Help. I'm being held hostage.

I am under attack. I am being held by a 14lb hostage taker against my will and she won't negotiate. My six month old daughter is going through a transition phase. By transition I mean morphing from a sweet, loving child to an angry temper tantrum throwing tornado who sweeps through the apartment in the wee hours of dawn.

I've always read that sleep training sucks but nothing can prepare you for the guilt. All the books tell you how awful you will feel listening to your child scream bloody murder, but what they don't tell you is that the guilty parent feelings you have are compounded and multiplied tenfold by guilty neighbor feelings.

See, I can listen to my daughter cry. Sure, I feel awful and it's unpleasant. But I can see through those crocodile tears and manipulative octaves. But what really cuts me to the core is the thought of all my neighbors silently cursing me from under their covers. It makes me want to rent a cabin in the woods and hunker down until we get through this. Of course, then she wouldn't be in her own bed, in her own room which would defeat the point and lead us right back to where we are. Oh, cruel, cruel world.

You would think with all the people on the planet there could be some definitive source to turn to. With all the different parenting styles I would be able to find a formula that works for me. But I am seriously at a loss. Do we try to Ferberize? Is it too soon? Do I have the mental fortitude to even survive that? Or do we co-sleep until she's 20? Is this just a phase? Will she outgrow it on her own? Is this my fault? Am I doing something wrong? Is it because she's having a growth spurt? Starting solids? Transitioning from a bassinet to a crib? A combination or none of the above?

So far this is the worst part of parenthood. And I'm not sure if it's better or worse that she still wakes up looking ridiculously adorable and super happy. Her smile is the only ray of sunshine after three hours of non-consecutive sleep.

Right now my only solace is that I have a comfy couch in my office and a do not disturb sign to hang on the door. I think I'll go use it.