Anti-carseat

Yesterday I was super excited to go to lunch with a girl I went to school with 14 years ago. I was bringing Lorenzo with me, and was going to meet her two little kiddos at Nordstrom's bistro. I put Lorenzo in the Orbit car seat, and as usual, he was smiling and cooing. After latching him in, I swiveled the car seat, putting it in the proper position, and he started crying! One of those intense, how-could-you-do-this-to-me-save-me-right-now cries. I thought immediately, "Oh God! I pinched him with one of the belts without noticing, or his foot is caught somewhere." So I swiveled him back towards me and he calmed down. I checked everything, he was fine. I smiled and said, "Ok, let's go!" And... same scene. I was already late but I am so against ignoring babies' cries that I took him out, went back in the house and nursed him. I never forget to feed him, but I thought maybe he's incredibly hungry all of a sudden. Well, he whimpered the entire time he nursed. I calmed him down and started all over again. Got his coat on, got in the car, latched him in... WUAAAAAAAAA!!!  AHHHHHHHHH!!! Okay, I just finished saying I don't ignore babies, but I wasn't about to ditch my friend who was already waiting for me. I figured he'd calm down as soon as I turned on the engine. Sometimes he whimpers (never wails), and as soon as I start the car he relaxes and enjoys the view from the windows. Not this time, Mamma!!! I turned to my trusty YouTube app and started playing his favorite Italian songs, and sang them out loud. Really loud. He cried over my singing! It lasted for only 5 minutes before he started relaxing... It was a really short trip to Nordstrom, 10 minutes. By the time I got there he was almost asleep. Oh, gosh! I felt so guilty waking him up to put him in the stroller! (He's in a toddler car seat that is too heavy to lift and put on the stroller, so I have to transfer him every time.) Well, lunch was fun, it was great to see this girl and to meet her kids. I was a little stressed from before and Lorenzo was a bit whiny but nothing impossible for me to handle, of course. Well, after an hour or so we got the kids balloons and then went our separate ways. And well, guess what... LORENZO COULD NOT STAND THE CAR SEAT. Wailed again for like 5 more minutes. And fell asleep before I got home... ugh! I had to wake him up of course. Only this time he didn't go back to sleep when I nursed him in bed. He was chipper and wanted to play. Took me an hour and a half to get him to nap. That's okay. But my real concern is this new anticarseatism he's exhibiting.

Today I wanted to go to the park. I was like Oh God, he'll fight me again. Oh, shut up and just try it. You can't stay in the house the rest of your life. "Maybe he was having a bad day," my friend rightfully suggested. I agreed and tried again... I told him, "Lorenzo, if you do'nt want to, we don't have to." Well, he took me up on that offer! I was smiling and talking to him as I strapped him in, and he was starting to whimper a bit, but nothing out of the ordinary. And as if on cue, I swiveled him around (gently)... squinty-eyes-frowning-face... wuuuaaaaaaaa!!! So deeply offended. I brought him back towards me and said, "What's wrong, baby? Come on, let's go!" I thought he didn't want to see his reflection anymore for some reason, so I removed the mirror... Take 2. Nothing. Complete failure. "Okay, let's go back in."

I am so frustrated! And pissed. And sad, and disappointed in the situation. I hate not knowing what is going on. What happened? Why this unexpected change of heart? Is it over now? Will he forever feel like he's being punished when I put him in the car seat??? (No, I do not punish him, so I don't really know if he knows what being punished feels like.)

Happen to any of you other mammas out there?

-mamma cri