6 Months

Six months old already? Half a year! I know I say this every time, but he's seriously growing up so fast. At six months, Jace...

-Gasps with joy. When he really wants something, or is playing with a toy he just loves, he inhales sharply and audibly, like an adult might do if they saw something frightening. 

-Loves to watch Nemo...and only Nemo. We tried a showing him The Incredibles and a Baby Einstein video on our road trip to McCall, but he wasn't at all interested.

-Says /w, p, b, g/ consonants. /b/ is his favorite, and we have also heard him use /d/ a couple of times. He babbles more often than he coos or squeals.

-Loves to play ball, and watch it too. He also likes to listen to my music, and smiles when I turn on songs he recognizes.

-Is starting to show some early signs of stranger-danger. When he's upset, only Colt or I can calm him down.
-Gets a major kick out of watching videos of himself. Even babies have narcissistic tendencies #babyselfie 

-Sits up like a champ. He reaches for toys and objects while sitting, and puts his hands down to catch himself when he wobbles.

-Has started eating some solids.  I usually present the spoon, and he grabs it and puts it in his mouth by himself. He loves greek yogurt with mashed peaches, although he doesn't enjoy them as much separately. Avocado, watermelon, and green smoothie are a few other favorites. He likes applesauce when it's warm but not when it's cold. Actually, he doesn't really like anything cold. Rice cereal has not been well-received. 

-Is starting to move a little on his belly, and tries to get his knees underneath him. We'll have a mover sometime soon!

-Hugs and snuggles into our necks like a baby koala bear-then pinches the softest skin he can find, or pulls my hair. So painful.

-Loves the exersaucer. Thanks Auntie Alisha and Uncle Matt for the loan!

-Enjoys naps on his giraffe mat or in the swing in the living room.

-Laughs more frequently, but usually when we aren't trying to make him giggle. He can sniff out when we're trying too hard, and he's not really one to throw us a bone. There's been a few times I've made a complete a-word out of myself trying to get him to laugh, and he just looks at me like: "Yeah, we both know what you are, and it sure isn't funny." No pity-laughs here.

-Loves swimming in the pool, and really liked his first boat ride. Me-thinks we've got a little water-baby!

-New favorite toys include his dump truck, and a set of stackable colored wooden rings.

I'm sure people who read through this think I'm a little bit crazy and a lot a bit boring. But I'm a new parent, and even these seemingly trivial things are brand new for Jace. He's never done them before, and it's so fun to watch him change. It makes me sad to think that I will forget quite a bit, so I try to record as much as I can. Seriously, I have a list on my phone and everything. Thanks for being patient with my "new mom-ness."

This kid. He's just the cat's pajamas. 

Christensen Family Reunion, 2015

 "It's always better when we're together." My boys eatin' dinner.

Jace's first-ever boat ride! He wasn't so sure about the life jacket at first...

...but once the boat started moving, the smile never left his face.

Naps were taken with Papa Todd, who couldn't get enough of his gran'baby.

Outdoor naps are the best naps, aren't they? 

Especially when "outdoors" is at the lake!

I don't have many pictures from our reunion, but I love the ones I've got! 

Some highlights included:

-Jace's first boat ride.

-Naps outside with Papa Todd.

-Watching my hilarious parents win the horseshoe tournament.

-The Family Talent Show. We really didn't want to do it, but my sisters and I ended up performing the "Cups" song from Pitch Perfect. My sisters played the cups, and my brother-in-law and I sang the song that goes with it. 

-Family Testimony Meeting. I love hearing my family testify of their love for the Savior and faith in the gospel of Christ.

-Jace kicking butt on the 8 hour drive (so much Nemo).

-Exchanging "most embarrassing moment" stories over the campfire (lets be real, my whole life is one long string of embarrassing moments). This was NOT Colt's favorite part, however.

-Tying for the win with my sister during the Family 5K. I didn't think I'd even be able to run a 5K after a year of pregnancy/mommyhood. Our bodies are amazing things, my friends.

-An evening ride on the 4-wheeler with Colt, after we put Jace to bed (except Jace woke up while we were gone, and was inconsolable until we returned).

