Table Problem x2 within Pages: 1) In the Header; 2) Maintaining a table's starting point when carrying over to the next page.

Question

Pages '09 v4.1
Problem 1:
     I am working with a 2-column Page document. Its my goal to have three items listed in a header in particular positions. Far left shows the paragraph number the page starts with, in the center is a title of the contents of the page, and on the far left is the last paragraph number to appear. To place these three items in the desired positions requires the insertion of a lot of spacing on both sides of the 'centered' title along with counting the characters of the title to find its center to alighn with the center of the page. 253 pages of this to will qualify me to be labled with a severe case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I don't want OCD.
     However, by installing a one row/3 column table in the header my task was made a lot easier in alighnments. But, another problem reared up. Within the header underneath the table is a vertical space remaining. This vertical 'tallness' is equivalent to the font size of 10. Its taking up too much space between the header and the text. It needs to be reduced or eliminated.
     On the left-hand page I am able to reduce the font as far down as '1'. I've settled on using '3'. However, on the right-hand page the font will not accept any size selections be they less or more and remains stubbornly at font 10. Within a Header that does not have a table, I am able to change the font of both left and right pages.
     Is there a another way to approach what I desire for the header other than installing a table in it? Is there a way to alter the font on the right hand pages?
Problem 2:
     Whenever I create a table following text already on a page all is right until the table's growth in construction laps over to the next page. At that point the first row snaps to the top of the following page leaving an undesired area (space) between the last line of the text on the preceding page. Whenever I attempt to drag the table to the desired position it snaps back. This only happens when the table is larger than the remaining area of the page. If the table is started at the top of an unused page and runs beyond the confines of that page than it continues as expected onto the next page duplicating the table header. But to do this it must begin at the top of an unused page. Is there a means to have a table placed in the remaining space of a page and what does not fit continues to the next page in effect having a partial of the table on each page?
So there you have it. Christmas is over and its back to work. Thank-you for your attention.

Answer 1

Regards re-positioning a table:
I went to Inspector>Wrap>Object Placement/Inline (moves with text) and found that the inline option was selected. Some of the rows within the table have two lines of text. Again, I dragged the table to the desired position on a page that is partially composed with text and got the same results as before -  the table snapping back to the top of the following page where it initially resided. In this current position the 2-page table does break as it should on the following 3rd page. Below is a schematic of the appearance of the 2-pages involved.
Page 1 left side.
TEXT 1-line as 1-column
TABLE (5-rows)
TEXT (2-columns) 14-lines left column and 13-lines right column.
[Layout Break] otherwise the above textual columns would be all on the left side of the page.
TEXT 1-line as 1-column
* The desired insertion point for a two page table on a page that is 40% filled with the above descriptions.
Page 2 right side.
A 2-page table flowing or breaking into a 3rd page.
Page 3 left side.
The overflow of the subject table.
[Layout Break]
[Section Break]
Is there some other way to anchor a table to the text other than Inspector>Wrap>Object Placement/Inline (moves with text)?