Hit me with your best shot

So last we left each other, I was in the hospital recovering and Emmie was a wee one day old. Oh how much has changed.

We came home Friday afternoon and introduced Emmie to her new surroundings. Jack greeted us at the door and seemed excited to see us, proclaiming, "Bee! Bee!" (That's Jack's shorthand for Baby. He is all about saving time by shortening words to one syllable. He has too much going on to talk in full words and sentences, clearly.)

He sat on the couch very nicely with us, posed for some pictures with his new sister and then promptly forgot about her and went about his business.

Whoever had 7:12 p.m. on Day 1 at home in the "First Time Emmie Gets Walloped In Her Noggin" pool is the big winner.

Jack waltzed over to me while I was holding her in the chair and I should have known by the malicious grin on his face what was up. In a split second he had whacked her on the head and she was wailing.

Not wanting to get into a situation where we are punishing him in regards to the new baby, I sternly told him we do not hit people because it hurts them and makes them very sad. Emmie was very sad she got hit and was crying.

I then said to him "Hands are not for hitting, what are hands for?" He has a book about hitting and this is the refrain, with several alternatives on what to do with your hands such as saying hello or waving goodbye.

He ran to get the book and the three of us, Jack, Emmie and I, all read it together.

Since that time he's run the gamut from indifferent to hostile and back again. For the most part, he ignores her and anyone holding her. Yesterday he fell and usually he is all about Mommy when he is hurt. But I was holding Emmie in one arm and offering him a hug with the other and he looked away and went to Daddy instead.

There's been a few attempts at hitting her again and one incident this evening when he might have tried to throw a cell phone at her in the pack 'n play. But he'll also have these awesome moments where he will bring her a bear or kiss her goodnight.

I know he'll come around and this is totally normal. I had a talk with him last night after he tried to shut the refridgerator door on me and said I know things are changing around here and he doesn't have the words to tell us how he is feeling, but that he can't hurt people because it makes them sad.

He looked very solemnly at me and then kissed me. I think he gets it. He just needs a little time.