Hey, y’all! I’m Erin and I am honored and excited I get to share this whole motherhood journey with you! Right now, I am typing on my laptop while sitting cross-legged on the couch in my bath robe; sipping coffee and taking occasional glances at the baby monitor, praying that my three-year-old daughter, Elizabeth will take a nap, as she has not alllll week, for no apparent reason. I look around the room: I see Clifford books strewn about, a keyboard in need of batteries on the coffee table (perfect spot), a couple of naked dolls, a train table that has been completely deconstructed (reconstructed, deconstructed, reconstructed, and currently deconstructed to be exact…three times since Christmas, Lord, help us), yogurt melt wrappers, shoes, dirty socks on the fire place (of course), and no fewer than one million other toys in various places from front door to back door; you know, creative inspiration.

Normally, I would pick it all up during nap time, but today is special; I get to write my first blog post for Austin Moms Blog, an “About Me” post! Now, as a Southerner, an Austinite actually, (well, North Austin), born and raised, I was taught it’s rude to talk about oneself for too long, so I will keep it short and as sweet as possible.

This morning, I woke up early, got Elizabeth up, made her breakfast, drank some coffee (sweet nectar!) ate a muffin and went for a run; I LOVE being a stroller-jogger-Mom. Nothing makes you feel more amazing than pushing an 80-pound stroller up a hill and passing one or two people along the way. Albeit, those people were just standing still, talking, but I bet I looked pretty cool. That’s not why I run, though; my fellow runners know why. Most mothers would understand why: I run to get out of the darn house, to socialize with my running buddy, and to feel like I’ve accomplished something for me for the day, all very important for my over-active mind and imagination. Skip a run, and I start wanting to redecorate the entire house. My husband can always tell when I’m having a rest week. How many picture frames do we really need?

I also work, which helps support my crafting addiction. I am an independent contractor and have been creating online content from home for the last three years, woot-woot! I also teach Religious Education at my Church. Before my daughter, I was an English teacher for six years, teaching freshmen and juniors fine literature and literary skills. I’m a bit of a grammar-nerd, and I love to read, but wouldn’t like to be called “bookish.” Before teaching, I went to the University of Texas at Austin, and before that Leander High School, where I was a member and company leader of the dance team, and my husband played football and basketball; yes, we were high school sweethearts, but we went to different colleges, so we weren’t that clingy. We waited a while to have kids, and then when we wanted to start trying, I developed thyroid cancer and had to have that big old gland taken out.

Thankfully, we were still able to have children and we got pregnant in 2013. Somewhere in the time post-marriage, pre-child, I ran a full, 26.2-mile marathon, (and I still run half-marathons, sans stroller), my husband completed an Iron-Man triathlon, and we traveled to Rome, Italy and Kailua, Oahu a few times, as well as several other states, including, Las Vegas, NV, Boston MA, St. Louis, MO, New Orleans, LA, and New York, NY to name a few. 

Post child, we’ve only been to Oregon.

It was a really fun trip, though. Really.

These days we have more fun going on day trips from Austin to places like San Antonio, Waco and Fredericksburg than we ever did before. Elizabeth just makes EVERYTHING more fun and simply…wonderful; I see the world anew through her sparkling eyes, and I am eternally grateful for every moment being her mother.

Even when Elizabeth cried so much as an infant due to acid reflux, even when we had to sleep train her so we could get more than 2 hours of sleep, even when my breast-milk supply was so low regardless of what I tried that even the lactation consultant told me to supplement with formula and give myself a break, even when Elizabeth broke my heart a little and reached for her Daddy one time in those early, sleepless days (or nights?) instead of me, even when I had complications postpartum with retained placenta, even when Elizabeth picked her nose one time. And ate it.

Even now, as Elizabeth stares back at me on the monitor, with her glowing raccoon eyes, still wide awake when she is supposed to be napping. One thing about motherhood, you learn to be efficient with your time. I believe I’ve used just enough to tell you a little about me.

Thank you for reading; I know your time is precious!

Erin Ellis
Erin owns Events by Erin, a custom event planning business and co-owns Ellis Designs LLC, a custom woodworking business with her husband, John Ellis. Together, their greatest design is their wonderful daughter, Elizabeth. Erin is an Austin native and graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a degree in English. She lives in Round Rock, enjoys running, going to the movies and the beach, and of course, writing for Austin Moms Blog!

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