Physical Development

As your little one learns to use his hands more effectively, he may become increasingly interested in the process of dressing and undressing. Depending on his personality, this can make the experience harder or easier for you. Cooperative babies will extend their arms into their shirts, stick their feet into shoes, and try to help take their socks off. More exuberant types may use their newfound knowledge to try undressing themselves on any and all occasions. If you've got a little streaker, reverse his clothes so that zippers and snaps are in the back to make removing them more difficult. And buy extra hats, socks, etc., to replace those that are thrown out of the stroller or lost in the house.

Social Development

If you've returned to work either full or part time, you may be worried about the effect this will have on your baby. Relax--if you feel confident about your decision to work, and comfortable with your child-care arrangement, he's not likely to suffer any consequences. In fact, good day care or a loving nanny can help children adjust to others (including other children), and can teach them that people other than you can be loving and supportive.

Whether you're working or not, the essential thing is to give your baby unhurried love and attention during the time you spend with him. This is easier said than done, especially at the end of a long day (and possibly, after a long commute). Try to minimize other responsibilities, such as cooking and cleaning, to allow some time for relaxed interaction each day. Your house may be messier and your freezer filled with TV dinners, but you and your baby will both thrive on the attention.

Intellectual Development

Most children this age are budding percussionists. Stock a kitchen cabinet (preferably one that baby can reach on his own) with nonbreakable pot lids, Tupperware containers, and wooden spoons, so he can bang away to his heart's content. He'll enjoy dropping blocks inside containers to hear the sounds they make, and will experiment with shaking the containers to produce a rattling sound. He'll also practice his sorting and organizing skills by trying to stack containers so that one fits inside the other, and arranging them in various ways.

Note: The information above offers general guidelines, but all babies develop differently, and few hit their milestones precisely when the conventional wisdom says they should. If your child was born prematurely, you may want to use your due date as a baseline for following baby's development.