4.30.2012

Our Jacer is 4!

We celebrated with the family at Encanto Park's Enchanted Island.  It's perfect for 4 year olds.  Train ride, kiddie roller coaster, carousel, and lots of other carnival rides.  We had dinner at In & Out and then opened gifts and had ice cream cake.  The favorite gift was a Spiderman football from Papa and Grandma Stoddard.  On the drive home, Jace said "This is the BEST birthday ever!"  So cute.

A few size stats about Jace:  He's 33 lbs, which only puts him in the 24%.  But that's up from his 2 year old 12%, when he only weighed 24 lbs.  He's 39.5" tall, which is in the 33%. It'll be so interesting to see if any of this carries over to his size as a teenager or adult.  I cant imagine me and Brad producing someone so small but Brad's Grandpa Stoddard is short and thin so I guess it's possible.

We had his 6 month hearing check up and his hearing has not gotten any worse!  That's good news because they dont know if his hearing loss is degenerative or if it is as bad as it will get.  We see great improvement in his speech in just these 6 months that he's had the hearing aids and is in preschool with weekly speech therapy.  He is definitely using more ending sounds to words and making lots more consonant sounds.  Some of the progression of his language is so cute.  He still often says "nakes" instead of "snake" or "houssssssse" instead of just "house" or "matey" instead of "maybe".  He is pretty shy and intimidated by crowds but at home with just our family he is a loudy, loud talker/singer.  He sings at the top of his lungs all day long. "I will GO, I will DO... the things the ward commands".  :)  Or he sings his own songs without words.  I wish I could read his thoughts while he's doing that.

He has started using an imaginary friend to tell stories about.  No matter what we are talking about or what someone does, Jace's "friend" has done or said something similar.  "Mom, my friend caught a lizard at his house too!"  Lots of times these stories about his "friend" are total make-believe and I think those are my favorite.  "My friend saw a rainbow with only ONE color!  Isn't that crazy?" 

Jace is the defender of his brothers.  At the gym, he sits on the floor in the baby area with Gavin the whole time.  When I pick them up, he wants to quickly go play basketball or computer games before we leave because all he's done for the hour I'm gone is just sit and play with Gavin.  I keep telling him he doesn't have to stay by Gavin the whole time and he says "But what if he cries?"  So sweet.  He also defends Cohen if he's in trouble or losing a wrestling match with Dad. 

He likes school and his "two classes" at church but he'd rather be home than anywhere else.  He loves Dallin, Grandma Lindsay, Emmett, Daddy and his brothers.  He and Gavin play so well.  Jace loves to take Gavin with him to hide in the closet or cubbard.  He loves to crawl around on the floor with Gavin, growling or squealing.  He would follow Cohen to the ends of the earth.  He wants whatever Popsicle color that Cohen chooses. 

This kid is also a total comedian.  He likes to put both legs into one leg hole of his shorts and then try to run around the house like a mermaid.  The pediatrician asked him what his favorite food was and he said "lollipops" with a long giggle.  The doctor asked him what kind of pizza he likes and he said, "lollipop pizza" and then giggled for 30 seconds.  :)  Brad was getting him a shirt and asked, "Jace what color shorts are you wearing?"  Jace yelled back, "PINK!" And then cracked up. 

Above all, my favorite thing about 4 year old Jace is when he says, "Mom, I want you nuggle me."  He still loves to be held and snuggled and tickled.  I love to hold out one if his arms and then play guitar on his belly.  That really cracks him up and I cant ever get enough of that giggle!  The whiney voice, I will be happy to see him grow out of, but that giggle is heaven.

2 comments:

Amanda said...

what a doll!

Mary Postert said...

This post is so cute. You will love having this several years down the road. He is so adorable.