One of these days they'll start fighting the strict dress code we enforce for Sunday Mass... But until then, they  absolutely love dressing up!  John Paul especially likes it if he gets to match Andrew - the other day he narrated the whole time he was getting dressed, "Put on seersucker pants...  Just wike Dad.  And a belt just wike Dad!  And a white shirt just wike Dad....  And a BOWTIE just wike Dad!!!  AND BWOWN SHOES just wike DAD!"

A Prayer to St. John Chrysostom

As requested & composed by John Paul before bedtime:

"Oh...  GWEAT St. John.

Hewper of all the saints...

Hewp all the saints in...  December.

And September.

And Febuawy?





Amen."

Mom's work

The kids LOVE going to Mom's work.  There are hallways they can run in, grown ups who think they're cute, and their latest find - a mural and dry paintbrushes!

They found the used paintbrushes and had a BLAST pretending to paint the mural that was already on the wall.

And looked pretty cute while they did it!

Although John Paul was the only one tall enough to reach...

And he proved what a good big brother he is by trading paint brushes with Cecilia whenever she decided she'd rather have his.

I think I'll need to get them a few of those foam paintbrushes for home and let them "paint" in the bathtub or something - who knew pretend play could be so fun? 

Cooperative play

The kids are doing a lot more playing *together* lately.  Mostly it's initiated by Cecilia because she freaks out if John Paul wants to do something that wasn't her idea...  Here they are doing a puzzle together - John Paul puts the whole thing together and Cecilia hands him pieces, telling him what she has found.  "Minnie Mouse HAND!  Minnie Mouse EYES!"

John Paul wanted to help me cut up squash for dinner, so he got a squash end and a table knife.  And of course Cecilia had to join in.  And they both ended up eating raw squash...  

They've also been doing lots of physical play - Cecilia tackles John Paul to the floor, Cecilia chases John Paul around and hugs him when she catches him, etc.  But there's no way John Paul can tackle Cecilia, or she'll freak the heck out!  Ah, a little dictator who takes after her mom...

How to start your day

When you're 3 years old and a little obsessed with saints, it's necessary to sit on the steps reading your dad's saints book before eating breakfast.

It's pretty hilarious hearing the excited squeals...  "St. WENCESLAUS!  The conversion of St. PAUL!  St. Thomas AQUINAS!!!"

Not to mention hearing him try to sound out some of these names...  You try sounding out St. Turibius of Mongrovejo with limited of the phonetics of a different language!

Some of these pictures aren't all that PG-rated, so eventually the book may have to be hidden, depending on how he handles nudity when he's older...  Thankfully there weren't any questions about the pincers being taken to St. Agatha (just google the picture, you'll find it...) when he found it during Mass!