Today's haul....

My mom and I hit another consignment sale today. Quite a haul this time! We were allowed in to the consignor's sale, with passes, so we got semi-first dibs on many cool items.

A rundown of stuff I can remember off the top of my head:
-Basketball and hoop for Paxton
-Playhouse (fabric & pvc type) for $4
-Assorted BPA free bottles and nipples
-Ameda handpump and extras kit, for much cheaper than just buying extras in case I need them
-4 boxes of breastmilk storage bags for the retail price of 1.5
-A little froggy stool a sleeper and 2 outfits that were all just too cute
-A kissaluvs and 4 larger diaper covers so I can feel justified in someday procuring a Goodmama or two
-A $5 home made pocket sling that's slightly too small for me but since I'm kinda losing weight... and it's such a cool design!
-Several books for me
-A little plush barn with 4 animals that make noises, great condition and super cheap
-Little green army men for Nik's D&D game
-A $12 good quality umbrella stroller to keep in Nik's car should he need it
-A hamper for BB's room
-Two maternity/nursing tops and 10 nursing bras (in a pack together)
-A Mega Blocks set for Paxton neither my mom nor I remember grabbing
-Something else, I'm sure

During this Nik took Paxton to see his mother, her boyfriend, and Nik's brother and his girlfriend. They had a nice breakfast at Brigg's then went to the festival in Wake Forest, not far from where I was (I saw a sign while waiting to go in and called to let him know about it, which is why they went there). I'm sad knowing that I'm missing out on things like this, like watching Paxton get to sit in a fire truck or make a candle, but I'm very happy to know Nik's getting to experience this with him.

We met up for lunch at Taj Mahal Indian Buffet. It was sooooooo good and we've decided we really want to support them during the economic crisis. They're prices are a bit high but if we go there once a month, well, that won't pay their bills but it will help. Besides, it's a great environment for Paxton, the food is great, and the man who runs the place (and waits on us) is crazy nice. That, and I still feel guilty about choosing not to eat there one time when they were pretty much the only place open during a snowfall and there was no one there. I'm so weird I know but Nik ran in, checked the prices and ran back out. The image of the nice man working there being so excited for customers, his restaurant empty and warm Indian food just sitting there untouched, and us just leaving... iunno, $ was a little tight but we easily could've paid it, had a warm meal we love in a place Paxton likes, and given them some business. I really don't want them to go under like Taste of Thai. I feel bad when little places of high quality close down :(

K, this is getting as discombobulated as my brain. I've had sooooo much to blog about and so little online time lately. Paxton had a couple weeks of horrible tantrums and regression, getting better Monday then reverting again Thursday. We realized it coincided with us shutting off the tv. See, he'd developed a stutter and we tried stopping all/most tv in order to cure it. It worked. But unfortunately without the tv he was noticing me pumping all the time (I'd turned it on to keep him in one place while pumping). Around the same time he started labelling groups of four as "mommy, daddy, Pax'on and baby." Then the regressing began and the anger and the hitting and crying and "I can't do anything. I'm a baby!" Uuuuugh. So we put up with it for a bit not really realizing what was up. Finally he calmed down then got worse again, bad enough that I just left the room Thursday night during his bedtime routine because I was too angry and we both cried in separate rooms until he was asleep.

So Nik and I talked about it, dug around in our brains, read up a bit online, talked more and realized that we were giving him far too much negative attention versus positive attention. We've been busy, see, Nik with his new job, me pumping and trying to get through required reading and, you know, cleaning and cooking and such. We didn't even realize that while we may be giving him quality time he really wanted quantity time.

So we implemented a "make him the center of our worlds again" approach for the next while until he's more comfortable in his role. He knows now that he won't be an only kid for too much longer and we don't want him to think that he'll be ignored all the time or supplanted. We just can't realistically be playing with him or interacting with him every single second he's awake. But he's doing much, much better with this approach and seems a million times happier (and is even giving us a break now and again but plopping down to play by himself).

Friday was a vast improvement but still wasn't perfect. I have things to do that he doesn't want to partake in, or can't, and he gets pretty angry when I do them. Friday's activities included 2 loads on laundry with him having no interest in starting it, moving it over, or putting away. It also included unclogging a very disgusting stopped up toilet then cleaning the bathroom due to the overflow (yuck!). He drew in crayon on my nice new carpet because I wasn't paying attention during this time (I was watching him in my peripheral). But I breathed deeply before reacting and tried our new approach of very little anger and a lot of expressing my dissappointment and upset, then sending him away to his room for a few minutes. Oddly enough when there wasn't a hint of anger in my voice he didn't react with anger himself. Go figure.

Today he's had a ton of attention and stimulation and is very happy. Also I spoiled him rotten and set up his new toys for him to find when he got home. He loves consigment sale days as much as I do since I always find cool things for him and leave them silly places to find (like his bed or his chair). I wish I'd videotaped his reaction to the playhouse! He ran around and around it squealing with delight before finally seeing the entrance, tearing it open and launching himself inside. I love seeing such unbridled happiness :)

On another similar note, I love seeing how loved my child is and how even if he feels upset with us he still knows that he's universally adored. We go to Marbles and everyone wants a hug or a high five or some time to play with him. We go to the mall or the Science Museum and he gets called by name (and sometimes hugs there too). At the library he's spoiled and given stickers and such just for being there. At church he runs right up to his favorite people and asks them to play. And with grandparents or friends of ours he's 100% comfortable. This kid just basks in the attention of everyone. I'd almost be worried except for those times when he falls and hurts himself and there are only 2 people on this planet who can make it better, and only 2 people who can put him to bed. And mommy's still the preference :) Well, this week anyway.