Back to reading Dr. Sears

This little face has me constantly torn between feeling so blessed to have my magical little rainbow, and so stressed because he's SO different from what I was used to with Katie. Katie was such an easy baby. I've been saying Will is high needs for months now, and it's only continuing to grow.

Will is the absolute happiest baby you'll ever meet. He's the definition of sunshine and rainbows. 

 That is, as long as he's being held and if you don't deny him being outside, or ever make him go to sleep. No, not just like a normal baby. He can not sit down in anything, be it a swing, exersaucer, or highchair for more than two minutes without instantly screaming so hard he breaks out in a rash within seconds. He hates naps. He can't sit still ever - he needs to be held and moving at the same time at all times. He will not be distracted or self soothed. He will not stay asleep during nap times for more than 20 minutes without waking, and he fights sleep with everything he has. I honestly thought his "high needs" was just in my head. Maybe it was just because he's a baby combined with me taking care of a toddler, but Katie didn't do ANY of these things. She was so easy. 

Someone posted an article by Dr. Sears today. He was describing his high-needs child Hayden, who I remember reading about years ago. It was eye opening. While I have called Will high needs, I sort of assumed that he was just high needs in my mind. Turns out, he fit EVERY SINGLE thing Dr. Sears says. (Which is a baby being hyperactive and needing to be in motion at all times, fiercely resisting naps, being very intense, draining parents from needing SO much attention,  feeds frequently (Hah! Will has fed at least once an hour since he was born!) being very demanding and loudly doing so, awakens frequently, quickly frustrated, super sensitive (he actually states that babies can't handle things like blenders - just yesterday we discovered that Will was so upset with the blender noise when I made applesauce that he spent the rest of the day growling and screaming if we even got close the the blender! He's also terrified of the vacuum, something he normally loves, if I'm not holding him while it's on) can't put baby down, and separation sensitive, which Will super duper has. 

So, it looks like I'll be digging out my Dr. Sears books to find his "Fussy Baby" book (I'm hoping that's one that I have!) to figure out the best way to handle Will. I'm hoping there are ways to calm him down easier in there and make things smoother, and for me to understand him better. Katie was such an easy going baby, she'd go to anyone, sleep like an angel, be fine sitting by herself to play, etc. This is all so new to me!

I may be on my second time around, but reading Dr. Sears is still a need for me, apparently!