Wonder Weeks - Development

On the advice of one of my milk donors, I got a book called The Wonder Weeks. The premise of the book is that babies go through big periods of mental change at predictable times during their development. The first one is around 6 weeks, the second is around 8 weeks, the next is around 12 weeks.

The change around 8 weeks involves baby being able to recognize patterns in the world around him and in his body. As this change is taking place, baby gets cranky, cries a lot, and generally wants to be held ALL the time. The 8-week fussy period is apparently longer and more intense than the 6-week or the 12-week period.

I'm pretty sure we're going through one of these changes. This is probably the 8 week change, or (less likely) the 12 week change a little early. Sterling will be 10 weeks old on Friday. She's been unusually cranky, hasn't wanted to be set down very much (unless she's practicing her wiggling), and is way more high maintenance than she usually is. She also has been taking much more of an interest in what's going on around her.

Here's what she's probably doing developmentally. This is taken directly from the book, so I hope I'm not violating their copyright. Bolded items are things that I've observed her doing up until now.

BODY CONTROL - generally she seems to be very advanced in this category. She's been holding her head up fairly well for a while and she's been wiggling in a purposeful way on her mat for at least two weeks.

• holds head upright when very alert (she particularly does this when being carried in the wrap or when being burped)
• consciously turns head towards something interesting
• consciously rolls from side onto stomach
• consciously rolls from side onto back
• kicks legs and waves arms (she's an expert wiggler)
• kicks at plaything with jerking movements (her aim is getting better, too)
• allows herself to be pulled into a sitting position
• allows himself to be pulled into a standing position
• tries to lift head and body when lying facedown
• shows increased desire to sit
• is able to look left and right when lying on stomach
• makes faces

HAND CONTROL - I think this area is coming along right behind body control. When she wiggles, she's more adept at kicking at hanging toys than she is at batting them with her hands. However, she's getting much better at it with practice.

• swipes at toys
• attempts to grab objects within reach but does not succeed
• closes hand around objects within easy reach
• holds plaything and moves it jerkily up and down
• touches and feels objects while holding them

LOOKING AND SEEING - she likes to look at stuff, but I haven't observed most of these things. 

• discovers hands
• discovers feet
• discovers knees
• watches people moving or working
• is fascinated by children playing close by
• enjoys watching fast-moving images on TV
• watches pets eating or moving
• is fascinated by waving curtains
• discovers luminous object, such as a flickering candle (or lights)
• watches treetops outdoors and is particularly fascinated by movements such as rustling leaves (definitely - she was leaning way back in the wrap so she could look up at the trees when we went for a walk yesterday)
• looks at items on grocery store shelves
• looks at complex shapes and colors
• is fascinated by shiny things (she likes to look at herself in a mirror, I wonder if that's the same thing)
• enjoys watching people chewing food
• enjoys watching and listening to people talk
• watches facial gestures

LISTENING AND CHATTING - she's gotten very chatty recently. 

• enjoys listening to voices, singing, and high-pitched sounds
• makes short bursts of sound such as ah, uh, eh, mmm, and listens to self
• makes a series of sounds, mumbles, and gurgles as if telling a story
• repeats these sounds if encouraged
• sings along when you dance and sing with him
• chats to and smiles at cuddly toys
• consciously makes eh sounds to attract attention
• interrupts while others are talking

Babies apparently don't work on all of these things at once - they pick the things that are the most important to them. Based on this, I think she's working on gross motor skills, looking at people's faces, and talking to people. She hasn't discovered her hands yet, so she doesn't seem particularly interested in most of the tactile things. I started reading books to her every night and she listens intently, sometimes interjecting comments. She also looks at the pictures. She hasn't tried to reach out and grab the book at all yet. Hopefully she'll get over the fussy stage pretty soon. After the fussy stage is supposed to be a period of calm, happy baby time while she practices all her new skills.