-a monthly recap of some of the things I just don't want to forget-


John Paul

-has decided he would like a set of throwing knives for his birthday.  (No.)
-is working on mastering the "Papa baby soothing hold and bounce" at the training of the master.
-hit his first home run!

-in a newly desired fad has gotten his parents to relent on growing his hair out claiming "I want to look wild and messy!"  Battle choosing and independence fostering and all that.

-has been working during the past week of rain on a paper model of the St. Peter's Basilica.
-is desperate to camp out with his friends and has been asking for more "adventures."
-thought getting the 10 p.m. phone call that he had a new brother was one of his best memories.
-says the best thing about having a new baby brother is "his cuteness.  And just...himself."

Michael

-at the moment Ben makes the slightest sound, he is right there to soothe him and speaks to him with the sweetest voice.
-spearheaded the sweet welcome home banner that greeted me outside the door after the 18 hour hospital stay.

-took a brief stint mowing with the tractor while Papa supervised.
-is still waiting for those two front teeth to grow in.
-along with David and Luke has been wearing his team kickball shirt nonstop since the big family kickball game. 

-has been getting hits at almost every up to bat lately.
-didn't want to know if he had a brother or sister until we got home and wanted to be surprised.
-thinks one of the best things about a new baby brother is getting to snuggle him.

David

-declared out of the blue, "I love listening to the Mass readings in the morning because when you hear them, it's like, 'wow!'"
-played his first game of Ticket to Ride with his brothers on his own.  And won.
-was the first to come down with a stomach virus that knocked him out for a good three days.  And then began to spread.
-finished his preschool class with our homeschool center and was quite proud.
-still has hair that turns blonde first thing in the summer.

-says the best thing about having a new baby brother is "to love him."

Luke

(cheese face)

-was thrilled with Papa being home for two weeks.
-has started giving random hugs when he sees people.  Even people he doesn't know all that well.  But they're great hugs.
-is a big fan of sweeping the driveway which is actually really helpful since the maple trees were raining ridiculous amounts of propellers a few weeks ago.
-decided that yellow is his absolute favorite color and would like everything in yellow, please.
-has begun a maddening new phase of refusing to answer when you ask him a question.  This boy.  My sanctification.  
-in lieu of the above, won't tell his favorite thing about having a baby brother but he is pretty darn fond of him.

Ben

-was born :)
-decided that the best way to do that was feet first.
-already gives a heart melting smile once in a while.
-is not a big fan of the sleep.  He sleeps about 2 hour stretches at night.  He's taken a few long naps during the day when I have the sound machine on.  He seems more sensitive to noise and I'm really hoping that changes.
-gained two pounds by two and a half weeks.
-is already starting to lose some of that hair…right from the top :(  Ridiculous baby tonsure in process.