Your 7-month-old: Week 2

How your baby's growing:

By now, you may have already told your baby that the telephone isn't a toy, or that rattles aren't for throwing, or that her sister's hair isn't for pulling. At this age, your baby may begin testing your authority by refusing to follow your simple directions. She's not really being disobedient or willful — just curious.

Your life: Treating yourself well

Being responsible for a tiny creature 24/7 or rushing from work to baby can be rattling. A few midway-through-the-first-year reminders:

Stay healthy. Don't skimp on your own nutrition — whether or not you've lost your pregnancy weight. Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Their stimulating and calming effects are only temporary and wind up making you feel worse later. Do some moderate exercise several times a week, even if it's just walking after parking your car a little farther from work.

Allow yourself plenty of sleep, including naps if possible. And wash your hands a lot and avoid touching your eyes to prevent catching a cold, especially if your baby has much contact with other children.

Get out. Enjoy some fresh air by taking a walk or gardening. Your baby is still small and portable, so take advantage of this before she's a toddler on the go. Venture out on your own, too: Arrange an excursion with a friend or your partner for a little adult conversation, or treat yourself to another activity you miss.

Pamper yourself. Splurge on a massage, a facial, a manicure, or whatever makes you feel special. A nice long bath can do wonders, too.

Get centered. Consider yoga, a stretching class, deep breathing, or other relaxation exercises.

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Your 7-month-old's

Recognition skills

Your baby now actively engages in hiding games. Place one of his favorite toys on the floor and cover it with a napkin. Pull the napkin off and say, "There it is!" Cover it again and repeat.

For more fun, hide an object under something and wait for him to discover it. It's one of the easiest ways to keep your baby occupied!

Your baby can remember that the jack-in-the-box pops up at the end of the song — yet he'll still laugh every time. He's also able to recognize different tones and inflections and may burst into tears if you speak harshly.

Stimulating toys and games

Because he likes predictability, your baby enjoys playing the same game or reading the same book over and over. In addition to patty-cake, try adding classics such as "If You're Happy and You Know It" and "This Little Piggy" to your repertoire.

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baby 7 Month

Learning to grab

Your baby's fine motor skills are coming along, too. By now she can probably scoop things up with just one little hand and transfer them from one hand to the other fairly easily. She may also be able to clasp her hands together and sip from a two-handled cup (with your assistance). Before long you'll probably notice the noise level increasing, not only because of your baby's babble, but also because she'll find out how much fun it is to bang objects together.

To encourage fine motor activity, place a toy just out of your baby's reach and watch her try to get it. Of course, this will give her ideas, and she'll soon be rocking back and forth on her hands and knees and may crawl or repeatedly roll over to move about the room. Aid her explorations and mobility by dressing her in loose, comfortable clothes

Teething

While your baby may already have begun teething (the average age is five or six months, though it can start as early as three months or as late as 12 months), about now you can expect to see the two upper central incisors, then the two lateral incisors. Don't be alarmed if your baby has gaps between some of her teeth; teeth often come through the gums at odd angles, and any spaces commonly disappear after all 20 baby teeth have broken through. Once your baby starts teething, you can expect more drooling and experimenting with sounds as she adjusts to having these strange new things in her mouth.

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