From the time you take that beautiful newborn home to the day she turns 7 months old, your infant is busy with her baby development. It might be hard to believe that your newborn will grow so much in such a short amount of time, but within those few months, it might seem like you have a whole new baby.

Here are some of the baby development milestones to be on the lookout for during that time.

Social changes
By the time your infant is 7 months old, she’ll be well on her way to recognizing familiar faces -- like yours -- and she will probably even start to respond to emotional cues, such as crying when she hears angry voices. She’ll also start to gain an interest in others at this time. Your 7-month-old will enjoy playing socially, and will seem joyful and happy most of the time.

Language changes

Many 7-month-olds are able to string together vowel sounds when babbling (making noises like “ah,” “eh,” and “oh”), and they’ll constantly be chattering during this stage. Something that’s fun to watch for: Around this time, babies start to respond to their own names. Your baby may also begin to understand the word “no,” and even use her voice to let you know when she’s happy or sad!

Visual changes
At this stage, your baby will have developed the ability to recognize different colors, and she’ll be able to track moving objects more accurately. Your curious baby will start to look around more often, and will show an interest in items that are out of her reach. Be on the lookout -- at this age, your baby will try to put anything and everything into her mouth, so keep choking hazards out of the way.

Movement changes
Watch out: Your formerly immobile infant will suddenly develop all kinds of movement skills during these first 7 months. Her motor development is accelerated during this time. Before you know it, she’ll be able to roll from front to back and back to front, sit, support her weight on her legs, and transfer objects between her hands. By 7 months you might even start seeing some rocking movement in your baby -- or backwards crawling, which tends to develop before babies learn to crawl forward.

Keep in mind that every baby develops at her own pace, but the above list is a good general indicator of the early childhood development milestones you should start to see in your baby by the time she’s 7 months old. Keep track of when your baby reaches these milestones, and discuss her progress with her pediatrician at each visit to be sure she’s on track.

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Potty training is a big move for children and parents alike. The secrets to success? A little Zen-like patience and a lot of creativity. If your child is ready for toilet time, try these parent-tested techniques.

Create a throne

It’s no ordinary toilet seat when it’s emblazoned with sparkly fairies or bold race cars. Let your child pick out a potty chair design that inspires him, or let him embellish the potty seat you already own with bright stickers so he looks forward to using it.

Make potty time fun time

You’ve heard of a man cave -- so how about a potty cave? You can make the bathroom a potty haven by stocking it with potty-themed books and toys that will help your child sit longer. Add some stuffed animals of your child’s choosing for company. Encourage him to show his potty pals the right way to use the toilet.

Gear up with gadgets

Children need to be reminded to take potty breaks regularly -- they’re so busy playing, they often don’t notice they have to go until it’s too late. But nagging isn’t fun for anyone. Instead, try setting a timer -- on the microwave, on your phone, or, better still, on an inexpensive wristwatch your child can wear. Also establish a routine with your child and prompt him to go after, say, every mealtime and before bed. When that time comes or that beeper goes off, he will be psyched to announce: It’s potty time! 

Make it a game

Put a few pieces of O-shaped cereal in the toilet and challenge your son to do some target practice. You can also experiment with color: Drop blue food coloring in the toilet bowl and watch how your child’s pee can turn it green. It’s practically magic!

Offer fun undies

If your child loves firefighters, the promise of underwear featuring a bright red fire engine might just be all the motivation he needs to graduate from diapers. Let him know that big boys who use the toilet get to wear cool underwear.

Wait it out

Forget the suggested timetables and let your child decide when it’s time to ditch the diapers. Look for signs of readiness: showing an interest in the bathroom, telling you when he has to go, or wanting a diaper change right after pooping. And that may be it -- no bribes, no tears, no accidents.

Regardless of which strategies best fit your parenting style and your child, it always helps to stay positive. Spend quality time with your child while he’s trying to use the potty, and beam with pride after each successful attempt. Help turn “I think I can” into “I know I can!” 

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Like most moms, you’re probably counting down the days until you can potty train. But it’s important not to rush your child into this new stage. While the average age for potty training is 2 to 3, some children are ready months earlier, while others may still be in diapers at age 4. Every child is different.

Fortunately, your child will give you signs that he’s ready to ditch his diapers and learn the big-kid method for using the toilet. Keep the following potty training advice in mind while you navigate this new stage of your child’s bathroom business.

