torture...

People often ask me if the boys fight.  My standard response any more is that they are worst enemies and best friends, all in one.  They will wrestle and fight, then get up, brush off the dust, and hug each other.

Seriously.  This is my life.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, my parents thoroughly enjoyed watching the boys play, and how they interact with each other.  One particular morning (Friday or Saturday - I don't remember which) they showed Mawmaw and Pawpaw just how well they know each other.

Jackson was playing in the living room, stacking plastic containers that help us organize toys.  Each container is about a foot long, and maybe 6-7 inches high - pretty good size.  About 6 high reaches Jackson's height, but he's gotten as many as 8 stacked on top of each other.  He LOVES stacking the containers.

The problem is, Lincoln likes knocking the containers down.  :-)

So, that morning, Jackson would stack them.  Lincoln would knock them down.  Jackson would get mad.  This went on for a while, until I put Lincoln on a chair in the kitchen. 

Things were going well - Jackson was playing, and Lincoln was just sitting in the kitchen talking with me and mom.  A while later, Jackson walked out into the kitchen, and went over by the window seat in the breakfast knook.  Lincoln was sitting on a chair near the living room.  He waited until Jackson rounded the table, and OFF HE WENT.  He was running into the living room to knock down the containers while Jackson was in the kitchen and couldn't fight back. 

I would say Lincoln was about 3/4 of the way to the containers when Jackson' little antenae went up with the distress signal.  You could physically see him stiffen up like he instantly knew he had let his guard down and was in trouble.  Then, we heard the containers go flying, watched Jackson run to the living room to assess the damage, and saw Lincoln come running back out to the kitchen - laughing and wearing the most triumphant cheezy grin you've ever seen.

I know as a mom I should have disciplined Lincoln again, but I was completely powerless.  He was so proud of himself for getting one over on his brother.  And watching the whole scene unfold was comical. 

Plus, it was hard to be upset with the little guy when Mawmaw was laughing right along with him.  Even the mention of this story gets her snickering.

See...Pawpaw isn't the ONLY bad influence!