Halloween 2012...The Doc Is In!!!

Happy Halloween 2012!!!

Ella loves, loves, loves the cartoon on Disney Junior Doc McStuffins!!! She started asking in July if she could be "Doc" for "twick or tweat" time.

Here she is....

The Doc Is In!

 

The Doc Is Out!

 

~Mommy dee, Daddy David and our future "peterinarian docor" Ella

Time Flies

My goodness...time certainly does fly when you are having fun!!!

We had a lovely summer, which flowed into fall and back to school and now Halloween!

Ella is just flourishing. She is such a funny, sweet, smart, and loving girl. She keeps David and I laughing (most times) she has a keen wit and a panache for the dramatics (cue Emmy Award speech).

Looking all Prim and Proper at our Family Picnic in August 2012.

 

 



 Taking a road side break to pose for the camera on Mackinac Island October 2012.

 

 

 

A Butterfly Princess. 

 

 



 Togetherness on Macky Island October 2012.

 

 

Ella continues to enjoy finding out what she can do with her new thumb. She also had her eyes checked in September and now sports some rather spiffy girly glasses. Ella twirls around the house doing pirouettes better that Angelina Ballerina and looks forward to Ballet with Miss Patti each week.

 

Oh, and Ella is becoming quite "famous" in these parts. We have discovered that a photo shoot we had as a family last year netted some wonderful shots of Ella that can be viewed as "stock photos" adorning walls of local businesses. Also, Ella's "new tumm" story is featured as a "Success Story" on the Children's Hospital of Michigan website!

 

Life with Ella is full of fun and never ending giggles. I hope that the joy that Ella has in her heart and the sparkle in her eyes continues to spread and inspire others as she does us each day.

~Loving and doting Mommy dee, the Best Daddy in the world Daddy David, and our Sun, Moon, and Stars Ella



Summer!!!

We have been enjoying our summer!!!!

Ella loves her new "tumm!" Her OT is amazed at all the progress she has made in just a few weeks since getting the cocoon off. She is using it to pinch more and pick things up. It is hard work to retrain your brain to use something it has never had before.

We have been swimming almost everyday. Sometimes we go to a friend's house, a local waterpark, or we just hang out at "Ella's Beach" (her blow-up pool).Cool water is cool water no matter where you are at when it is a 100 degrees!!!

You can see her new thumb peeking out (it actually looks like it is pointing) of the sand. (On her left hand....her long arm.)

We went on a mini-vacay to meet up with some friends. (Madison was in the same S.W.I. in China with Ella...so they kind of grew up together.).

Ella and Madison having fun at the beach. (They took turns burying each other's legs.)

June 2012 and the China Beauties!!!!

August 2010 and the China Beauties!!!!

My goodness how quickly time flies and how much little people change.


Let's keep the summer fun going!!!!!
~Mommy dee, Daddy David, and Our Sweet Girl who somehow gets sweeter each day Ella

Tumm's Up!

I am sure by now everyone (that knows Ella) understands that Ella was born with bi-lateral absent thumb, as well as, limb difference of her right arm.  Again, if you know all this, then you also know that NOTHING stops her from doing anything she puts her mind to do. Sometimes something may take her a few times to "get it" or figure out a way that works for her, but she always accomplishes what she sets out to do.

When we returned from China we had several doctor appointments. One appointment was to see Dr. Failla at Children's Hospital. While we were there (in June 2010) he discussed a surgery that Ella would be a candidate for called Pollicization. In essence, he would remove her index finger from her left hand (her long arm) and make it into a thumb for her left hand. So, instead of have 4 fingers and no thumb, she would have 3 fingers and 1 thumb. He said that he would prefer to wait until she was at least four years old and had grown a bit more since she was so young and tiny.

Dr. Failla also explained that at this present time there really isn't anything that can be done (medically) for her right arm. There is a lot of doctor talk and mumbo jumbo that I will not bore you with at this point...another post for another day.

