We just passed through a big week for a little girl.

Teething.

Dancing.

Mama-ing and Dada-ing.

Sitting up from laying down.

Crawling.

She’s not quite mastered any but she sure is working hard. And one of the above is the worst developmental phase ever. 

Hands down. Don’t have to experience those yet to come. Worst ever.

My sister had told me of this phenomenon. When a baby can take themselves from laying down to sitting, but then cannot get back to laying. It’s a half-circle of development that has been painfully not full-circled in our house during the sleeping hours.

I believed my sister when she told me. As crazy as it sounds. A sitting baby who can’t lay back down. I believed her but I didn’t understand her.

It’s as if Maxine is compelled to rise to sitting. She will be asleep and then pop up and then cry out for an assist. You lay her back down only to have her rise again. It’s seriously annoying for all involved. 

Tonite we’re letting her sit/cry for small amounts of time. We’re not cry-it-outters. But even in this short exercise she’s figuring out how to lay herself back down. Twice she’s connected her head with the crib.

Worst. Ever.

To the other less painful phases.

She has one tooth that’s made a sliver of a break on the lower jaw.

She dances to music. At first it was Sesame Street. Now it’s jazz. She’s fancy.

Hearing the mama’s and the dada’s - even without intention - stirs a feeling deep inside my mama heart that I could never begin to convey with words. 

And lastly, the crawling. She’s putting in some serious hours on this one. She’s got a few steps in her. Maybe 5 to 6. It’s not quite fluid yet. You can tell it requires effort and she kinda forgets each time and begins just that much more above anew. 

In all estimates, it’s been a GIANT week. With miles to go before she sleeps lays down from sitting.