Remember that all babies are different. Your baby may reach some milestones significantly before it should and others slightly later than the average baby may. If your child is significantly late meeting a milestone, you may want to bring this up with your pediatrician but chances are there is nothing to worry about.

By the third month of life:

Almost all babies will:

• Respond to sounds.
• Stare at faces.
• Vocalize ooh’s, ahh’s, gurgle and coo.
• See black and white patterns.
• Visually track objects.
• Notice his or her extremities such as hands.
• Smile and laugh.
• Hold head at 45-degree angle.
• Hold head steady.
• Recognize mom’s face and scent.

Some babies may also be able to:

• Bear some weight on the legs if held in a standing position.
• Squeal in delight.
• Blow bubbles.
• Recognize mom and possibly dad’s voice.
• Do a mini-push up lifting head and shoulders from the ground during tummy time.
• Make smoother movements.

A few advanced babies may:

• Roll over on to his or her back during tummy time.
• Turns towards loud sounds.
• Bat at toys and objects, or brings hands together.

By the sixth month of life:

Almost all babies will:

• Bear some weight on the legs if held in a standing position.
• Squeal in delight and coos in conversation.
• Imitates sounds.
• Blow bubbles.
• Recognize mom and possibly dad’s voice.
• Do a mini-push up lifting head and shoulders from the ground during tummy time.
• Distinguishes between bold colors.
• Play with hands and feet.
• Turn toward all sounds and noises.
• Roll over but from tummy to back and back to tummy.
• Grasps toys.
• Recognizes own name.
• Mouth objects.
• Sit shortly without support.

Some babies may also be able to:

• Eat some solid foods.
• Pass objects from hand to hand.
• Sit without support.

A few advanced babies may:

• Drag objects to them.
• Babble.
• Begin to crawl or get up on knees.

By the ninth month of life:

Almost all babies will:

• Sit without support.
• Crawl.
• Wave bye-bye
• Point to things.
• Babble and/or say mama or dada indiscriminately.
• Drag objects to them.
• Stand holding on to something.
• Understand when something is taken from his or her line of site it still exists.
• Pick things up between finger and thumb.

Some babies may also be able to:

• Bang objects together.
• Walk holding on to objects.
• Use sippy cups.
• Eat finger foods.

A few advanced babies may:

• Say mama and dada to the correct parent.
• Play patty-cake and peek-a-boo.

By the twelfth month of life:

Almost all babies will:

• Say mama and dada to the correct parent.
• Play patty-cake and peek-a-boo.
• Indicate desire for things with gestures.
• Walk holding on to objects.
• Imitates activities he or she sees.
• Understands simply directions such as “no”.
• Says 1 word other than mama and dada.
• Puts objects in containers.

Some babies will:

• Stand without support.
• Take a few steps.

A few advanced babies may:

• Walk alone.
• Scribble.
• Say 2 words other than mama and dada.