We went to visit Dr. Failla this past March (just after her 4th birthday) and set a date for the Pollicization surgery. This was not an easy decision for us. I have stated many times before that Ella has accomplished so much and continues to amaze us each day. Ella's lack of thumbs is all she has ever known and therefore she has adapted how to use implements quite well for herself. This was the sticking point for me...she can do all these things, then why does she need this surgery?

What it came down to is Ella wanted a thumb. She would look at my hand, or Daddy's hand and say "Why I not have a tumm?" "Why I not use snip snips (scissors)?" "Why I not pick tings up wike dis?"
So, we explained to her the best we could and she said that she would like a "tumm."

 Now, do not get me wrong...the day of the surgery she decided that she did not want a thumb anymore, but after much discussion with other Dr. Failla, Ella, and, other families we decided that this is the right choice for Ella.

We took a photo of our hands prior to the surgery.

Here is her left hand after surgery. It looks like her "tumm" has always been there. Amazing!!! (Also, it takes your brain a few moments to realize that there are only 3 fingers and not 4 of them.)

Just a few more days and her "cocoon" (cast) comes off and her beautiful butterfly hand and thumb will emerge. I am not sure who is more excited her or us to see all the new and exciting things that she will be able to do and accomplishe now that she has a functioning thumb!

We asked her if she would like to have a new thumb on her right hand (she just has a little nubbin) after her surgery and her reply was "Ummm no tank you." However, since her left arm has been in it's cocoon she has been using her right arm (her small arm) and hand more, so she may change her mind again once she sees how much easier many things will be for her left hand now.

Counting down the days until we can splash in the water, swing on the swings, and dig in the dirt...just in time for summer!
~Mommy dee, Daddy David, and our brave, sweet, astounding little girl that just shows us everyday how amazing she is Ella

I've Got Talent!!!!

Ella has LOVED music and dancing since FOREVER. Seriously, the girl sings and moves to any type of music (even the awesome silly songs that she makes up, she also chorographs dances to go along with them).

She has been taking a dance class since September called "Pre-Dance." It is an introductory type class, learning how to listen to music while incorporating movement.  Well, Ella just had her first official dance recital (You know the one with costumes, a stage in an auditorium, flowers given to the performer afterward...not just the performance she gives David and I nightly!)

Ella and Vanah posing before we leave for the recital! 

Ella had "dress rehersal" the week before the recital.

I helped backstage at her recital. I was a "Backstage Mom!" That is quite a different role than my previous recital experiences. The fifteen years of ballet performances and teaching could not prepare me nor my heart for the amount of love and joy I saw on Ella's face as she was dancing on stage.

When she came running off (after being skadoodled off the stage by several helpers) I asked her what she thought and if she had fun (because that is really what it is all about). Ella looked up at me with the biggest of her sweet Ella smiles and said "Dat was so much fun Mommy...I want to do that again...wite now!!! Pweeeese!!!!"

I see many classess of dance in our future. Her latest obession is Hawaiian/Tahtian dancing. She keeps walking around the house and shaking her little hips saying "Mommy, when I gow up, I want to be a "ula" dancer!"

Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hawaiian, Bollywood, Modern, Lyrical, Pop & Lock (ha, ha)...you name it and I am sure we are going to try it!
~old ballerina Mommy dee, doting Daddy David, and our most talented little dancer Ella

This makes so much sense!!!!

Ella's logic never seems to fail for a good chuckle.

She is trying to explain to David why he can't toss the ball in her room.

You have to love how serious she is about what she is explaining. This is what it is like 24/7 and it is AWESOME (well...most of the time).
~Mommy dee, Daddy David (who isn't small so therefore cannot toss the ball), and our little Plato in the making Ella

Conversations with a 4 year old!!!

Ella cracks us up multiple times a day!!!

The conversations and logic of a 4 year old are amazing.

It is all about baseball and logic!!!

~Mommy dee, Daddy David, and our smart little negotiator Ella