One More Day

In a recent post Bryston's mom, Jenn shared how she'd spend the day with Bryston if she were given the chance. This post was really moving. I thought about how I'd spend my one day with Ella for quite a while. Forgive me, as I do not write as eloquently as Jenn does in her post.

I'd like to wake up one morning with Ella nestled warmly inside her co-sleeper that is attached to my bed. She wakes me up with her soft googly noises and I realize it's time to get up and feed her. While I feed her, I study her face. I caress her cheek and place her fingers in mine as I did the last time I held her. After getting dressed for the day, we packed up our car and head out to the beach as a family. **Of course, in real life, my husband is never up before 2 pm. But in this dream, he wakes up early. :)** When we get to the beach, I place Ella into a sling on my chest and my husband leashes up our dog. We make several stops along our walk to dip Ella's toes in the water and let her feet touch the sand. Just like her mommy and daddy, she is happiest at the beach and enjoys watching her sister (of canine sorts) frolic with the other dogs in the water. After our walk, we'd stop at the park to push Ella on the baby swing. By now, it would be time to head home and give Ella her nap. Husband and I would spend the next two hours watching our little girl have sweet dreams. After dinner, I'd teach Ella about my favorite dessert, cupcakes. After wiping the frosting off her face and out of her hair, I'd realize that our day together was almost over and begin to say goodbye to my first born. I'd try to tell her all the things I ever wanted to tell her in this short amount of time. I'd hold her tightly until she'd left me once again. I'd be thankful for this ordinary, yet extraordinary day.

**I also thought about taking Ella to Venice for the day, fulfilling the promise of her namesake, "one who travels." I never traveled anywhere special or exotic until I was older and able to afford it on my own. I had a deep desire to show Ella the world from a young age. We'd ride a gondola, and pick out a Venetian mask for her to display in her room, slurp spaghetti, and eat gelato several times just to stay cool.

Oh what I'd do with just one more day with you. Thank you again, Jenn for inspiring this thought. :)


A million thanks to Kathlyn's mom, Beth for this beautiful photo for Ella's Name Gallery. Look at all the special touches in this photograph. Love it!

**I just had this crazy thought. I'd be devastated if my blog were to get deleted. So much of Ella's memory is here. Anyone have any ideas how to preserve these memories? I guess maybe I need to sit and print out my posts for her memory box.