Can you have multiple the_post() objects in your index.php?

Hi, new to WordPress/PHP here. In our index.php lives the Loop. In here can we have multiple the_post() objects?

For example can I have the_post() set to only the first 3 posts.

then later again, do the_post() for the rest of my posts.

Is this possible? I would like to do this because the first 3 posts look different and I want to separate them so I can targe them and edit them via CSS.

I have two the_post() here:

<?php get_header(); ?>

<div class="container">
    <div class="main-content">
      <?php
      query_posts('posts_per_page=10&offset=2');
      if ( have_posts() ) : the_post();
      ?>
        <div <?php post_class() ?>>
          <h2>
            <a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>">
              <?php the_title(); ?>
            </a>
          </h2>
          <?php the_content(''); ?>
        </div>
      <?php endif ?>

      <?php if (have_posts()) : ?>
      <?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
        <div <?php post_class() ?>>
          <h2>
            <a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>">
              <?php the_title(); ?>
            </a>
          </h2>
          <?php the_content(''); ?>
        </div>
      <?php endwhile; ?>
      <?php endif; ?>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>