diff --git a/inst/include/common/data_object.hpp b/inst/include/common/data_object.hpp
index 19eb4a774..35defd6dd 100644
--- a/inst/include/common/data_object.hpp
+++ b/inst/include/common/data_object.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "model_object.hpp"
+#include "fims_vector.hpp"
 
 namespace fims_data_object {
 
diff --git a/inst/include/common/information.hpp b/inst/include/common/information.hpp
index 1b976ab4b..fe407c21d 100644
--- a/inst/include/common/information.hpp
+++ b/inst/include/common/information.hpp
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ class Information {
   }
   void setup_random_effects(){
     for(density_components_iterator it = this->density_components.begin(); it!= this->density_components.end(); ++it){
-      std::shared_ptr<fims_distributions::DensityComponentBase<Type> > n = (*it).second;
+      std::shared_ptr<fims_distributions::DensityComponentBase<Type> > d = (*it).second;
       if(d->input_type == "re"){
         variable_map_iterator vmit;
         vmit = this->variable_map.find(d->key[0]); 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ class Information {
   }
   void setup_data(){
     for(density_components_iterator it = this->density_components.begin(); it!= this->density_components.end(); ++it){
-      std::shared_ptr<fims_distributions::DensityComponentBase<Type> > n = (*it).second;
+      std::shared_ptr<fims_distributions::DensityComponentBase<Type> > d = (*it).second;
       if(d->input_type == "data"){
         variable_map_iterator vmit;
         vmit = this->variable_map.find(d->key[0]); 
diff --git a/inst/include/distributions/functors/lognormal_lpdf.hpp b/inst/include/distributions/functors/lognormal_lpdf.hpp
index 1822599c4..89e6eeae0 100644
--- a/inst/include/distributions/functors/lognormal_lpdf.hpp
+++ b/inst/include/distributions/functors/lognormal_lpdf.hpp
@@ -46,16 +46,16 @@ namespace fims_distributions
          */
         virtual const Type evaluate()
         {
-            this->logmu.resize(this->x.size());
-            this->logsd.resize(this->x.size());
-            this->lpdf_vec.resize(this->x.size());
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < this->x.size(); i++)
+            this->logmu.resize(this->x->size());
+            this->logsd.resize(this->x->size());
+            this->lpdf_vec.resize(this->x->size());
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < this->x->size(); i++)
             {
                 if (this->expected_values.size() == 1)
                 {
                     this->logmu[i] = this->expected_values[0];
                 } else {
-                  if(this->x.size() != this->expected_values.size()){
+                  if(this->x->size() != this->expected_values.size()){
                     /* move error handling to CreateModel in information so not to crash R
                     Rcpp::stop("the dimensions of the observed and expected values from lognormal negative log likelihood do not match");
                      */
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ namespace fims_distributions
                 {
                     logsd[i] = fims_math::exp(log_logsd[0]);
                 } else {
-                  if(this->x.size() != this->log_logsd.size()){
+                  if(this->x->size() != this->log_logsd.size()){
                     /* move error handling to CreateModel in information so not to crash R
                     Rcpp::stop("the dimensions of the observed and log logsd values from lognormal negative log likelihood do not match");
                      */
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ namespace fims_distributions
                     FIMS_SIMULATE_F(this->of)
                     { // preprocessor definition in interface.hpp
                         // this simulates data that is mean biased
-                        this->x[i] = fims_math::exp(rnorm(logmu[i], logsd[i]));
+                        this->x->at(i) = fims_math::exp(rnorm(logmu[i], logsd[i]));
                     }
                 }
                 #endif
diff --git a/inst/include/distributions/functors/normal_lpdf.hpp b/inst/include/distributions/functors/normal_lpdf.hpp
index 615441eef..3eda05a25 100644
--- a/inst/include/distributions/functors/normal_lpdf.hpp
+++ b/inst/include/distributions/functors/normal_lpdf.hpp
@@ -45,14 +45,14 @@ struct NormalLPDF : public DensityComponentBase<Type> {
      * @brief Evaluates the normal probability density function
      */
     virtual const Type evaluate(){
-        this->mu.resize(this->x.size());
-        this->sd.resize(this->x.size());
-        this->lpdf_vec.resize(this->x.size());
-        for(size_t i=0; i<this->x.size(); i++){
+        this->mu.resize(this->x->size());
+        this->sd.resize(this->x->size());
+        this->lpdf_vec.resize(this->x->size());
+        for(size_t i=0; i<this->x->size(); i++){
             if(this->expected_values.size() == 1){
                 this->mu[i] = this->expected_values[0];
             } else {
-              if(this->x.size() != this->expected_values.size()){
+              if(this->x->size() != this->expected_values.size()){
                 /* move error handling to CreateModel in information so not to crash R
                 Rcpp::stop("the dimensions of the observed and expected values from normal negative log likelihood do not match");
                  */
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ struct NormalLPDF : public DensityComponentBase<Type> {
             if(log_sd.size() == 1){
                 sd[i] = fims_math::exp(log_sd[0]);
             } else {
-              if(this->x.size() != this->log_sd.size()){
+              if(this->x->size() != this->log_sd.size()){
                 /* move error handling to CreateModel in information so not to crash R
                 Rcpp::stop("the dimensions of the observed and log sd values from normal negative log likelihood do not match");
                  */
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ struct NormalLPDF : public DensityComponentBase<Type> {
             lpdf += this->lpdf_vec[i];
             if(this->simulate_flag){
                 FIMS_SIMULATE_F(this->of){
-                    this->x[i] = rnorm(mu[i], sd[i]);
+                    this->x->at(i) = rnorm(mu[i], sd[i]);
                 }
             }
           #endif
diff --git a/inst/include/interface/rcpp/rcpp_objects/rcpp_tmb_distribution.hpp b/inst/include/interface/rcpp/rcpp_objects/rcpp_tmb_distribution.hpp
index 3badbd178..50694e9b3 100644
--- a/inst/include/interface/rcpp/rcpp_objects/rcpp_tmb_distribution.hpp
+++ b/inst/include/interface/rcpp/rcpp_objects/rcpp_tmb_distribution.hpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class DnormDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
 
   virtual double evaluate() {
     fims_distributions::NormalLPDF<double> dnorm;
-    dnorm.x.resize(this->x.size());
+    dnorm.x->resize(this->x.size());
     dnorm.expected_values.resize(this->expected_values.size());
     dnorm.log_sd.resize(this->log_sd.size());
     for(int i=0; i<x.size(); i++){
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class DnormDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
 
     // interface to data/parameter value
     distribution->id = this->id_m;
-    distribution->x.resize(this->x.size());
+    distribution->x->resize(this->x.size());
     for(int i=0; i<this->x.size(); i++){
       distribution->x->at(i) = this->x[i].value_m;
     }
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class DnormDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
       distribution->log_sd[i] = this->log_sd[i].value_m;
     }
 
-    info->distribution_models[distribution->id] = distribution;
+    info->density_components[distribution->id] = distribution;
 
     return true;
   }
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class DlnormDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
   virtual double evaluate() {
     fims_distributions::LogNormalLPDF<double> dlnorm;
     dlnorm.input_type = this->input_type;
-    dlnorm.x.resize(this->x.size());
+    dlnorm.x->resize(this->x.size());
     dlnorm.expected_values.resize(this->expected_values.size());
     dlnorm.log_logsd.resize(this->log_logsd.size());
     for(int i=0; i<x.size(); i++){
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ class DlnormDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
     // set relative info
     distribution->id = this->id_m;
     distribution->input_type = this->input_type;
-    distribution->x.resize(this->x.size());
+    distribution->x->resize(this->x.size());
     for(int i=0; i<this->x.size(); i++){
       distribution->x->at(i) = this->x[i].value_m;
     }
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class DlnormDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
       distribution->log_logsd[i] = this->log_logsd[i].value_m;
     }
 
-    info->distribution_models[distribution->id] = distribution;
+    info->density_components[distribution->id] = distribution;
 
     return true;
   }
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ class DmultinomDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
   virtual double evaluate() {
     fims_distributions::MultinomialLPMF<double> dmultinom;
     // Declare TMBVector in this scope
-    dmultinom.x.resize(this->x.size());
+    dmultinom.x->resize(this->x.size());
     dmultinom.expected_values.resize(this->expected_values.size());
     for(int i=0; i<x.size(); i++){
       dmultinom.x->at(i) = this->x[i].value_m;
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ class DmultinomDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
         std::make_shared<fims_distributions::MultinomialLPMF<Type>>();
 
     distribution->id = this->id_m;
-    distribution->x.resize(this->x.size());
+    distribution->x->resize(this->x.size());
     for(int i=0; i<this->x.size(); i++){
       distribution->x->at(i) = this->x[i].value_m;
     }
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ class DmultinomDistributionsInterface : public DistributionsInterfaceBase {
     distribution->dims[0] = this->dims[0];
     distribution->dims[1] = this->dims[1];
 
-    info->distribution_models[distribution->id] = distribution;
+    info->density_components[distribution->id] = distribution;
 
     return true;
   }
diff --git a/inst/include/population_dynamics/recruitment/functors/recruitment_base.hpp b/inst/include/population_dynamics/recruitment/functors/recruitment_base.hpp
index 28345cb76..9ea8a4bc7 100644
--- a/inst/include/population_dynamics/recruitment/functors/recruitment_base.hpp
+++ b/inst/include/population_dynamics/recruitment/functors/recruitment_base.hpp
@@ -66,29 +66,6 @@ struct RecruitmentBase : public fims_model_object::FIMSObject<Type> {
       const Type &spawners,
       const Type &ssbzero) = 0;  // need to add input parameter values
 
-  /** @brief Calculates the negative log likelihood of recruitment deviations.
-   *
-   */
-  virtual const Type evaluate_lpdf() {
-    Type lpdf = 0.0; /**< The log probability density function value */
-
-    if (!this->estimate_log_recruit_devs) {
-      return lpdf;
-    } else {
-#ifdef TMB_MODEL
-      fims_distributions::NormalLPDF<Type> dnorm;
-      dnorm.x = this->log_recruit_devs;
-      dnorm.expected_values.resize(this->log_recruit_devs.size());
-      dnorm.log_sd.resize(this->log_recruit_devs.size());
-      for (size_t i = 0; i < this->log_recruit_devs.size(); i++) {
-        dnorm.expected_values[i] = 0.0;
-        dnorm.log_sd[i] = this->log_sigma_recruit[0];
-      }
-      lpdf += dnorm.evaluate();
-#endif
-      return lpdf;
-    }
-  }
 
   /** @brief Prepare constrained recruitment deviations.
    *  Based on ADMB sum-to-zero constraint implementation. We still