Now what?

So you haven't heard from me in a bit because I'm trying to think about the direction of this blog. Should I continue the same track, now that the suspense is gone and you all know my story indeed has a happy (joyous) ending? Certainly, Ella's story doesn't end here. She's now a marvelous 10 months old, almost crawling (if that darn arm wouldn't just STICK there when the legs go from behind!), babbling and so on. Just as happy as can be, too.

The ironic thing is, so many times along the way in writing this, I would be frustrated by my self-imposed structure because something would strike me and I would want to blog about it. A few times, I did. But mostly I didn't, and now that I have the freedom, so to speak, to do so, I can't think of a single blasted thing.

Perhaps I'll throw some random bits out here, a few pictures for now. Because I have a good thing going here, and I don't want to stop now.


This is Ella's LAST night in the hospital! I'd decided I wanted to have the "traditional" hospital experience, so she and I roomed in that final night. Looking back, I'm not sure what the heck the attraction was for me. Capturing some of what was lost, I suppose. But I didn't get a lick of sleep. Hmm. Perhaps it was EXACTLY like a "real" experience, lol. But it was kind of sad, too. I think I wanted it to be just me and her, but I realize how lonely it was that night. And when I left the next day, it was just Ella and I and a nurse walking us out to the car. No family, no friends, no flowers and balloons and being pushed in a wheelchair. But I did get Ella. And so the baby and I made our way home together to start our new life.






Here's a funny, rare sight: Ella in her own bed! You know it's early on (the first day, in fact) 'cause she's so tiny, hunh? Now her bed's a nifty storage place for stuffed animals. Sometimes, she visits them to play. See that quilt under her? I bought that from an Amish woman in Intercourse, Penn. (hee hee)




The Morning After. I'd prepped for the night by having a stock of breast-milk filled bottles at the ready. And boy did we need them!




First bath. Not happy. Not at all.




Yo! Be-yotch! Bring me my bottle, check. (You can't see the thick rope of gold chains tucked under her chin.)




One of my favorite photos, hands down. Look at them adore each other! It's a small hint of the love to come.




Look how big the bonnet is on her head. She's wearing my favorite outfit of the time. It's now part of a shadowbox: A little pink pair of quilted overalls fits perfectly inside an 11"x17" shadowbox. A little pink pair of quilted overalls that once were too big for my daughter.




Yes, it was THAT engrossing!




Shhhh! My babies are sleepin'.