rockin' out

if you have ever lived with me you know that i can rock out a cd. meaning, i listen and listen and listen until all the songs are learned and my favorites are established. russ likes it...not so much. but it is me...i remember starting this habit as a little girl with my james taylor tape. so i have no other fun news besides changing poopy diapers (a lot), nursing, playing babies and attending christmas parties...i thought i would share my latest cd repeaters (cd's worthy of this habit). it is rare but i have three on rotation right now.

1. Winter Songs...which is a range of artist, folk/bluegrass

2. Taylor Swift...Speak Now...ummm high school delicious...although "Never Grow Up" has had me in tears several times due to my stage of life

3. Brooke Fraser...Flags...so many good songs on this CD...my favorites are "Something in the Water" and "Orphans, Kingdoms"

accomplishments

accomplishments look quite different these days...

i successfully went grocery shopping today with both girls.
no tragedies. got everything on my list. = success

i did however realize that i should be on "real housewives of atlanta"
you know you are a housewife when... many of the clerks, deli workers, bakers, shelvers at Kroger know your name and your children's names.
(maybe i should start a blog series called "you know you are a housewife when...")

i felt like a celebrity today at Kroger. everyone wanted to see "the baby".
oh, adult interaction. i will take it where i can.
like i said...accomplishments.

8.5 days

Izzie is 8.5 days old. Today is my first day at home by myself. So far, so good. Josie has been super sweet and helpful. She has had a bit of a tough time transitioning. Just super sensitive in the confusion of what all is changing. The Lord was gracious to remind me of my own personal tendency to crave control amidst change. That is exactly what Josie has been doing. Trying to boss anyone and everyone around in order to gain control. I have said it before but I am afraid she has inherited her bossy-ness from me. The second element was a cold and cough. This added to the change made for a super sensitive two and a half year old. Literally, each day she has gotten better. Obviously, much better today that I have time to blog....

Izzie is doing very well. Sleeping and eating well. Yes, she reminds me a lot of Josie just with olive skin and dark hair. This partially fits because my brothers and I all look alike but have very different coloring. (Kevin- tan skin, dark hair, brown eyes; Me- freckles, auburn hair, green eyes; KC- fair skin, blonde hair, blue eyes)

Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers. I truly have felt the blessings of a praying community.

Masterson Meal Calendar

Hi friends of the Mastersons,

We all know meals make the adjustment to a new baby easier!

Here is a link to a meal calendar for the Masterson's.

If you are out of town, a great resource is Instead of Flowers. They bring a warm meal to the door whenever the recipient chooses. Someone did this for me, and it was awesome! :)

And here's another picture of miss Izzie today!
She's adorable!!

I was able to visit this morning, and Kristy is doing and looking GREAT!!

Another Picture of Izzie

Born at 8:39 AM

Introducing...

Isabelle Mary Masterson

"Izzie"

9lbs 2 oz

21.5 inches

Perfect. Healthy. Dark Hair!

Izzie is coming today!!

Izzie should be arriving any moment! Stay tuned here!!

- Katie

jeggins

Confession: I wish I could wear jeggins (jean- leggings). But I am afraid my God-given thighs will not permit it. Sooooo what is a mom to do? Buy them for her daughter. Elmo shirt and jeggins. Doesn't get much more exciting!

I made sure to keep my calendar pretty clear for the last few weeks so that she and I could make the most of our last few days just the two of us. God has been so good to give us some sweet moments together. (Jeggins are good for dancing!)

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! From sweet Abby Cadabby. Josie was a fairy. Abby Cadabby the fairy. As I explained to most people... Abby is the girl Elmo on Sesame Street.

Gran Gran came to join the fun!


She was so funny figuring our how to say "trick or treat" and then "thank you." I enjoyed meeting some new neighbors.

Like mothers, like daughters

Bella and Katie (and Farrah) moved away from our neighborhood. Josie has been a little confused by the lack of Bella playtime. So Bella comes in pretend spirit to our house on a daily basis. She can come in the form of a doll, pretend cat, and even a new dish Josie cooks up.

Me: Josie was is this?

Josie: It is Bella.

Me: Oh ok.

We were in desperate need of a playdate with the real Bella. This picture below cracks me up because I see Katie and I talking like this when we were younger. If only we knew what they were saying....

Crazy mommies got on the sesaw. The girls loved it. And I got crazy looks for my preggo self being on there. (Ok, I could have made those up but it felt like it.)
We miss the Green Family!

