Praying mantis hands

So once upon a time ... Eli in all his glory ... was hanging off the banister and spotted a praying mantis.  He become very still.  And that praying mantis looked right into Eli's eyes.  And they stared at each other in wonder.  And then that praying mantis got angry with little Eli.  And then that praying mantis started moving his arms up and down in a manner that warned Eli he was about to attack.  Then that praying mantis did.

From that moment on .. Eli became obsessed with that creature.  The way it moves.  The way it eats.  But okay, mostly the way it uses it's arms right before it's going to attack.

Eli does the "praying mantis hands" ALL THE FREAKING TIME.  It drives me to want to attack him myself.  I am CONSTANTLY saying  when I walk in the room "NO PRAYING MANTIS HANDS".  He forgets.  Or never remembers.  Either way it's annoying.  The way he does it.  The face he makes while doing it.  I want to roll over on the floor and throw a tantrum.

Sometimes he'll even walk in a room doing it .. see me and abruptly stop in the middle of the "hands" action.

About a month into this .. my sister sends me a random text ...so clearly the mantis is following my family.  I can't even remember the last time I've actually seen one.

Another example of the hands .... very end of the video he ends his talented feat .. with ... those .. damn ... hands ...

I'm not even sure why I'm blogging this.  Or why I find it so annoying.  Or funny.  Or why Eli does the things he's does.  But it's now recorded.  For generations to come.  Maybe someday he'll show his own kid how to do praying mantis hands.  Who knows.  All I know ... is that he needs to stop.