big little brother

Last night we had a birthday party for our dear friend Amie and had a few of her friends join us for dinner. Three of the friends who attended were the McPeak brothers (Joel, Ryan and Levi) who seem to bring out the wild and crazy side of our children. Ella and Simon look forward to seeing the McPeaks more than any little friend as they get some seriously rowdy play time with these guys. There's always chasing, wrestling, crazy faces and imaginative games. (I love the McPeaks' sense of fun and childlike-ness!) Early in the evening, Levi had put on a string of beads that Simon put up quite a fuss about. Simon became territorial about them and insisted Levi give them back to him so he could wear them. After dinner, the rough play ensued and Levi was wrestling with them on the living room floor. Just as he pretended he was going to bite Ella on her foot, Simon stepped in and protested, "HEY! NO! That's my SISTER!" Then he took off the beaded necklace and offered it to Levi. "Here. You can have this." Wow! It really blew my mind that, not only did he stick up for his sister, but he wanted to exchange a peace offering to ensure her safety. What a guy!

Joel and Levi McPeak