-Seeing my cousin's cute little kids. I can't believe how big they've gotten! It was too much fun watching them rough-house and play with each other.

I love my family, and I love our reunions. Grandpa loved them, too. He wasn't with us there physically this year, and it felt a little emptier without him, but I believe he was there in spirit. There's no way he would have missed that horseshoe tournament. ;) 

Grammy and Aunty Lou Come to Town

 

July has been a busy month! The week before last, Colton's mom and his sister Lindsey came to visit, traveling all the way from Colorado and Michigan. It was the first time JJ met his Aunty Lou, and he took to her right away. He lit up every time she even glanced in his direction, most likely because his baby-radar picked up on the fact that she is the sweetest person in the world. I still need to go through all of our pictures, because I realized I don't have any of JJ with his Grammy Pearl and Aunt Lindsey! Well, I do, in my email. But not saved to my phone, which is much more convenient for blogging purposes. I need to fix that and post a few with Grammy and Lindsey, because Jace loved his visitors, and it showed.

While they were here, we went to Lighthouse Park and walked the short trail along the coast. Jace loved sitting on the beach and digging his fingers and toes into the rocky sand. We also rode the ferry to Whidbey Island, where we drove to a secluded beach and collected seashells, skipped rocks on the water, and explored the island a bit. On Saturday morning, we hiked the short trail to Snohomish Falls. Colt and I had never been before, and it was fun to show Terri and Linds some of the beautiful scenery we get to enjoy out here in the Great Northwest. 

We had such a great time. I love my in-laws. Thanks for coming, ladies! Come again soon (that's an order!). 

Home Improvement

Tonight's FHE.

Nailed it. ;)

The 4th of July

On Friday, we headed out to Yakima to spend the 4th of July with my sister-in-law and her family. We were a little apprehensive because it was supposed to be 108 degrees, and we weren't sure what we were going to do with Jace in that kind of heat. We needn't have worried. It was HOT, but we still found plenty of fun things to do. 

A friend of Matt and Alisha's offered to have us over to pick cherries from her cherry orchard. We filled our baskets with Bing and Rainier cherries (except for Colton, who ate everything he picked), and also snagged some of the bright red cherries that are used for cooking. Later that night, Matt and Alisha used their cherries to make a homemade pie for the 4th. So. Good. 

On Saturday, we got the babes ready for the day, then Matt and Alisha filled up a small inflatable pool in the backyard so the littles could "swim." It was quite toasty outside, but we sat under the shade of a big red umbrella and misted our feet with the hose to keep cool. Jace joined in on the fun after he finished his marathon nap (which, may I add, what the heck?! With few exceptions, Jace naps for no more than 30 minutes tops at home. But, when we go out of town, he'll nap for up to an hour and forty-five minutes. No complaints here!), and he loved sitting in the water, playing with toys, and watching his cousins. 

I was a little worried about how Jace would do with his cousins, Bailey and Bentley. Some of the other little kids we've been around have been a bit rough with Jace. I really don't feel like I'm super over-protective; I understand that kids are kids, and that entails being on the business end of a pinch or a smack every now and again. And Jace is pretty tough for a baby. But I don't love when my guileless 5 month old receives a five-finger slap to the face from a three year old with an agenda (attempts have been made in the past). Again, I needn't have worried. Seriously, Bailey is the sweetest, most helpful 4 year old I have ever seen. She loves babies, and was constantly snuggling Jace, trying to make him laugh, giving him kisses when he was sad, and was heard to say on more than one occasion "Oh, Dace, I dust yuv you." He adored her. And Bentley, who is just over a year old, was SO gentle! He would toddle over to where Jace sat in his bouncer, reach out, and oh-so-very-softly stroke Jace's face and hair with his fingertips. We had zero incidents, because Jace has the best little cousins around. Love you, Bailey and Bentley! We miss you already! 

We barbecued and had a delicious 4th of July feast. Colt and I didn't make it to see fireworks, although we did manage to stay up late enough to watch Bailey and Bentley shriek with laughter as they tossed poppers on the back patio. We sort of regretted staying up as late as we did, though, because Jace was up pretty much all night long. I lost track of how many times he woke up, but it was somewhere in the teens. Yikes. I don't think I want to talk about it. Still too fresh.

