Our Little "Butter-Bwy"

"Daddy, can you come and play with me?" It's a request heard nightly in our home - after daddy comes home, dinner is eaten, and the dishes are cleared usually. Tonight was no different. Well, except for the daddy coming home part - and having a Sunday with daddy not working is something I definitely don't take for granted!

So, tonight's play activity of choice? Playing "Butter-Bwy!" Dave helped Ella get on her butterfly gear, even put on some of his own (sorry, no pics of that), and they did some butterfly flying and dancing. I'd tell you the words of the song dave made up, to go along with the dance, but I'm afraid they may be copyrighted and I don't want to get into any trouble. Hee hee.


Soon, the game turned into "the butterbwy hits the ladybug (a backpack held by dad) with the plastic bat." That was a new one. Dave called it "an accident waiting to happen" and Ella reapeated that phrase a few times. That game was short-lived, and thankfully an accident never did happen.


So these are a couple of pics of Ella with her expanders - at their largest and their worst. You can see in this one what the exposed spots looks like. They are really an odd thing to see. Sometimes they look black, and sometimes they look clear, depending on the angle. Kind of scary and intriguing, all at the same time - depending on my mood, I guess!


So tomorrow is the big day for Ella. We have mentioned to her that we are going to the hospital and that they will be taking her balloons out. She's not exactly excited about it, but not upset either. So I'm sure she'll do fine - she always does. She has already decided that her baby kitty Curtsy will be coming with her - because she does not "hessle" (hiss) - like the other two boy baby kitties do. She's a "good cat" - the others are "naughty cats." So at least she's looking out for the best interest of her doctors and nurses! She doesn't want them to have to deal with her hissing kitties! (:

It's funny how much different I feel about Ella going into surgery this time than I felt the last time. This time I feel relief and calm. Last time I felt dread and stress. Dave and I are both just so ready for these expanders to be taken out - and to not have to worry about the exposed areas anymore. We just pray that there will be plenty of extra skin to cover the area and we can finally say the word DONE! Of course, we know that it is very possible that there won't be enough, but if we're not done, we will certainly be able to handle whatever needs to happen next. It would just be so nice to not have to. (:

We thank God for our little "butterbwy" - for the courage, strength, and joy that he has so engraved into her little personality. And for the peace and strength he has given us through each step in Ella's medical process. We also thank him for each of you - for each of our family members and friends - who keep us and Ella in daily prayers, and give us the love and support needed to get through everything. Thank you and we love you all! (: