Everyone Pays the Piper

Yesterday we came home from our long weekend away. 

We had a great time.  A great time that was made even greater by the fact that everything appeared to go wonderfully with J-man and Grandma Mumu.  Of course, I doubt Grandma Mumu would tell us if it didn't go well... but based on the condition of things when we got home, I believe it probably did go quite well.

HOORAY!

But, my friends, everyone has to pay the piper his due.

And oh, we are paying....  we are paying...

We have had no less than four complete and total J-man meltdowns since yesterday evening.  For our normally mild-mannered boy, that is impressive. 

Meltdown #1:  Pajama Bottoms of Doom

We arrived home to smiles and excitement and clingy happiness. All was well as the afternoon turned into evening.  We managed to get bath done (early) without incident, changed into pajamas, and then had dinner.  J-man's dessert was fruit pudding.  And that was the beginning of the end.

He spilled the pudding on his pajama bottoms.  And not just a little spill...  almost-the-whole-jar spill.  He was a little upset, but didn't too phased by losing his dessert.  However, changing the pajama bottoms???  Well, that was a disaster of epic proportions!  As we hand-washed the bottoms (since he was already in complete meltdown mode), he hysterically 'demanded' them.  Grabbed them and tried to put them on (soaking wet).  As the bottoms were drying, huge choking sobs while he 'circled' the dryer. 

It wasn't pretty.

Meltdown #2:  Diaper of Doom

Changing a diaper this afternoon.  J-man was so pissed off at the idea that he literally went into the trashcan, took out the dirty diaper and tried put it back on. Enough said.

Meltdown #3:  Just Obey Me, Dammit!

J-man lost it when Mommy wouldn't hang upside-down from our inversion table for an undetermined amount of time like he wanted.  When I left the room, I was berated with chants of  "no stop no stop no stop!!!"... which eventually transitioned into ....

Meltdown #4 :  Bedtime of Doom

Let's just say that he has gone to bed, sans pajamas.

Whew.

Big Daddy is concerned that J-man was like this with Grandma Mumu.  Maybe.  However I think that J-man was holding it together while we were gone, but now that we are home he now can have the complete breakdown he needs to have.  It is like his frustration/anxiety reserves are completely used up, and he has nowhere to go but into meltdown mode.  I kinda knew this might be coming.  I am trying to take the stance of total patience, which is only possible because I did have a long weekend away.  It is clearly apparent when J-man has gone beyond throwing a temper tantrum and into meltdown-la-la-land, and when I need to go from limit setting to calming down and comforting. 

So here we are, paying the piper.  Here's hoping the bill isn't too high.

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PART II : This post was submitted for the S-O-S Best of the Best series on Anxiety published on May 15th, 2011.