John Paul

-has been so helpful and considerate lately.  I really really like seeing this kid grow up.
-will read anything.  Even the coupons that come in the mail engross him.  (See above.)
-has been leading his brothers in building a castle out of the concrete and debris pile in the next door lot.
-has a blossoming love for football.
-joins his new friends for lunch at the learning center every week.  It makes my heart so happy to see him developing friendships with some really great kids.
-has been becoming interested in origami.  I was surprised when I came home late the other night to a beautiful lotus flower he spent an hour making.
-says that "airplanes and gliders" are his favorite thing to learn about.

Michael

-admitted out of the blue, "Sometimes I don't let all my strength show.  I sometimes hide it."

I think that might just be the best way to put it, sweet boy.
-has been answering the questions that Father poses during the Mass before their weekly learning center classes with so much enthusiasm.  Father calls them up to answer and Michael's face just beams.
-surprised be with, "Mama?  I think I'm going to fast a lot and pray every day so that I can be like a saint."  Go for it, kiddo.
-if he could turn into any animal would choose to be a golden eagle.  "NOT a bald."
-went to work with Papa today and was all smiles at breakfast.  His most fervent goal for the day is to get a ham sub for lunch.
-says reading is his favorite thing to learn about.

David

-ever the family planning guru, suggested that "we need to move to a new house so then we will have a baby.  You'll get one in your womb.  Actually, I think there is one there now.  One might be JUST MADE."
-loves his preschool class at the learning center.  Any exciting thing that happens he asks if he can tell his teacher and he feels so very big walking down the hallway to his classroom by himself.
-has a recently developed nail biting thing going on.
-was overheard discussing plans in bed with Michael for a new boys' group they're going to create.  "We'll have yellow shirts that we have to wear.  And at the meeting first we'll pray a Rosary then do a craft.  The first week we can make rosaries.  The next week we'll make paper flowers that we can give to the Little Flowers (the girls' group)."  Heart melter.
-declared, "I really want to be a cheetah dragon because then I can breathe fire and protect people and people can ride on me."
-says "the world.  Like what there is and what state and what animals and stuff" is his favorite thing to learn about.  "I am learning some about the world in my science.  There's fish in the arctic.  And whales.  I think."

Luke

-has begun using "hey" whenever he wants my attention.  "Hey Mama, hey Mama, hey Mama.  May I have some water?"
-can sport the cutest scowl face you've ever seen.
-warned Brian several times one morning, "Be careful, Papa, fall is coming."
"Luke, do you know what fall is?"
"Fall.  The things.  They will fall on top of our van."
I would love to know what fall actually looks like in his head.
-sleeps consistently through the night and has been for a few months.  He gets up around 6 but I will take that anyway for a full night's sleep.
-BUT has been fighting naps hardcore.  He can get out of his crib sooo quietly.  Several times recently he has decided to change into pajamas while supposedly napping.  I didn't even know he could pull that off himself.
-entertains us constantly.  Lately he's been putting on random goofy dancing shows just to make us laugh.
-would probably currently choose the ever-favorite Richard Scarry book Cars and Trucks and Things that Go and where Goldbug is on every page as his favorite thing to learn about.  Quite scholarly ;)