On the road to recovery this month. Her kidney function post-surgery is great, and while we had to go home with drainage tubes, we got to get rid of them, one by one. Ella definitely has more freedom of movement without all that crowding in her belly, and has recovered her appetite. We actually think she's looking round in the cheeks, and has a cute little double chin--the first time in her life! She is tiny for her age--both height and weight in the 10-15th percentile. So the nutritionist and the nephrologist want her to gain weight. After coming home from surgery, she went gung-ho for peanut butter at EVERY meal, which, we think, helped her gain some weight (it is high-calorie, but also high-protein). She's talking all the time, sometimes incomprehensibly, but we are understanding more as time goes on. She mimics everything, is curious about everything in the world, is learning the alphabet, counts to 10, and LOVES the slide at the park! Too bad the weather hasn't been all that accommodating lately. She constantly wants to go "outside". She loves to name objects she knows, such as a bus, trees, birdies, cars, umbrellas ('brella), the letters Q and B in particular, Elmo, doggies. When we come home, our new ritual is to let Teddy out, then get her a "treat" (milk bone), and Ella gets to give Teddy her treat when she comes inside. Life with Ella continues to be an amazing adventure!