Engineer lately has been a little confused about what it means to do things "on purpose."  As we were signing the five million papers so we can have a home, yesterday, he demonstrated this lack of understanding.  I looked over at him and watched him deliberately push the baby down.  It took me a second to react (I guess I am desensitized to children hurting children) and then I said, "Hey!  I saw what you did!"  And in true Engineer fashion he cried, "Sorry, Mommy!  I didn’t do it on purpose!"  LIES!  He totally did it intentionally, but adamantly denied it.

Later that day we went to Charming’s company picnic.  Engineer got a fabulous balloon sword (with holster) and he was very happy about this.  The happiness ended when he hit another sensitive child with his inflated latex.  TEARS. EVERYWHERE.  The other kid was crying. Engineer was crying and insisting he didn’t do it on purpose, even though he did. Kids are weird.

In the meantime, Sugar decides she no longer wants her snow cone.  Engineer had been holding it for her previously and then Charming took it and tried to give it back to Sugar.  Sugar didn’t want it, so Charming dumped it on the ground, (’it’s just ice,’ he said, ‘there’s a trash can,’ I said.)  When Engineer in his teary state discovered the snow cone on the ground, he cried more.  "Oh Sugar!  Your snow cone!" he cried as he went to embrace and comfort his unaffected little sister. 

I tried hard not to laugh.  And I am going to have to try harder to explain criminal intent to my almost five-year old.