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The Ella Diary 3/17/05

I realize, after visiting a website called the “trixie report”, that there are a lot more things that I want to write about Ella’s ever-changing self. Ella began Kinderberry two days ago, a center where she is with other children her same age. It didn’t work out at the last place because Ella was not connecting with the other children or caregivers. At first Jared and I thought that it was OK that she would just observe the other children, after all, that’s what kids do sometimes. Jared was convinced that there may be more to the story… that Ella hadn’t really ever attached to Sara and that perhaps Sara (having 3 children of her own to care for as well) was worried about the implications of giving Ella more attention. Whatever the case, after hearing that Ella had basically stood in the same place for more than a hour, Jared and I decided that it was time to take Ella out of there. It was a good decision. I don’t know if it is because she is in a good place now or what, but Ella has had a flurry of verbalizations over the past few days. She is saying “my ball” and “mooooooo” (which means mama move from where you are or stop looking at me or stop touching me) and of course “babeeee!” (which is her favorite). Her first night after day care, I don’t think Ella stopped talking. It was mostly incomprehensible. I wanted to go out for dinner last night and asked Ella to pick a restaurant because Jared couldn’t decide and Ella turned to me (as she was plugging in the mic cord from the keyboard into the TV, and said “no”….. like “no mama I am busy and anyways dad should decide.” So we went to Rey for Mexican food and I commented that Ella has been going to this place since she was born. I wondered if she would have her grooms dinner there. Ella enjoyed putting the chicken quesadilla in her mouth and, at times, spitting it back out. I think she didn’t like all the peppers. Anyways, she liked to run up and down the aisle and say “baooon” as she pointed to the blown up maracas. Then later at home, she remembered a game where she directed Jared and I from standing by the wall in our bedroom to flying onto the bed. Jared said “look, I am going to do a pike” and then Ella copied, fell and hit her head. There was the silent cry and then she was fine. Jared and Ella did this for a while until Jared broke the bed frame. Then the game was over.