Jace's 4th Birthday!

I am totally not feeling up to the regular Sunday post. Let's just say that it has not been a pleasant last few days on the adoption front and I am tired, overwhelmed, and so done with it. I posted a few times in the Facebook update group, so if you want the updates, they're there. If you're not on Facebook, maybe I will have the energy to write about it all next week. 

Anyway, since I never posted about Jace's birthday, I'll do that instead. It's high time, since it was almost 2 months ago. Yes, yes, I continue to be MOM-OF-THE-YEAR over here!

Jace's birthday was on a Sunday, so we let him pick an activity for Saturday afternoon. He chose bowling. By the end of it, Devin was so jazzed about the whole thing that he decided we all needed to run out and buy our own bowling balls and shoes. You see, there are very few activities that we can all participate in as a family (ahem: Flor), so when we find one, it's extra special. Flor loved it and so did everyone else. So I guess we need to go bowling more often. It is kind of pricey though. 

Really not sure why we only have a picture of Flor bowling and no one else, but that's okay...

 Sunday, we had Che', Landon, and kids and Carlie over for dinner and cupcakes that Carlie so kindly made. One less thing to do for a birthday? Yes, please! Her cupcake skills are amazing, too, so bonus points for that. Jace had fun opening his presents and playing with his best pal, Hudson. Those two play together so well and I love it. I am glad they get to grow up together as best buddies like Hudson's mom and I were.

A few things about our 4 year old: (I was so much better about recording this stuff about Hallie. To future Jace; I am sorry, buddy. I love you just as much... I am just not as good at documenting because life got crazy!)

*Jace is social, social, social. He has no shy bone in his body. I think I posted a few months ago about our family singing in sacrament meeting, but if not, here is a repeat story. We sang "I Love to See the Temple" and we all were rather quiet because who likes to sing in front of a crowd (not to mention that i have a terrible voice!) But not Jace...he got right up in front of the microphone and belted that song out from the bottom of his heart. It was adorable. Half of the crowd was laughing and theo ther half was crying.

*Jace loves trains and more trains. The kid is obsessed. He also likes cars, fire trucks, riding his bike, playing school and store with Hallie (bet you can guess who instigates those), playing legos, and 'pets'- all his stuffed animals.

*Jace is a smart boy. He can count up to 30 and easily has the ABC's down. I of course taught him none of this. He can write his name and it's pretty cute if I do say so myself. He loves preschool that he goes to twice per week. He always comes home telling me about some interesting facts he learned about clouds or some other random thing.

*Jace is just starting to play soccer, so we'll see how that goes! He still has the biggest hands ever...so he's going to have to use those to his advantage in some sport! He has big feet too- he and Hallie wear the same size.

*Jace is the most loving boy. He loves to give us hugs and kisses and if we leave before he can, he is really upset. He is always saying "I love you, Mommy!" and "You're the best mommy ever!" how can you not love that?

*Jace is still a really good sleeper-- he goes to bed at 7 and wakes up at 6:30 or 7 am. Most days he still naps in the afternoon too. Must need rest for all the energy he has.

Here are some Jace-isms- some are quite old. They've been sitting in a post that I never got posted. Haha.

*While laying with him in his bed one day: "Mom, you're getting my skin white!" Me: "What??" "Your skin is making me white!" Me: "WHAT?!" Jace: "I am getting white from you!" I finally realized he has overheard Devin and I talking about how Hallie got his skin tone and Jace got my whiteness. He was talking about it like it was a disease that I was passing on to him (which it kind of is...)

*After I was singing one day, "Mom, if you're going to do that, you'll need to just do it at choir with dad." (Devin was in the choir at church. Apparently Jace thinks my singing is awesome, which it is...)

*Jace had a picture from church that Hallie wanted. To her: "No, this is for boys...if you can turn into a boy, you can have it. Then you go back to a girl."

*One morning, to me: "Mom, why do you have a beard?" Gosh this kid is good for my self-esteem...

*Jace: "Mom, I'm sooooo sick!"
 me: "What hurts?"
Jace: "It feels like bees are swimming around in my mouth!"

*During tithing settlement, the Bishop asked me "So, are you in school?" and Jace pipes up, "No! I can't go to school until I stop peeing my pants!" I think the Bishop was so super impressed...

*During a prayer, "Please bless that we can eat tomorrow and please bless that I can eat Daddy all up!"

*After Jace came into my room at what felt like extremely early one morning:
Me: Jace, what time is it? What does that clock say right there? (thinking he'd read me the numbers)
Jace: It says, It's the crack of dawn!!! (in his most enthusiastic voice). Ah, gotta love him!

Jace after church one day: (Instagram repeat) "I want to follow the prophet SO SO bad so I don't have to wander in the wilderness for 40 years!"

We sure love our little buddy!