 Other than that, though, we had so much fun. After spending the 4th of July on the east coast last year (I can't believe it's been a whole year!), it was so great to be able to spend the holiday with family. I love the 4th, and otterpops, and fireworks, and babies, and baby cousins, and kiddy pools in the backyard, and cherry picking, and sunshine, and Colton, and Matt and Alisha, and...I loved that pie. 

Jonah Days

Grocery store battle wounds

A Jonah day is essentially a very difficult, taxing, awful day-the kind of day Jonah from the Bible must have had (I imagine running away from God and getting swallowed by a whale makes for a pretty rough time). I'm currently re-reading the Anne of Green Gables series, one of my favorites from childhood, and I just finished a chapter in which Anne has her very own a terrible, awful, no-good, very bad day. She wakes up extremely cranky, with a toothache to boot, but nonetheless decides to go into work. She spends the day in a constant state of irritation, criticizing and snapping at her beloved pupils, giving everyone the evil eye...she was basically throwin' salt all day. By the time she gets home that night, she feels utterly ashamed and terribly guilty, and breaks down in tears as she recounts her transgressions to Marilla. 

As a new mom, I'm afraid I can relate to that feeling of guilt; the one you experience when you realize you've not been as patient as you wish you'd been; the shame you feel at getting so completely frustrated and overwhelmed.

A couple of days ago, Jace and I had our first ever bonafide meltdown at the grocery store. I take full responsibility. It happened the day after we got back into town after spending the weekend with family. We were all a little tired, and at our house at least, it takes a day or two before our heads are completely back in the game. Long story short, I  didn't think things through very carefully, and I forgot all of the emergency supplies I might need in case disaster struck (paci, blanket, lovie, etc). I also brought Jace in the umbrella stroller, completely underestimating how much I needed and how difficult it would be to push a stroller while trying to carry a heavy basket of groceries (hashtag first world problems). But I couldn't use a cart, because I was already pushing JJ in his stroller. When Jace started screaming, which he rarely does, I didn't know what to do. My toolbox, unlike my grocery basket, was literally empty. I ended up having to hold Jace with one arm, carry the grocery basket on my left forearm, and use my left hand to haphazardly push the stroller through the store with a gallon of milk sitting in the seat instead of a baby. My arm has several small bruises from where the basket handles were digging into my skin.

For the first time since he was born, I was THAT mom at the grocery store. People passing by were looking at me sympathetically, making comments like "Poor baby..." and "Oh, this must be the little guy I heard all the way over in the pharmacy", or looking at me as if to say: "Aren't you going to DO something about that?" An older lady pushing her cart in the opposite direction stopped to let me know that my baby was obviously "terrified," and that his cry was clearly a "scared cry." Part of me wanted to tell her to stuff it, because I was hormonal and tired, but thankfully I bit it back and just replied that it very well could be, although we've been to this store many times and this hadn't happened before. I've come to recognize that I am a touch prideful, and I don't love it when people tell me about my baby. He did seem pretty panicked, though, and when I picked him up out of the stroller, he immediately stopped crying. So I guess the old lady took home a win along with her groceries that day. 

We've had a few Jonah days this week (more like Jonah moments, really. The days aren't ALL bad). Jace has been a bit more fussy and clingy then normal, and we aren't sure why. I find myself letting the frustration and the resultant fear and guilt about having those feelings take away from the fun and happy moments, which is sad, because there are so many. Sometimes I look back on the day and realize I spent so much time feeling exasperated from trying to get JJ to do what I want him to do, or what I think he needs to do (like nap), that I didn't enjoy my time with him when he was awake-I was too frustrated with him! And this time goes so fast. He won't always be this little and sweet and completely dependent on me. And to top it all off, I know that he's not trying to irritate me, or make me angry; he's just being a baby! Why am I so quick to lose patience?! I feel like the worst mom even writing this. Am I the only one? I suspect not.

