The Instigator

I realize that often I write more about Evan. This has nothing to do with favoritism. Nor is it a result of Eli being boring or any less bright than his brother. Quite the contrary, Eli is just as quirky, smart and funny as his brother. Evan just happens to be what Pat and I refer to as a "resource hog", meaning he commands a disproportional amount of time and attention. Not to mention that his anctics are usually noteworthy.

However, since we've been home from India, Eli has been changing rapidly and becoming his own little person. And while there is a strong family resemblance, he couldn't be any more different than his brother. For starters he likes to play quietly by himself. A most golden trait and clearly one he did not learn from Evan.

He also enjoys instigating trouble, which is perhaps his most amusing trait, and clearly one he inherited from his father. Eli loves to rile up his brother. And while it is often funny, it can also be frustrating. Eli will toddle by and pull his brother's hair, or give him a playful shove. Or best of all, yell - just for sport. This makes Evan (and me) crazy. In response, Evan will scream back in anger. Sensing a game, Eli will scream again. Back and forth they scream, Evan in anger, Eli for fun. My efforts at a talking resolution are usually screamed over, and then I too have to yell to be heard. Good times. This fun little exercise usually ends with a distraction for Eli and a reprimand for Evan, who just doesn't seem to understand that his screaming makes it worse.

But the boys have plenty of fun together too. They wrestle and play ball together, and they have also invented their own games of restaurant and library that they quietly and happily play together. A little brother was just what Evan needed.

Eli is a funny little guy and had been the perfect addition to our lives. In addition to his screaming and instigating, he has many other hobbies including:

Unrolling entire rolls of toilet paper.
Putting scraps of said TP into the toilet.
Throwing and retrieving his ball
Walking like Frankenstein
Growling
Playing Legos
Harassing his brother