Jake loses his first tooth!

Christmas 2012

Jacob at 3 1/2 weeks

Brroks at 3 1/2 weeks old

 

Cousins together. You can tell Brooks has his mom's coloring and Jake has Josh's

Our shepard



Jake and Izzy

 

 

mommy with her shepard

 

 

 

Grandma and Jake

 

Mommy and Jake waiting for Santa at Towncenter Mall

 

Grandma and Jake

 

Christmas 2012

 

The entire group for Christmas Eve, including the dogs

 

Thompsons/Nipavers/Brantleys Christmas 2012

 

 

We had such a great time spending time with family over the Christmas Holiday. A couple of highlights......

 

Jake and the popcorn at the movie. My dad buys him popcorn and then asks if he can have some and Jake replies, "No." My dsad waits a few minutes and then asks again. To which Jake replies "No." So then Jake asks for a drink and my dad replies " I am not getting you a drink until you give me some of that popcorn first." LOL

 

Jake lost his first tooth today! It makes me feel like he is growing up so fast and no longer my baby. He was so afraid it was going to hurt but over the phone told me it didn't.

 

Some favorite toys from Santa.....Puppy Dream Lite, Lite Brite Cube, Pirate Ship, Helicopter, Horse on a stick from Grandma and Grandpa and BatCave from NaNa and Poppy.

 

Its interesting that while I was running on the treadmill one morning he asks if I was exercising to make my heart stronger so that I could have another baby. I can tell he picks up a lot that I never notice. He told my Mother in Law that his heart hurt because he was hungry.

 

He is doing well in school. He can count to 100 and write his name very legibly. He is a lot like me in personality. He wants to be included and at night when we go to bed he tells me that sometimes kids don't include him at school and laugh at him. I think some of that is just the age but it still makes me worry that that bothers him. I want to be able to protect him from his feelings getting hurt but i know that he needs to learn that he won't always be included and that he can't hit or kick back but just needs to walk away.

 

Jake is talking more and more about having a sibiling, specifically a brother so we shall see...

Thanksgiving 2012, the end of an era and a new nephew

 

 

Well this past week has been an eventful one to say the least. It started off with Thanksgiving in Rock Hill. We were able to spend time with my in laws and 2 of my 5 neices and nephews, Daylen (9 months) and Peyton (almost 2 1/2)

 

We also got to go to a Northwestern highschool playoff game. Josh and I met when he was teaching at Northwestern and coaching girls basketball there. It is always good to go back and see some of his coaching friends. It was also nice to actually sit in the stands and watch a game with him and Jake.

 

When we came back from Rock Hill we decided to put up our tree. We never do a ton of decorating or get a real tree since we are always out of town during the holidays. But its fun for Jake to decorate the tree.

 

 

 

The following week Appalachian lost to Illinois state by one point due to a blocked extra kick in OT. The very next day Coach Moore resigned after 24 years at the helm of App State football. What a sad day. Coach Moore is a great man and has done so much for Josh and I and for Appalachain State. We would not be here without him. We will see within the next week who the next head coach will be.....

 

On Friday November 30th at 7:01pm my newest nephew entered the world. Brooks Blake Brantley. He weighed 7 lbs 9.5 oz and was 20.5 inches.

 

I think he looks a lot like Christie. Its funny that since its my sisters child it will be like having a second son. We will be his only aunt and uncle, except for Stephen's sister Elizabeth. We love him so much and I can't wait for him to grow up with Jake!

Baby Shower/Football/Fall/Halloween

 

 

So my sister is 37 weeks pregnant.

 

On Nov.3rd we had a baby shower to celebrate the birth of Brooks.

 

Diaper Cake Josh and I made

 

I was lucky to have a job where I can participate in Jake's Halloween parade at school

Jake and some of his buddies.

 

 

The same day was Jacquey's last day :(. She has been there since the day I interviewed. She has been a sweet friend and confidant. I will miss her.

 

My moms house for the shower

 

An etsy buy.

 

Christie and her mother in law Becky. Love them both.

 

Christie and I, not the greatest picture.

 

App State beat Furman in the last game of the season, fans celebrated the SoCon title by rushing the field.

 

Jake in the equipment room, mad because he wanted to go to the training room to see his friend Bennett.

 

Jake's school picture. I didn't buy the pictures since we just have family pics taken.