  But I feel so guilty and ashamed those days.

"'Marilla, I don't see how I can ever look those children in the face again...You don't know how cross and hateful and horrid I was...I have tried so hard to be patient...and now it has all gone for nothing.'

When Anne's sobs grew quieter, Marilla said, very gently for her, 'We all make mistakes, but people forget them. And Jonah days come to everybody. Never mind. This day's done and there's a new one coming tomorrow, with no mistakes in it yet."' 

-Anne of Avonlea

I think the adversary knows the most surefire way to cut me down personally is to make me feel guilty. I don't do well when I feel guilty and afraid. I think I need to learn to let God carry my frustration in the hard moments, and accept that it's just part of parenthood. Feeling frustrated or angry sometimes is completely normal, and it doesn't make me a bad mom, or mean that I'll snap and go crazy one day. I just need to learn to not let the frustrating moments keep me from fully enjoying, embracing, and appreciating the many beautiful moments of motherhood. And, when I do experience a frustrating moment, I need to accept it for what it is, give it to God, let go of the guilt and fear that follows, and remember that after every hard day, there is the promise of a fresh start tomorrow. Because I have such a precious blessing in my sweet little boy. He has brought so much light into our home. I love him to pieces, even on the hard days.

Jonah days do come to everybody, not just me. And that's ok. There's always tomorrow. And it's as fresh and clean as my little babe after tubby-time.

5 Months

Technically, he won't be 5 months for three more days. But that's close enough, right? At (almost) five months, Jace...

-Is purposefully reaching for and grabbing whatever looks interesting-toys, books,  kitchen utensils, my hair...and it all goes right in his mouth.

-Does little baby crunches, lifting his head and shoulders off the ground while laying on his back. It's pretty impressive, but sort of ineffective, given his tummy still has more rolls than a Swedish bakery. Sorry little dude.

-Uses his legs to scoot himself backwards on his back, pushing off the floor or Colt's legs.

-Turns his head towards Colt and I when we call him by his various nicknames (including JJ, peanut, peanut butter, and pickle. I never claimed they were flattering nicknames).

-Is sitting up! He's still a little wobbly when he sits upright without using his hands for support, but he's holding it longer and longer everyday. He's not happy on his back or tummy for long periods of time anymore, because he wants to show off his mad sitting skillz.

-Has randomly started grabbing my hand so he can suck on my fingers. Apparently his own will no longer suffice.

-Is not eating solids yet, but has had tiny tastes of several different foods, including guacamole, salsa, smoothies, oatmeal, and...ice cream (for shame, Papa Todd!). I didn't realize how hard it is to keep other people from giving your child food. It all happens so fast. He also isn't a huge fan of really cold foods, like my smoothie.
-Is starting to lift his belly off the floor entirely during tummy time.

-Has a million different smiles, and has started making the funniest faces. When I laugh, he  will do the same face over and over again because he loves a good reaction.

-Has become a bit of a scaredy-cat! Mostly of abrupt or loud noises and voices, like when someone laughs suddenly or I turn on the blender. But he's also not fond of chickens, and randomly, he became terrified in the grocery store for no obvious reason. We've been there a million times with zero issues, but he got very scared the other day. He was inconsolable until I took him out of his stroller for a snuggle. It's funny because Colt can throw him in the air, turn him upside down, and basically flip him around like a Chinese acrobat, and Jace just smiles and squeals with joy. It's sad when he's afraid...but also sort of adorable because the face he makes is literally the cutest thing I have ever seen.

-Has laughed a few times after his happy squeals, but it's not a regular thing yet.

-Is refusing to sleep in his crib for naps, after MONTHS of doing so. I'm too tired to fight that battle right now, so the swing it shall be.

-Shakes his head back and forth while laying down, like he's saying no. He thinks it's hilarious, because it is.

-Is looking more like Colt every day.

-Is the happiest, smiliest little guy.

No one person has ever been able to make me so intensely frustrated one moment, then so filled with love and joy the next. I can be upset and irritated with him for being such a baby...and then he looks at me and smiles like I'm his number one lady, and I melt into a little mommy puddle.