Ellie's First Beach Vacation

Eric and I went on a Babymoon on Memorial Day weekend last year ('17) to Charleston. We went to Isle of Palms and with my big, fat, round, swollen body, we rested on the beach and tried to imagine what it would be like to have the Ellie in my Belly, out playing on sand in one year's time.

We finally got to see that picture come vibrantly to life! Eric and I rented a beach house in Surfside and invited both of our parents to come and stay with us so they may experience Ellie's first experience at the beach. We are so happy they were able to witness this joy and this big first. We are big vacation and beach people so having the opportunity to give Ellie such an experience was truly very special.

Ellie truly is a beach babe! She loved the water. She found it stinkin' hilarious when waves chased after her and crashed into her chubby thighs. Tidal pool swimming, jumping waves, and watching the ocean action enthralled Ellie. She loved the sand. It apparently tasted quite good, as well....
Ellie had a brand new bag of beach toys, a brand new tent, new swimsuits, sunglasses, and sun hats. Why, she even had her very own beach chair which she loved and got in and out of on her own like a big girl. She also relished in the relaxation of the chair when having her snacks. She sat there like an old soul, chewing a cheese stick and watching the waves as if there was nobody else in sight. She also got to experience the swimming pool for the first time in her new pink float. She loved the experience but the water was too cold and her little teeth chattered.

She tried grapes for the first time out on the beach and decided they were not worth even chewing and spat them in to the sand.

Ellie loved finding seashells, crawling in the sand, and began walking long distances while only holding one of our hands. She also thought the beach was the perfect place to start solo standing without holding anything and consciously working to stay "up."

Ellie's cousins got to visit and play for a couple days. She really enjoyed watching them and how they enjoyed the beach.

Ellie was soooooo sleepy and wiped out every single day. She ate like a bottomless pit, and slept like we had knocked her out. I guess all the waves and sunshine and excitement of new adventures really wore her out! Every morning she was up and ready to play.

She will return to the beach, at Edisto in Charleston in August! We can't wait to see what a difference 2.5 months makes for her adventures!

Mommy Moments (I.)

The reason I began blogging in the first place back in '10 was to write down my thoughts. To reflect. To share things that were special to me with those who cared. And ultimately to glorify God with my life stories.

Now, I feel more than ever is the time in my life to "write down" my memories as so much life is happening so fast...so much dear, precious, sweet, life. Therefore, this is my first of "Mommy Moments" blogs in my Gladden to be a Gladden blog.

When I first had Ellie...I begged and pleaded for her to sleep. I was going insane. "Pleaseeeeeee Lord, let her sleep more than 45 minutes, please God!!" (People who said newborns slept 18 hours per day...lied.) Then, she was old enough to sleep train and she rocked it and I was always SO excited to leave a sleeping baby in her crib for the entire night. Releasing her heavy sleepy head from my dead sleeping arm that had embraced her to rock her was the most of an adrenaline rush I got in those first few months. Just keeping it real, y'all.  Then, I started missing her while she was asleep, and found myself spying in on her to watch her sleep and to wish I could snuggle right up beside her.

Tonight, I felt an entirely new sensation in my maternal nature and experience. Tonight, I fed Ellie her bedtime bottle, and once she was finished she laid peacefully still, clasping her precious long fingers over her tummy and staring up into my eyes with a satisfied little grin on her face. She does not normally do this. Like clock work, every evening once she has sucked her bottle down, she thrashes and jumps around wildly, happily, and ready for her crib. That girl is not a cuddler. She has always wanted me, her mommy, when sleepy, but she never likes to sit still long so snuggles are rare around here. I didn't even know what I was really missing. But tonight...oh tonight....I looked down at that happy little satisfied Ellie face and my heart began to swell. I kissed her and laid her over my right shoulder to gently pat a burp out of her. She laid her little head in the crook of my neck. While she does normally do that, it only lasts seconds before she is bouncing around like she is on a trampoline. Tonight, she kept her warm, fuzzy, soft, little head in my neck, cooed, and slowly scratched my shoulder. I felt so gleeful that there are really no words to describe the literal swell I felt within my chest. I held her and held her. Forgetting our routine of immediately lying her down. Who cares? This is the first time I have ever felt these such emotions at bedtime. I mean, I always love holding and feeding her and saying our prayers, but this was all so new, tonight. Call me a monster if you will, but I will not lie, I am always thankful for how well Ellie goes down and sleeps, that I look forward to finally slipping out and showering and eating and vegging out on my "reality" TV shows, and finally discovering "Emily" again...that I have never gotten to experience this moment. And let me remind you...Ellie never wants to snuggle, she wants to be put right to bed. She LOVES her bed. So for the first time in 10 months, apart from the wee little baby who needed to be soothed and cuddled at such a time, Ellie initiated snuggles with me, and I threw my rule book out the window. Snuggles it is. I stroked her head, and rubbed her back while she continued to sweetly scratch my shoulder and "sing" to me.

