Update on Life

     I have been pretty good about updating the blog when it comes to Jace, but I have been horrible when it comes to the goings on of Paul and myself. So Just a quick little update as of today.
      Paul has been asked to senior several jobs this busy season, (which is both good and bad). Good because he has only been an employee at Tanner for 1 year and they trust him enough to promote him and give him more responsibilities. Bad because more responsibilities means more work. His busy season last year was easy peasy, just over 40 hour weeks. This year we estimate him working 50-60 hour weeks on average. He said he has liked the challenge, but it is also somewhat intense having other people rely on you, and being held responsible for training them. He doesn't want to screw someone up because he trained them incorrectly. I think that he will do just fine though. He has been gone all week working at a client in Reno, NV. Its been interesting with a sick and teething baby. But we have made it work. He has been working 10-12 hour days this week, so he says that he can't wait to come home and be with the family again, and not have to worry about work for a few days.
     Paul hopefully took his last CPA test (for the last time) this month. We find out in a week and both of us are dying. I feel like he passed. I feel really good about it. But there is always that what if. And last time he took this test he felt sure he passed, and he didn't. This time he felt like it could go either way. Which usually means he passed. But AHHH the suspense is killing us both. We keep praying that he passed because him needing to study, and being in the middle of busy season would be so so hard. I really wouldn't have a husband if it came down to that. But I don't think it will. We are keeping our fingers crossed that he is licensed by March at the latest. He still has some small state tests to take to be fully licensed, but wants to wait until he knows he passed before he starts taking them.
      Paul and I took a day date and went snowboarding last week. It was so great to be up on the mountain, out of the horrible air. It was definitely hard to leave Jace for the whole day. But it was also nice to relax and not worry, (as much as possible), about the baby. We didn't get up to Snowbird until around 10:30 and we only stayed till about 3. But for us, out of shape, old fogies, it was just what we needed. Paul doesn't enjoy it quite as much as I do, because he has only recently started. But he said that he felt like he was boarding well enough that he actually enjoyed some parts of it.
     We also got to go and see the US premiere of The Count of Monte Cristo musical at BYU. It was So amazing! I just have to tell you that both Paul and I thought that it was one of the best plays that we have ever been to. The cast did an amazing job, and the graphic design that they implemented as part of the set was incredible!!! It is so cool to see what technology can do. If you have the opportunity to see it, definitely do!
      The stay at home mom Kylee hasn't been up to much. I work out at least 5 days a week with my friend Meagan. I am still tutoring and nannying a few days a week. And just taking care of Jace. I get a few projects done here and there, but nothing big and fancy. With the warmer weather we have been having this past week, Jace and I have played out side a few times. I have set up a hammock chair to sort of double up as a swing, and he loves it. It wraps around him like a cocoon and he just grins and giggles while I push him. I can't wait until the weather is good and I can take him to the park. He is getting to the age where he will actually like going to play at the park. No major exciting news or crazy adventures this month. But hopefully as the weather gets warmer there will be lots more to share!

This is how Paul takes a break when we go snowboarding ;)

I just LOVE the views you get when you are up in the mountains away from everything. 

Paul thought I needed a picture of me that wasn't a selfie. How thoughtful :)

The two of us having a great time with out a baby for a few hours. 

Jace is 8 months!!

     Jace is 8 months. I can't believe how the time has flown. Our little bundle of joy is rapidly growing into a cute, chunky little man. Jace got his first tooth on the 3rd of January. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be. But when his second tooth came in on the 18th, boy, that whole previous week was awful. Silly Jace's teeth decided to grow in funky. He got his bottom right tooth first, then his top right tooth second. I think he is working on the bottom left, but its not through yet so I can't be too sure. To make things worse, he caught a cold, so he is congested and teething, which makes for a sad, snuggly, cranky baby.
      He is eating more and more solid type foods which is good. But since he has been sick, he has an aversion to others that he used to like. I can't decide if its because his nose is so stuffy that he can't taste it, or if its just his changing pallet. Jace loves to zoom all over the floor. He is seriously a fast crawler. He can weave in and out of tight spaces too with minimal head bonking. He is getting more and more daring about pulling himself up onto things. He does like to practice walking while he is holding onto the couch. And boy oh boy does he love to climb the stairs. Because we live in a basement apartment, I have had him practice the stairs all the time, so that I know that he can climb them. Thankfully though, he hasn't attempted to climb the stairs without me looking. He will crawl over to them, and just look at me, waiting to follow him over there. Or if I run upstairs to start laundry or something, he has been really good about just waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. I don't know how long this good behavior will last, but I am grateful that he hasn't had any tumbles down the stairs from trying to climb them himself.
      Jace still loves to give high-fives. He is more and more consistent with it these days. He is still pretty good at clapping also. We have been trying to teach him how to waive. He can kind of do it. It I don't think it means bye. I think it means more of, come here, I want you. But I am not sure. He makes the sign language sign for milk, which I have been teaching him. But I don't think it means milk. I could be wrong, but oh well. We will figure it out with time.
     He loves to talk. No real words yet just gibberish and lots of mumbling. But its just too cute. If I talk to him, he almost always talks back to me. He loves to mimic people too. If Nana coughs, Jace fake coughs. If some one sneezes, Jace fake coughs. It just makes me giggle. But I love that his mind is continually developing.
     Jace still loves to take baths. He is a big fan of splashing water EVERYWHERE. He loves his bath toys too. And lately has started crawling all over in the tub water. Silly kid. This month we haven't had any poop in the tub accidents. YAY!  And we haven't had any blowouts either.
     Jace loves to move all over the place and its hard to get him to sit still long enough to get a good picture. If I hold him he does ok. But getting him to sit still all by himself these days is impossible.
    He still doesn't sleep through the night, though we have been working on cutting out night feedings. He will wake up at the 4 hour mark, and usually within 5 minutes he has put himself back to sleep. The time has gotten shorter, and Paul and I don't always have to get up and comfort him, so that has been great. I keep holding my breath that one of these days it will just click, and my baby will sleep through the night. But I will just keep waiting because we aren't there yet.
     Jace loves to play with his friends Lainey and Lyla. I have been working out with my neighbor friend almost every day, and it has been fun to watch how the kids interact with each other. Sometimes Jace and Lyla push each other, and try to steal toys from one another. And sometimes they crawl side by side under the table and climb up the chairs together. It really is just too cute.
     Anyway. Thats the latest update on Jace. :)

 

Jace just looks so serious in the car. He loves being in is newer carseat because he can actually see out the windows. I used to have to sit in the back with him every time Paul drove us somewhere, but now that he has switched car seats, I rarely have to sit in the back with him. It's so fun to watch him. He watches everything out his side window or the back window.  

Jace and Lyla LOVE to play together. They are just so fun to watch together. In church they usually entertain each other quite well. We have had lots of comments from others telling us just how cute our kids are. 

When we play dominos or any game for that matter, Jace has to play with us. So as you can see, he is eating a delicious domino. 

Here we are practicing our selfies. Jace usually never smiles any more when I take pictures of him. But somehow we managed to get one here. 

"Here Mom, have some watermelon!"

Yay! Snow day! We love playing especially in the snow. 

The first snowman Jace has ever built, or really, watched me build. Haha

Jace just lovin the snow. 

Jace has started to really enjoy books more. Which makes me so so happy! I have his little board book drawer out so he can get into his books any time he wants. He is actually using his books more than he is using his toys! 

This is one of the best pictures we got of Jace for his 8 month pictures.

Cute little Jace is only happy when he is doing his own thing. 

Yep, happy when I am not forcing him to pose for pictures.