Wonder Week 19 aka Hell Week.

I just feel like a complete fool. I have been dumbfounded the last 1.5ish weeks as to why McKenna just hasn't been her happy, content self.

She's been IMPOSSIBLE to put down for naps during the day, she's been uninterested and fussy at the teet, she's had a little more difficult time going down at night, she'll just start wailing out of no where, she's been clingy, wanting to be held, she won't take her hands out of her mouth, ever.

She's going through what is considered one of the biggest growth spurts of infancy. WONDER WEEK 19. And don't let it fool you, it can last longer than a week. Another development perspective calls this the beginning of 4 month sleep regression. There is a book/app that goes into a very detailed description of the Wonder Weeks and how to cope and encourage them, but honestly you can find a lot of info online from momma blogs. Here's a link to the Book if you're interested ( --> here). Since I did not purchase, I won't go through a full rundown, but just describe what we're going through.

Now I will say I also mistakenly attempted to add cow's milk back into my diet and that has had a pretty dramatic effect on her attitude (and poo!). What a dumbass. Unfortunately for me it just so happened to line up with a growth spurt.

 

WONDER WEEK 19. So basically this Wonder Week is based on baby beginning to understand more complex sequence of events. She's beginning to understanding that when you throw a ball up, it will come down. She's beginning to use both hands to grab stuff (in fact, today she had one toy in each hand!). Her mind is going, going, going constantly. No wonder the fussiness appears!

A Momma that did a great job of laying out this Wonder Week's expectations and pitfalls is here. I went down the list going "Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. That's us. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep." 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE what this Momma had to say about Wonder Week 19.  When I read this blog, this is when it really hit home what we were going through (and that we weren't going through it alone). She explains the experience amazingly, and has very similar parenting styles to me.

This period is rough.  She'll be happy and interactive one minute and crazy, unpleasant squealing the next.  I am NOT a proponent of sleeping training or crying it out [of any sorts!].  When my baby cries, she's telling me she needs something. End of story. This has made the last couple weeks a bit more exhausting, but I know I am comforting my baby and providing her with support to get through the tough times. Because that's just what they are. I'm there for her when she needs me. As a parent this is the ONE thing I know I am doing right, being there for her. If it means naps are in my arms for a week or so, so be it. I will take advantage of them, because every time I blink she is a second older.

Assisted Sitting.

And during those tough moments when I'm holding her and bouncing or walking or rocking and can do nothing to console her, I take a deep breath of her hair and remind myself not only will this moment last long, I'll wish I could get it back one day.  I think we're through the toughest part, and once it's all said and done we'll have a happier and more interactive baby because of it!