Eventually, I laid her down, yet I kept my right hand in her left over her tummy, and used my left hand to cover her with a blankie, and stroke her hair and face. The entirety of this time, Ellie peacefully and quietly laid there, looking me in the eyes with her bright hazel green gems of eyes and I watched them slowly start to hide beneath heavy lids. I felt the grip of her hand lighten and her breathing deepen as it drifted her away to dreams. I began crying out of just the most intense amount of love and joy I have ever felt. It is so true to say "I love you more and more every passing day." I don't know how that is possible but I can assure you it is true. I watched her then, and I prayed gratitude prayers to God over her. I tried to etch and burn this picture into my mind for forever. I took a picture of her as she had already drifted far away, likely dreaming of ocean waves and puppy dogs. I didn't want to leave her. This is truly truly the greatest and most honorable, undeserving gift God could have ever bestowed upon me. I am far from a perfect person or mother. Yet, moments like these remind me why I want to daily put my best foot forward first for God, then my family. It was such a silent yet loud way of her telling me, she wants me, needs me, appreciates me, and loves me. This little girl holds all her hope in me! (and Eric!) I pray one day she loves and relies on the even greater love of God, her Father, far more than the love she showed me she had for me, tonight. I could have a thousand hard days, and 30 minutes of a moment like this would melt all those away.
It is the most love I have ever felt for Ellie and that is wild to say as I have always felt there was no way I could love her more, better, or harder. There is really no better adventure than being a mommy.

June 2, 2013---the behind the story, story...

In order to celebrate this special day that Eric and I met/found each other/ whatever you would call it....rather- I laid eyes on Eric Gladden on June 2, 2013, and I let him know I existed ( because I don't pursue a man...he pursues me, ok?), We talked. He liked me. I liked him. We were together forever and always from that day forward...with a lot in between and tons of mushy gushy romantical stories.

But I thought it would be funny to reminisce with y'all about our first date..which we have no clue when it actually was....there was a holiday...it was summer....I don't know. Like I said we have just always been together whether we had had that first date yet or not. (I was (and still am) a busy woman).

Ok but here is a story of our first date....you have all heard likely by now the ooey gooey lovey dovey story. But this is a tale that only Eric and I have shared and laughed over since some months after that date.....without further ado...the blooper version of our first date:

I was at Mama and Daddy's house, where I still was living at 22 years old, working my first job, preparing to move out soon. I had showered, put on my make up and fixed my hair. I remember I carefully selected my outfit. A boutique top, sheer white, with pale yellow trim and a pale yellow flowy posterior bow to give some back interest. Yellow capris, and wedge high heels.

When I get nervous, I get the pit sweats something fierce! I couldn't breathe I was so worked up about this hunk about to pick me up!! I hid in an under stairwell cove and spied out the front window to watch him walk up. OOO he looked good!!

I opened the door and off we walked together to the truck. (Oh how I miss that truck!) I get to the passenger side and stand there waiting for him to open the door....but nothing happened....I looked around awkwardly, and home boy was opening his own door about to sit down and drive. "Uh oh!" I thought. "Daddy won't approve of that, and I know he will ask if that boy opened those doors!" I let it slide the first time. We arrive at Dozo's Japanese in Easley. Home boy still didn't come open my truck side door. "Oh dear. Now I am really sweating. He needs to open these doors! I am a southern lady, after all! Yankee boy will just have to learn, that's all." He did open the door for me into the restaurant, and he did pull out my chair. Dinner was incredible, he got me to try sushi, it was perfect.

After dinner, we went to rent a movie at the Redbox to take back to......who's house? He asked in a respectful way whether I thought we should watch it at my parent's house or at his house. Mama and Daddy were out of town....my mind was jumping again as to what to say, I thought to myself, "Mama and Daddy are out of town....they won't much like a man they have never met in their home. Not to mention I was never allowed to have beaus there alone any other time before...." snapping back to reality I looked up at Eric and said, "We should probably go to your house, if that is ok?"....(still was not sure my parents would approve of that. Yes I was 22, but I am the baby, a girl, and they have very respectable rules I always tried to follow the best of my ability....but ...I figured his house was better than my house out of respect for my parents....the dating lines and rules were fuzzy as I hadn't brought a boy home since I was 19.)

We get to Eric's. Very clean and well kept home. I was impressed, yes, I looked to see what sort of a house keeper he was. Didn't want to end up with a slob. We had rented....for our first date....at my selection.... the movie, "What to Expect when You're Expecting." Looking back, it does seem a bit presumptuous!! But it was a comedy....so....! Eric has admitted he did feel a little awkward at my choice but he said if that is what I want to watch than so be it!

