Jiminy Cricket

Mr. P is his normal challenging self, as ever, but something new is happening lately.  Inconvenient feelings of remorse, guilt, and concern for other people's happiness keep cropping up and he's clearly finding it uncomfortable.

He'll be going on and on about wanting to buy a remote controlled helicopter, say, when suddenly a look of anguish comes over him as he grips his hair and exclaims, "Sorry!  I'm being so greedy!"  It's ok, we say, you're excited about your birthday, but he moans, "I just feel so BAD!"

Or he'll come find me, wanting me to unlock the iPad for him, except that I don't even realize that at first because he starts off asking me about what I'm doing and having a (short but) very pleasant conversation.  And then he apologizes for wanting to have the iPad, "I just feel so BAD!"

But this is wonderful! we beam at him.  You're developing a conscience!  This is a very important part of growing up!

He is skeptical, but seems to be working this idea into his sense of the world.  It's "weird," he says, "I'm sorry, Mom, it's just that now that I have this moral sense.... It's good in a way, but bad in a way."

This is not a milestone I knew to expect, but it is so cool!

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We have survived our first sleepover birthday party.  There was cake and pizza and a movie (two movies) and a tent in the living room.   They were quiet by 1 am, after Mr. Right decided to sleep on the couch next to them. 

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On a rare outing just Mr. P and me, he's in a philosophical birthday mood.  "Mom, I just wish I could make a potion so that I could stay a boy forever and you could stay my nice mommy forever."  Heart melting, I tell him, That's so sweet!  You know, I will always be your mommy and, as much as I love having you be my little boy, I am so excited to be finding out who you're growing up to be.