diff --git a/lib/pry/commands.rb b/lib/pry/commands.rb
index 5dc15b3b..a0c47efe 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 class Pry
+
+  # Default commands used by Pry.
+  # @notes
+  #   If you plan to replace the default Commands class with a custom
+  #   one then it must have a `commands` method that returns a Hash.
+  #   The Hash should be set up so that the key is the command String
+  #   (or Regexp)
   class Commands
     attr_accessor :out
     
@@ -10,23 +17,28 @@ class Pry
       @commands ||= {
         "!" => proc do |opts|
           out.puts "Refreshed REPL"
+          opts[:val].clear
           opts[:eval_string].clear
         end,
+        "!pry" => proc do |opts|
+          Pry.start(opts[:target])
+          opts[:val].clear
+        end,
         ["exit_program", "quit_program"] => proc do
           exit
         end,
         /^help\s*(.+)?/ => proc do |opts|
           param = opts[:captures].first
           self.show_help(param)
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         "nesting" => proc do |opts|
           self.show_nesting(opts[:nesting])
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         "status" => proc do |opts|
           self.show_status(opts[:nesting], opts[:target])
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         "exit_all" => proc do
           throw(:breakout, 0)
@@ -36,39 +48,39 @@ class Pry
         end,
         "ls" => proc do |opts|
           out.puts "#{opts[:target].eval('Pry.view(local_variables + instance_variables)')}"
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         /^cat\s+(.+)/ => proc do |opts|
           obj = opts[:captures].first
           out.puts opts[:target].eval("#{obj}.inspect")
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         /^cd\s+(.+)/ => proc do |opts|
           obj = opts[:captures].first
           opts[:target].eval("#{obj}.pry")
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         /^show_doc\s*(.+)/ => proc do |opts|
           meth_name = opts[:captures].first
           doc = opts[:target].eval("method(:#{meth_name})").comment
           out.puts doc
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         /^show_idoc\s*(.+)/ => proc do |opts|
           meth_name = opts[:captures].first
           doc = opts[:target].eval("instance_method(:#{meth_name})").comment
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         /^show_method\s*(.+)/ => proc do |opts|
           meth_name = opts[:captures].first
           code = opts[:target].eval("method(:#{meth_name})").source
           out.puts code
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         /^show_imethod\s*(.+)/ => proc do |opts|
           meth_name = opts[:captures].first
           code = opts[:target].eval("instance_method(:#{meth_name})").source
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         /^jump_to\s*(\d*)/ => proc do |opts|
           break_level = opts[:captures].first.to_i
@@ -77,22 +89,22 @@ class Pry
           case break_level
           when nesting.level
             out.puts "Already at nesting level #{nesting.level}"
-            opts[:eval_string].clear
+            opts[:val].clear
           when (0...nesting.level)
             throw(:breakout, break_level + 1)
           else
             max_nest_level = nesting.level - 1
             out.puts "Invalid nest level. Must be between 0 and #{max_nest_level}. Got #{break_level}."
-            opts[:eval_string].clear
+            opts[:val].clear
           end
         end,
         "ls_methods" => proc do |opts|
           out.puts "#{Pry.view(opts[:target].eval('public_methods(false)'))}"
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end,
         "ls_imethods" => proc do |opts|
           out.puts "#{Pry.view(opts[:target].eval('public_instance_methods(false)'))}"
-          opts[:eval_string].clear
+          opts[:val].clear
         end
       }
     end
@@ -100,6 +112,7 @@ class Pry
     def command_info
       @command_info ||= {
         "!" => "Refresh the REPL.",
+        "!pry" => "Start a Pry session on current self; this even works mid-expression.",
         ["exit_program", "quit_program"] => "end the current program.",
         "help" => "This menu.",
         "nesting" => "Show nesting information.",
diff --git a/lib/pry/core_extensions.rb b/lib/pry/core_extensions.rb
index 919f9342..fb8898bd 100644
--- a/lib/pry/core_extensions.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/core_extensions.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,28 @@
 class Pry
   module ObjectExtensions
+
+    # Start a Pry REPL.
+    # This method differs from `Pry.start` in that it does not
+    # support an options hash. Also, when no parameter is provided, the Pry
+    # session will start on the implied receiver rather than on
+    # top-level (as in the case of `Pry.start`).
+    # It has two forms of invocation. In the first form no parameter
+    # should be provided and it will start a pry session on the
+    # receiver. In the second form it should be invoked without an
+    # explicit receiver and one parameter; this will start a Pry
+    # session on the parameter.
+    # @param [Object, Binding] target The receiver of the Pry session.
+    # @example First form
+    #   "dummy".pry
+    # @example Second form
+    #    pry "dummy"
+    # @example Start a Pry session on current self (whatever that is)
+    #   pry
     def pry(target=self)
       Pry.start(target)
     end
 
+    # Return a binding object for the receiver.
     def __binding__
       if is_a?(Module)
         return class_eval "binding"
diff --git a/lib/pry/pry_class.rb b/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
index 11163263..350e5829 100644
--- a/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/pry_class.rb
@@ -19,45 +19,39 @@ class Pry
     # @return [Pry] The active Pry instance.
     attr_accessor :active_instance
     
