Jane Visits

We had a great visit with Erin's friend Jane last weekend. It is always awesome to spend time with her, and we were so glad she got to meet Alexander. We think this bear towel is adorable (thank you Dee and Steve Williams)!

Bedtime Stories

Alexander loves his daddy. He talks to his daddy, and he thinks it's a blast when they sing together. Here is a video of Alexander telling Steven stories right before bedtime. He has outgrown the cradle that has been by our bedside since we brought him home (thanks Ian and Beth for letting us borrow it). Last night was his first night in the crib in his room. I told Steven our tiny baby is all grown up... he laughed and said I still have seventeen plus years until I can truly say that.

Ceiling Fans

Now that his neck is a lot stronger, Alexander loves to use his new found head movement to check out everything when you are holding him. He especially likes to look up and has developed quite a fascination with ceiling fans. He talks to the ceiling fan in our living room frequently, and I think he has decided they will be BFFs. Check out the video!

A Fun Weekend

We had a great time last weekend in Auburn visiting with friends and family. Our friend Rob gets the Superstar Award for being the first of our guy friends to hold Alexander... and he looks so HAPPY! Alexander is coming up with new and adorable sounds daily that crack us up. Last night we were practicing to sing the Happy Birthday song to my nephew and Alexander joined right in with his own rendition. We were rolling. What a cutie!

Our Mini-Vacation

Yamaha furloughed its employees last week. While this wasn't the best of news in this economy, Steven and I saw it as an opportunity for a week together we wouldn't have had otherwise. We decided to take Alexander's first mini-vacation to Asheville, NC. We toured the Biltmore, spent some time at the North Carolina Arboretum, and then headed to Knoxville for a visit with Steven's Uncle Russell and Aunt Diane in Knoxville, TN.

8 Weeks Old

It is hard to believe that our little guy is eight weeks old already! We have had a fun few weeks. Alexander made his first trip to the grandparents' homes in Auburn, we had special visitors here at home, and Steven had his first Father's Day.

Alexander Gets Spa Baby Bath

Alexander bathed like a European baby today.  CG bought Alexander a Spa Baby bath tub after seeing it on the Today Show, and we used it for the first time this afternoon.  The idea of the Spa Baby tub is that the baby can sit in an upright position with warm water surrounding him, creating a womb-like bathing experience.  Our first Spa Baby attempt was a success.  Alexander only protested when we took him out of the warm water.  There's nothing in the world like a sweet smelling baby!

My Cool Dudes

Latest Cutie Pie Pictures

What a month!

The Gladdens have been busy the past month!  On Friday, May 1st, I (Erin) found out I had HELLP Syndrome.  The only cure for HELLP is delivery of the baby, and the doctors decided it was time for us to meet our love bug.  I was induced four weeks before my due date, and Alexander Orion Gladden was born Saturday, May 2nd at 7:30 AM.  Needless to say the journey has not been easy, but almost a month later we are thrilled to have a healthy little boy who is growing daily.  Alexander weighed 4 pounds 14 ounces at birth and spent six days in the NICU.  He was only a tiny 4 pounds 6 ounces when we brought him home.  Our tough little guy is just over 6 pounds now.  Our family and friends have shown amazing support along the way, and we feel truly blessed.