

Sorry for the break in communication, but here is an update on the tough guy!
Brett slept at the hospital both nights, so that I could sleep comfortably at home. When I arrived at the hospital on Saturday morning, my Caleb was back! He was talking and running and playing and I was trying to keep up with the IV pole! He was still getting morphine for the pain, but the anesthetic was all worn off! He was ready to go home, but had 48 hours of IV antibiotics that needed to be run through him. He had a good day and the best medicine was having his brother and sister come to visit and play with him in the toy room. Sunday was more of the same, and Caleb was taking only tylenol and tylenol with codiene intermittently. We finished the IV antibiotics and waited for the doctor. Just when we were convinced that we had one more night, the doctor called and said that we could go home! We were able to leave at about 4:30 in the afternoon! We were all happy to get home! Now the real fun starts, as Caleb is only to eat from a cup for 2 weeks. Clear liquids for week one, thickened liquids for week 2, and start soft foods for week 3. He did not take in much last night, but we were able to get him to drink some warm Jell-O and a little beef broth. This is real hard for him to understand.
This morning, he didn't want the liquids, but finally took some apple juice and most of the Jell-O from lat night. He didn't want it, as it is congealed now, but finally tried it and decided it was "Mmm".
The part that I thought would be the toughest is that he has to wear straight arm braces for 2 and a half weeks, which means no finger in the mouth, plus not being able to bend his arms most of the day. He has done wonderfully with this and when we take the braces off intermittently, he is ready to put them back on, and seems to know that he has to wear them. Much better than I would do with that restriction!
All in all, things are going great and Caleb is doing wonderfully!
The dog and the kids have been at Grandma and Grandpa's and Caleb has been pointing to their pictures today, ready for them to come home!
Thank you for all of your powerful prayers!

Surgery Number 1

We arrived at the hospital early this morning for Caleb's first surgery. He had PE tubes put into his ears and his palate repair. The great news is that everything went well and he is doing very well! He is a little uncomfortable, but is very consolable and snuggly.
Dr Hussain, who is doing his cleft surgeries, reported that all went well during the surgery, but the hole was larger than he originally thought and so he needs to do the total repair in a series of 3 surgeries. He was able to use the tissue and repair the soft palate today and will repair the hard palate in 3 months. Then in a year, he will reconstruct the upper lip and his nose.
Caleb will have to be on a liquid diet for one week, thicker liquids week 2, and then expanding slowly to other foods. He is not to use a straw, fork, spoon, or anything in his mouth for two and half weeks - everything he eats is to come out of a glass. This will be a little tough for him, as his favorite foods have become all meats.
He has been a little uncomfortable, but is resting really peacefully at the moment. Will update more later. Thank you for all of your prayers!