Baby This Week: 7 Weeks Old

Your baby's hands should be mostly open now and ready to reach out to the world. Although your baby can't grab objects just yet, she can grasp things placed in her hands. And once she wraps her hands around something, she might not let go so easily. She'll also try to bat at objects, so keep potentially dangerous items far from her reach.

Your baby's brain is expanding in size and complexity. It will grow about 5 centimeters during the first three months.

You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning. Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to her, sing to her, describe the pictures on the walls. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but she's learning nonetheless.

New textures for her hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding the world around her.

Your baby can track objects with both eyes now, able to follow things consistently and well, she can track a moving object much better, something she may have been able to do for only brief periods since birth.

- BabyCenter.com

Baby This Week: 6 Weeks Old

Has your baby smiled at you yet? If not, he will soon. At 6 weeks, about half of all babies can recognize their parents, and many of those babies are so delighted that they welcome Mom or Dad with an excited, gurgly grin. This is one of the first signs that your baby is developing an ability to socialize. In fact, it's called a "social smile," and it's one of the more emotionally gratifying milestones you'll see your baby reach.

Now that your baby's awake for longer periods during the day, you can use these times to support his sensory development. Try singing your favorite lullabies or playing music.

You don't have to limit yourself to children's songs. Fill the house with the sounds of music — from the Black Eyed Peas to Mozart — and watch as your baby expresses his pleasure through coos, lip smacks, and jerking arm and leg movements.

- BabyCenter.com

Baby This Week: 5 Weeks Old

Your baby is learning that she has hands and fingers and feet and toes. She's also starting to talk more. Not with words, of course, but by cooing — with increasing goos, gurgles, and grunts. This marks the beginning of her language development. Talk to your baby often. You'll be able to keep her attention by shifting from a low to a high pitch — the singsong style that parents in every culture tend to use when speaking to a baby.

Smiling is universal. A baby's first smile happens at about the same time in all cultures, so get ready for your baby to reward all your loving care with a beaming, toothless, just-for-you grin. This will probably make your heart melt, even if you've just had your worst night yet.

- BabyCenter.com

Baby This Week: 4 Weeks Old

Your baby can probably focus on and track moving objects now. Try giving his new skills a workout by slowly passing a toy in front of his face or by having a little "staring contest" during which you walk slowly back and forth in front of him. Watch how his eyes lock with yours and follow along with your movement. This skill is a building block for hand-eye coordination, which will come later.

Your baby may gurgle, coo, grunt, and hum to express his feelings. A few babies also begin squealing and laughing. Be sure to coo and gurgle back, and talk to your baby face to face. He'll enjoy holding your gaze now.

If you have things to do, your baby will still enjoy hearing your voice from across the room. And don't feel silly about using baby talk — babies are particularly attuned to this high-pitched, drawn-out way of communicating, which can actually teach your baby about the structure and function of language.

- BabyCenter.com

Baby This Week: 3 Weeks Old

Every baby has a unique temperament. Some are placid and agreeable, while others are more sensitive. One thing all babies have in common is that they communicate with you by crying. Sometime in the first month, you'll begin to hear another kind of sound. That's when most babies find their voices. When your baby is calm and alert, you may notice she says a little "ooh" or "aah" when she sees you or hears you approaching.

Be sure you're continuing to put your baby down on her stomach for "tummy time" when she's awake. Babies should sleep on their back, but they also need to spend time on their belly every day to strengthen their neck muscles, which help them push up, roll over, sit up, and crawl. Tummy time will also help your baby avoid developing a flat spot on her head from being on her back.

By the end of this week, your baby may lift her head briefly and possibly move it from side to side when she's lying on her stomach. Try putting your face in front of your baby's to encourage her to hold up her head to look at you. You can also roll up a towel or receiving blanket and put it under her chest to help get her started with her push-ups. Soon, her nervous system and muscle control will mature and her jerky movements will become more fluid.

- BabyCenter.com

First time out with both girls by myself - going on a playdate!

Baby This Week: 2 Weeks Old

A whole week has passed, but doesn't it seem more like a lifetime? As you're adjusting to feedings and getting by on less sleep, your baby is also adjusting to his new world. He sleeps in short naps, wakes to feed, and spends some time quietly alert before drifting off to sleep again. Babies' eyes focus best on objects between 8 and 15 inches away — not coincidentally, the distance to your face when held in your arms.

Your womb was a warm and cozy environment, and it takes time for your baby to adjust to the various sights, sounds, and sensations of life outside your body. You may not be able to detect much of a personality just yet as your baby spends his time moving in and out of several different states of sleepiness, quiet alertness, and active alertness.

The only way your baby knows to communicate is by crying, but you can communicate with him through your voice and your touch. (He can now recognize your voice and pick it out among others.)

Your baby probably loves to be held, caressed, kissed, stroked, massaged, and carried. He may even make an "ah" sound when he hears your voice or sees your face, and he'll be eager to find you in a crowd.

- BabyCenter.com

Baby This Week: 1 Week Old

For now, your newborn sleeps most of the day and feeds every two to three hours. Babies are born with many automatic reflexes that help them make the transition to life outside the womb. Stroke her cheek, and she'll turn her head toward your finger and move her mouth as if groping for a nipple. If you hold her upright, she'll move her legs as if walking. Most of these automatic reflexes disappear within weeks of birth.

Because she was curled up inside your uterus until recently, your newborn baby will probably look scrunched up for a while, with her arms and legs not fully extended. She may even appear bowlegged.

Don't worry: Your baby will stretch out, little by little, and by the time she reaches 6 months, she'll be fully unfurled! In the meantime, as she adjusts to life outside the warm, safe confines of your womb, she may enjoy being swaddled in a light blanket.

- BabyCenter.com

Emmy one week old.