Before we had ever left the restaurant...I had stupid nervous jitters about using the bathroom. I felt I should probably go while we were there....but I didn't. I was too shy and embarrassed to excuse myself to the ladies room on a first date. My trauma goes back to the 1st grade. The classrooms had bathrooms basically in a closet in the very classroom itself. Everyone could hear you "go" and they would giggle while somebody "went"....so I have always had a little trauma carried on with me since the 1st grade of having to go to the bathroom when I am with somebody I am not perfectly comfortable with just yet. Irrational, yes. Funny, yes. My family makes fun of me for it.

So...all that to say this.....we get to Eric's I get settled and comfortable on the couch, we watch the movie and talk and laugh. All the while my little tank is getting slowly fuller and fuller. Finally it is time to go. Not "go"...but to go...like home. At this point....I am pretty dang full and I almost ask where the bathroom is.....but I was too shy!!! We were in this big quiet house....what if he heard me...."tinkle?"! I couldn't bare the pressure of the anxiety. (Drama queen, I know). So I get in the truck and I must look like a hyper bouncy fool because I have now reached the "potty dance" stage. There I sat in the front seat, 15 minute drive home....and I looked like a crazy as I swiveled my hips, crossed my legs, and bounced and tried to act like I was just so super duper excited about this thing of which I have no idea that I was speaking about. Leaning forward with dramatic flare as if it were hilarious. Never exposing my secret that I was about to abso-freakin-lutely pee the seat if he didn't slam that foot on the gas and get me home!!

Needless to say there was no time for a first date kiss (not that I am that easy anyway!!). I thanked him as he walked me to the door, hugged him, and slowly and gracefully closed the door and locked it. Then sprang to the half bath and ripped my pants down and sighed a sigh relief for my bladder and my first date jitters subsiding.

When I eventually told Eric this story, he made so much fun of me in a sweet and playful way, making fun of me, and saying he never noticed! He had no idea. And why on earth would he have cared if I had to go to the bathroom?! Of course we are married now and after you have a baby, well, there really are no secrets or mysteries....so that in comparison of looking back is just too funny to us!

And for all the southern belles who are wondering about this not opening the door for me business?? Don't worry. I told my yankee man ever so sweetly this, "Hey! You know, I really appreciated when you opened the doors [the couple a times he did]....it was so nice to be treated like a lady." He got the hint. Now, with his own desire and joy he opens my doors, still to this day, in and out. If I hop in (out of practicality with a baby) before he can get to my door, he says, "hey! I was gonna open it!"

That first date was incredible. I fell in love with Eric that night. And life remains just as crazy, if not more. Happy 5 year date-iversary, baby doll! I love you!

Ellie: 10 Months

Ellie is now double digits. 10 months old. How?! I have already...as the planner I am, begun preparations for her rapidly approaching first birthday. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Ellie is inches 30 tall and weighs ?? lbs. (No scales allowed on vacation!! 😆😂 I will figure it out when we get home.) **EDIT: Ellie is 20 lbs.

Ellie has been climbing the staircase like it is nothing. This past month, she advanced in her mobility crazy fast. She has started standing intentionally on her own for quite long spurts of time. This time, she is doing it on purpose, and not because she was too distracted to realize she was standing alone for a few seconds. She is walking very well holding just one of our fingers. I truly think it is a short matter of time before she is walking holding nothing at all. It is apparent she is ready and desiring to walk and is striving to do so, now.

Ellie attended my cousin's son's 1st birthday party this past month. What a precious little party! Ellie loved playing with her cousin and playing in the sand.

Ellie participated in her first 5k with both Mommy and Daddy! We did Zoom Through The Zoo. Ellie wore a special race bib onesie, tutu, and matching hairbow. My dreams came true to have the three of us all running together! I hope Ellie will grow to love running. That way, I'll be able to cheer her on in races, too! Of course I'll cheer her on no matter what sport, art, or activity she takes interest in. After the race, we attended Artisphere downtown.

We celebrated my first Mother's Day which I previously blogged about. How special to have a little baby girl to celebrate the day with! A baby who gave the day purpose and meaning for me!

Ellie and I surprised Aunt Keka and Ellie's cousins in Georgia this month for a bit of play time and a swim in a creek at Dunwoody Nature Center. I loved playing with my other babies, seeing my sister, and having Ellie outside and with her "siblings." She had just battled her first major cold and had spent a week indoors heavily chugged up, no appetite, teething horribly on her top central incisors, and breaking a bad habit I had created with the high chair.....so some time away with my precious family was much needed.

Currently, Ellie has been enjoying her first beach vacation with Eric and I, Mimi & G-Daddy, and Nana & Papa. She saw the ocean for the first time as well as jumped some waves, swam, and splashed! She LOVED it!! She took it all in. She walked almost completely solo for quite some long distances on the first beach day which was the best I have seen her do yet! She has done this before but necer such long distances and so strongly. She was holding Eric's one hand and free handing with her other. She was conscientiously taking her time and processing it. I could tell because she had her little tongue stuck out and up. Her daddy does this too when he is studying or working hard on something. I'll write more about the beach adventure in another blog, but it was so exciting to experience this "first" with Ellie!!

Some other pictures of Ellie this past month: