attack of the stinker

Ben's orneriness seems to be increasing lately, and it apparently really steps up to new levels when he's exhausted. He refused to take more than a 45-minute nap yesterday, so by dinnertime he was in full stinker mode. After multiple incidences of him grabbing something he wasn't supposed to, and then turning and running, I couldn't keep it in any longer--I burst out laughing at the sight and sound of Ben running circles around the table and Sean shrieking along behind him, trying desperately to retrieve whatever Ben stole from him. I know I won't be laughing after years of this, but for one moment last night, I enjoyed the hilarity of it. Much to Chris's dismay, since he was having a *very* hard time disciplining anybody with me laughing my head off a room away.

And I think Sean tried to get even this morning. Ben, apparently, started playing with something that I had just told the boys to leave alone, and I turned around in time to hear Sean say to him, "No, Ben, no! Me give you 'pankin'!" Fun times.