Eight is GREAT!

I can't believe she is eight! I can't believe all her NICU buddies are eight! I can't believe it's been eight years since her birth. That just seems so incredible. Several friends and family have said the same mantra, " I can't believe she is eight." That short sentence does harken to the fact that is was never a given that she would ever be eight. Against all odds we are so blessed!

Last year Ellie, around this time, actually late August until late December was in and out of the hospital constantly with we didn't know what except that it was neuro and involved her being in lots of pain and me being very scared, tired, etc. Turned out it was abdominal migraines and I think side effects of coming of Depakote.

This year, knock on wood, things are going much, MUCH better. Thank you to all the powers that be and mostly to Ellie herself for being a consummate warier princess!

Last year, because of all that, I didn't do the montage. This year I will but not yet. First I have to make a chocolate cheesecake for her pirate party tomorrow (She eats pureed food so I thought she might be able to handle cheese cake). There's an idea, make her a cake she can actually eat... only took me 8 years....ah well. ;-)

We are having her party back at home this year. Last year was great at the ballet studio but since then that class was cancelled and the locaton was so far flung most people could not come. This year we are staying home, which is probably one of Ellie's favorite places to be anyway. Dave created a family pirate treasure hunt, complete with clues and lots of Ahoy theres! and ARRRRGGGGGHHHHS! etc. I get to make food for kids and adults which is perfect. My parent friends deserve good nosh as much as their adorable babies who are not babies anymore but 8 or close too! Yikes!!!

Pictures soon to come of many things as we have made progress on the body jacket positioning front and new style AFO's and of course Splity.

Picture description: Ellie wearing her cousin Halle's sparkly hat sitting with Mama in a southern "Mic O'Donnell's" so coined by her cousin Henry waiting out a squall while on vacation this last August.