February 25, 2005 - Friday
Today was kind of the best and worse of Harry. This morning I had to tell Jeremy that Harry was going to be picked up from school by Connor's mother. Of course, Jeremy got sad because he wasn't going to get to go to Connor's house, too. He walked out of my room and over to the stairs whimpering. Harry, downstairs at the time, heard him and from my room I could hear Harry asking Jeremy why he was so sad. He asked several times, very sincerely, and ultimately seemed to get Jeremy to smile and laugh. He's a very thoughtful and sweet boy.

This afternoon after playing at Connor's I took the boys on two quick errands, to the Pet store and to Trader Joe's. In the Pet store parking lot Harry ran past and almost knocked over Jeremy in order to get to the car first. It's something I've seen before and I think it's just part of being first, being the "line leader." I've never seen it has something particularly aggressive, just result of Harry being faster and Jeremy being less stable on his 3-year-old feet. But, I pulled Harry aside and warned him about being pushy. Later, inside Trader Joe's, Harry all of a sudden yells out that Jeremy has pushed him. I didn't see it happen, but I'm pretty sure Jeremy has been right by my legs the whole time, so I kind of ignore Harry's claim. Then in the parking lot on the way back to the car, Harry again comes running from behind Jeremy to get to the car first, but this time it appears to me that he purposefully pushes him over. Jeremy does fall and starts to cry.

I'm baffled. I've never seen Harry do anything like that before and I really get mad at him, making him wait outside the car (we're in a safe place against a median), then really reading him the proverbial riot act while I'm strapping him in his seat. I have to admit, he's got me stumped. After we get settled I take him upstairs and we have a long talk. I don't know if it made any impression or not. I try to bring it back to the positive. I take him to the computer and tell him how proud I was of him this morning and show in the picture from two years ago when he was so nice to Jeremy. I love him, I say. I tell him I want him to tell mommy want he did to Jeremy.

Is this just the result of his playing all day with Connor doing boy things like playing army men, shooting, and wrestling?


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