Look for a change in bathroom behaviors

As your child starts to gain control over his bowel and bladder movements, you’ll notice that the number of dirty diapers you have to deal with drops. This is a green light for introducing potty training. Around this same time, many children may also move away from dirtying their diaper on the spot and instead want to go in private. So don’t be surprised if you find your child crouched in a corner or alone in his bedroom immediately before he dirties his diaper. Your goal: Catch him squirming before he goes, and gently suggest sitting on the potty to see what happens.

Watch how he reacts to a wet or dirty diaper

As your child becomes more aware of how his body works, he’ll make it clear that he needs a diaper change by either pointing or saying that he’s gone. He’ll also probably quickly become frustrated or uncomfortable after he goes, and might try to take off his own diaper. It may feel weird or embarrassing, but you can help your child make the potty connection by allowing him to be in the bathroom with you while you use the toilet.

Wait until your child wants to start

As your child becomes more independent, he’ll want to start doing everything himself -- including dealing with his own bowel movements. This move toward acting like a big kid will be obvious: Cries of “I want to do it!” and resisting your help with activities like putting on pajamas are tip-offs that your child may be ready to potty train. 

Remember that all children are different, and pushing your child to use the potty before he’s ready can backfire. Patience and dedication can help ensure success in potty training, but until then be ready to dole out lots of praise -- and perhaps keep the cleaning supplies on hand, too.

Between 15 and 18 months, your toddler will make large leaps as he takes in the sights and sounds around him. A careful observer, he’ll study things closely, imitate people around him, and eventually understand that a separation from you isn’t forever. His intense curiosity about the world coupled with his developing motor skills creates potential hazards, so be sure to keep your house toddler-proof.

At this age, your toddler will alternate between fierce independence and clingy behavior. His extreme self-centeredness makes it hard for him to accept anything but the spotlight. Sharing is a foreign concept, and possessiveness over toys is common. But rest assured, your toddler is constantly learning. Here’s what you can do to encourage your child’s healthy development:

Watch your own behavior

Imitation is a major part of learning and behavior. At this age, your toddler is a master imitator, who is learning by mimicking what you do. Be careful of what you say and do since he’s apt to repeat it. Now is a good time to start spelling out what you don’t want his ears to hear!

Create short separations

Some toddlers still experience separation anxiety at this age, but are slowly becoming less anxious about being apart from their parents. Over time, brief separations may actually help your toddler become more independent. Always let your toddler know you are going out -- never sneak out -- and tell him that you’ll be back. Knowing you’ll return puts his mind at ease.  

Allow special toys

Many toddlers this age are very possessive about what belongs to them. Because your child may be territorial, it can help to set aside some special toys that are just his and are off-limits to others. Having these toys will help him feel more in control of his world.

Ban physical attacks

Toddlers this age don’t know how to control their angry impulses and are apt to lash out at other kids by hitting them. Control the combativeness by interfering and firmly stating, “Don’t hit.” Then redirect the play to something positive.

Applaud what you like

When toddlers this age do something special, they’re apt to pause and look to see if you notice. If you do, make sure to shower your toddler with praise. Your enthusiastic support will encourage your child to keep learning -- and to let you know what he’s learned!

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A typical 12-month-old toddler will have already acquired lots of mental skills, or cognitive milestones. And between his 12^th and 23^rd months, he’ll be picking up more and more.

By the time your toddler turns one, he may have reached many early childhood development milestones, including:

• Responding to his name
• Understanding a handful of words
• The ability to murmur a few of his own simple words, such as “mama” and “papa”
• Pointing to objects
• The ability to wave good-bye
• An attempt to imitate animal sounds

You can keep your active toddler engaged in the world around him through certain types of play, such as reading picture books to reinforce names of objects and taking him to the zoo or park to experience something new. Engaging activities such as these will help him reach cognitive milestones throughout his second year.

Around this time, your toddler will probably also begin to be able to:

• Realize that objects exist even when he can’t see them
• Find things in pictures when asked
• Follow easy directions
• Demonstrate an understanding of colors and shapes
• Show an increase in his memory skills

In order to strengthen these skills as your child grows, pick games that encourage him to use his memory, like a matching game, and be sure to schedule lots of playdates for him so he can work on his social skills as well.

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