-    # Set/Get the object to use for input by default by all Pry instances.
-    # (see input.rb)
+    # Get/Set the object to use for input by default by all Pry instances.
     # @return [#read] The object to use for input by default by all
     #   Pry instances.
     attr_accessor :input
 
-    # Set/Get the object to use for output by default by all Pry instances.
-    # (see: output.rb)
+    # Get/Set the object to use for output by default by all Pry instances.
     # @return [#puts] The object to use for output by default by all
     #   Pry instances.
     attr_accessor :output
 
-    # Set/Get the object to use for commands by default by all Pry instances.
-    # (see commands.rb)
+    # Get/Set the object to use for commands by default by all Pry instances.
     # @return [#commands] The object to use for commands by default by all
     #   Pry instances.
     attr_accessor :commands
 
-    # Set/Get the Proc to use for printing by default by all Pry
+    # Get/Set the Proc to use for printing by default by all Pry
     # instances.
-    # This is the 'print' componenent of the REPL.
-    # (see print.rb)
+    # This is the 'print' component of the REPL.
     # @return [Proc] The Proc to use for printing by default by all
     #   Pry instances.
     attr_accessor :print
 
     
-    # Set/Get the Hash that defines Pry hooks used by default by all Pry
+    # Get/Set the Hash that defines Pry hooks used by default by all Pry
     # instances.
-    # (see print.rb)
     # @return [Hash] The hooks used by default by all Pry instances.
     # @example
     #   Pry.hooks :before_session => proc { puts "hello" },
     #     :after_session => proc { puts "goodbye" }
     attr_accessor :hooks
 
-    # Set/Get the array of Procs to be used for the prompts by default by
+    # Get/Set the array of Procs to be used for the prompts by default by
     # all Pry instances.
-    # (see prompts.rb)
     # @return [Array<Proc>] The array of Procs to be used for the
     #   prompts by default by all Pry instances.
     attr_accessor :default_prompt
@@ -65,7 +59,8 @@ class Pry
 
   # Start a Pry REPL.
   # @param [Object, Binding] target The receiver of the Pry session
-  # @param options (see Pry#initialize)
+  # @param [Hash] options
+  # @option options (see Pry#initialize)
   # @example
   #   Pry.start(Object.new, :input => MyInput.new)
   def self.start(target=TOPLEVEL_BINDING, options={})
diff --git a/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb b/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
index 1c411642..eb7be03b 100644
--- a/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
@@ -14,11 +14,14 @@ class Pry
   #   commands. (see commands.rb)
   # @option options [Hash] :hooks The defined hook Procs (see hooks.rb)
   # @option options [Array<Proc>] :default_prompt The array of Procs
-  #   to use for the prompts.
-  # @option options [Proc] :print The Proc to use for the 'print' componenent of the REPL
+  #   to use for the prompts. (see prompts.rb)
+  # @option options [Proc] :print The Proc to use for the 'print'
+  #   component of the REPL. (see print.rb)
   def initialize(options={})
 
-    default_options = ConfigOptions.each_with_object({}) { |v, h| h[v] = Pry.send(v) }
+    h = {}
+    ConfigOptions.each { |v| h[v] = Pry.send(v) }
+    default_options = h
     default_options.merge!(options)
 
     ConfigOptions.each do |key|
@@ -68,7 +71,7 @@ class Pry
     target.eval("_ = Pry.last_result")
     
     break_level = catch(:breakout) do
-      nesting << [nesting.size, target_self]
+      nesting.push [nesting.size, target_self]
       loop do
         rep(target) 
       end
@@ -128,8 +131,8 @@ class Pry
     eval_string = ""
     loop do
       val = input.read(prompt(eval_string, target))
-      eval_string << "#{val.chomp}\n"
       process_commands(val, eval_string, target)
+      eval_string << "#{val.chomp}\n"
       
       break eval_string if valid_expression?(eval_string)
     end
@@ -139,7 +142,7 @@ class Pry
   # prior to Ruby expressions.
   # Commands can be modified/configured by the user: see `Pry::Commands`
   # This method should not need to be invoked directly - it is called
-  # by `Pry#r`
+  # by `Pry#r`.
   # @param [String] val The current line of input.
   # @param [String] eval_string The cumulative lines of input for
   #   multi-line input.
@@ -150,8 +153,10 @@ class Pry
     pattern, action = commands.commands.find { |k, v| Array(k).any? { |a| a === val } }
 
     if pattern
+      last_match = Regexp.last_match
+      
       options = {
-        :captures => $~ ? $~.captures : nil,
+        :captures => last_match ? last_match.captures : nil,
         :eval_string => eval_string,
         :target => target,
         :val => val,
@@ -211,7 +216,6 @@ class Pry
       true
     end
   end
-
   
   # Return a `Binding` object for `target` or return `target` if it is
   # already a `Binding`.