 

Jake and I at the greenway.

 

Out at Las Salsas in Morganton. Our whole family loves Mexican.

 

Jake and I playing football in the front yard with Josh.

 

Jake in his batman outfit. My coordinator was Batwoman at work and gave him the mark and ears. We are home with pink eye today (you can kinda tell in the picture, the left eye).

 

Jake is 37 pounds and I think 42 inches.

 

We just had his first parent/teacher conference and these are some of the things the teacher told me about him:

 

He is a concrete thinker. It is what it is. The giraffe can't be purple because giraffes are yellow with brown spots. lol

 

He needs to be more creative and pretend more. Which I tend to disagree. I think because he is at school with friends he may pretend less but at home by himself he is  always pretending.

 

Needs to be more independent. He is a mommy/daddy's boy and can be sensitive.

 

Most 4 year olds lie. He doesn't.

 

He is able to communicate his feelings. If he is mad, he will tell you.

 

Overall he is doing great, he can write his name pretty legibly. He can count to 100 and is working on sight words. He loves to build. He is all boy. Unless you count the fact he loves to play with the princess castle at the YMCA Childwatch.

 

He is doing great and is the love of our lives. Can't wait until Brooks gets here so he will have another boy cousin to play with.

 

 

Off to the Playoffs...and New Family Pics!

This weekend has been BUSY. Had fun hanging out with Leah and Erin in the hot tub Friday night and then Saturday Jake and I went and got our hair cut with Tina. I had asked Josh through text what guard to cut Jake's hair. He said 3. I thought he meant the whole thing, not just the sides. So needless to say Jake cried when he saw his hair was so short. Oh, well. Its just hair and it will grow back. At least he is a boy.

Then we went to the App State game. Jake hung out with Josh while I attended the Senior players luncheon for a bit and then attended the game. What a nail biter. It was close. But we pulled it out:)
Afterwards we went for some Chik-fil-A and then over to Coach Ledfords house for some celebration. We had such a good time. Didn't get home until 1am.

BUT I came home to our new Carter and Cole pics in the mail. YAY!

Here are some of them....

Catching Up/New York

 

I feel like I am always playing catch up on here. lol

 

The past few weeks have gone by fast and furious. Football season is always like that. So I decided not to go to the App State vs. Western Carolina game today and use the day to catch up as I have to make a diaper cake and cookies on sticks for my sister's baby shower in Atlanta next weekend and I spent the last weekend with my best friend in New York. Wheew!

 

 

 

This was Jake at the park, we hit up a consignment sale in Granite Falls and then played afterwards a few weeks ago.

 

At the pumpkin patch. I would have added more pictures but I just figured out how to do an iphone photo dump. :)

 

So my trip to New York! I was able to have a fabulous (almost free) trip to New York thanks to my best friend who is working on a contract basis up there. She was so sweet to have us stay in the W in Lower Manhattan. It was a GREAT expereince to just be able to relax, laugh and have fun with someone who "gets me". I needed this.

 

Above this is Mandy and I at teh subway at 3 am. I didn't land until 12 midnight and it took awhile to

get from Lower Manhattan to JFK on the subway.  

 

My first NY Pizza expereince at 4am.

 

The lobby of the W

 

Pasteries:)

 

The 9/11 memorial

 

Broadway

 

The Modern Museum of Art

 

Times Square

 

Cupcakes by Melissa

 

China Town

 

Dinner in Little Italy

 

 

The trip was defiently in my bucket list and due to her paying for the hotel and metro it made it affordable. A trip to remember!

 

In another note just for the record. I went to Wake Forest with my mom this past Wednesday. Great news from the heart doctor that I am for all tense and purposes healed. He wants me to stay on the heart meds because I am still just below normal (EF being 55-65% and I am 50-54%)

But he gave me hope saying there was a very good chance I would have a fine pregnancy if I tried again in the near future. This is great news, just to have the CHOICE. I don't have to go back for a year which is a blessing, if it is still strong then maybe I will entertain the idea. Jake says he wants me to wait until he is at least 5. LOL.

 

Jake is doing great at Pre-K. He LOVES apples, especially golden delicious. He loves Super Heros and legos and cars.

 

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of my newest nephew Brooks. Christie is  34 weeks pregnant so he should be arriving just after Thanksgiving. Can't wait!

 

Lindsey