Pace Fall Festival

At the beginning of October we attended the fall festival at Pace Academy. We went last year too. It is like being in a movie. The campus is huge and in the middle of the city. Not to mention a little like stepping back in time. They have lots of cute homemade games. Even a little jail to put your friends in. The Moon Family had a recent new addition so Elliott and the girls came with us.

Yes, this lady has on Prada boots. She also looked like a model. We are in the city people. (Where apparently, moms wear Prada boots to fall festivals.)

The girls get quite girly when they are together. The sun apparently was just too hot. So they found the closest shade to eat their lunch.
Playing a coin game with daddy. I love watching them together. Literally, the highlight of each day!

Haircuts and Hotdogs....apples too.

Sometimes you just need an apple snack with Thomas. And sometimes I wish I was 2 and I could lay like this too. I am afraid Thomas would only tolerate this with Josie.

Every 6 weeks we have a mini-party. We call it "Haircuts and Hotdogs." Our hairdresser, Martha moved to Florida about a year ago. We loved her. We told our friends about her. Side note: When you have curly hair you can't have just anybody cut your hair. And she stops by our house every 6 weeks or so for a haircut party. It happens on our front porch and it is just fun! Then of course we have hotdogs.

Well this last visit Josie got to join in on the fun. She had her first haircut on our front porch with Martha. She did great and got a cute little trim.

We aren't scared...

We aren't scared to announce the name of our second child.

Just freed up like that.

Or my husband and I are both extremely decisive/opinionated people that before we even knew the gender of our baby, our girl and boy names were chosen. We are too strategic like that.

I don't have any pictures to go with this blog because she is not here yet (2 months left). And yes, I am big enough to have the baby tomorrow....don't look at me like "how can you get any bigger?" when I tell you that I have 2 months left. (Note to self: I need to hang around other moms more often. They get it.)

Isabelle "Izzie" Mary Masterson is her name. We like the "old lady" name thing...shortened into a cute- fun- kinda sassy name. Josie and Izzie go well together. And Mary is after Russ' sweet and precious mother Mary.

We shall continue to get ready for Baby Izzie at our house! But right now we are enjoying ourselves at the beach....along with 35 other young adults from the church. My husband has a wonderful job!

quick trip

we recently had a quick trip to orlando to mimi and gramp's house with friends.

it is tough laying out by the pool with palm trees.

we are so blessed!

this is what summer is about...

Summer is about...cousins spending the night.

Raleigh and Camden spent the night with us last week. We went to church on Wednesday night (I love Wednesday night supper). Then woke up and went to the Grant Park pool. We watched a movie, ate popcorn while playing with toys and laughing a lot. To say that Josie loved it, is an understatement. She smiled and giggled the entire 24 hours they were here.

The girls' room

So I like saying "the girls." The girls will share a room. Which has worked out pretty nicely so far. The family who we bought this house from had two kids. I remember telling Russ that I was so amazed (thought she was crazy) that she had two kids in this (2 bedroom) house. Ummmm now that is me. Seems natural, though.

Josie moved to a big girl bed this past weekend. It was thankfully uneventful. No big deal, yet.

I have a couple more things to do in their room before it is complete. Initials above their beds (thank you anthropologie) and a bed skirt for Josie's bed. We got the chair at the end of Josie's bed recovered recently. If any of you visited me in college this was the ugly green chair I always had....and loved. Now it is super cute! I really wanted Josie to have an iron twin bed. Russ and I waited and visited Scott's antique market and found exactly what we were looking for within 5 minutes of being there and for much less than I had budgeted....score!

I had forgotten... Hilton Head is my favorite.

Hilton Head is my favorite for the following reasons.

1. You escape reality of city life. (this has many facets)

2. We rode our bike everywhere. (exercise and purpose all at the same time)

3. Low tourist volume.

4. Many mom and pop restaurants (sorry Destin, not true for you)

5. The beach smoothly goes into the ocean...no huge hump (i am sure there is a more technical term for this) of sand before the water. (do you know what I am referring to here?)

6. It is so well preserved that you see so many family traditions (Sea Pines).

Enough for now...here are some pictures.

not gonna see this in the suburbs (for parents eyes only)

I love my vocal and opinionated neighborhood. Don't worry it has been painted in this manner for a month.

Butterbean at the beach

Somewhere along the way we created a tradition. The butterbean pose. I love it!

6 weeks Isle of Palms, SC

1 year Destin, FL

2 years Hilton Head, SC

Josie's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in Candler Park

Let the pictures tell the story of her party!