Ellie

"Mom I need to go get a skirt on so I can dance," said Ellie! And off she runs upstairs to find a skirt. Down she comes with a white tutu and prances around to the song Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer. She even picks up monkey blanket and has her thumb in her mouth. This sight is so darn adorable.

Ellie had a annual appointment in October for her heart. Hadley, Ellie and I drove down the night before and stayed over at Nicole's so we could play with Bradley. The girls love playing with him and he is getting big enough to play back with them.

The morning of Ellie's appointment we made it to the check-in station with room to spare. The directions from my phone worked wonders. I love maps on my phone. After checking in the nurse came to get us. Ellie was weighed and measured and then we were led to another room to get B/P and oximetry. Ellie's stats were all normal. She was a little nervous but let the nurse do her job. Of course she still sits on Mommy's lap. We are finally at an age where she will remember things, so next year, I am assuming she will remember and it will be easier.

Then we met the technician for the echo and this part started off with both Mommy and Ellie laying on the table to just Ellie laying alone while Mommy was right there holding her lightly and reminding her to just lay still and it will be over faster. We watched channel 2 cartoons while the tech took the images she needed of Ellie's heart. Hadley waited patiently and was such a good big sister telling Ellie that it would all be okay. After we went back to our room and met with Dr. Rio's. He said that everything looked normal and that Ellie was right where she should be. She even let him listen to her heart. He said she could do all the running, jumping and playing like any other kid. He mentioned a possibility of a future cath procedure but that was very unlikely but wanted to make me aware. He said we will meet again in a year and probably skip echo and then after that meet every two years.

Every time I step foot into that building I get this feeling of amazing gratitude. I am so thankful for all these skilled people who saved our little Ellie. It is crazy that Dr. Rio's remembers us. I swear he has to see 1000's of babies, toddler's and kids each year.

Ellie is 2.5 years old and has never mentioned anything to us about her battle wound on her chest. I am assuming it will come in a year or two. When it does I will tell her that line on her chest is just a beautiful reminder of how strong her heart is.

Up please to Ellie's appointment

Lunch after with Auntie Michelle in Otsego

Dr. Rio's said jump, So Ellie did!

101 Market Corn pit