This month marks a very busy, active stage in your baby's life. He wants to be everywhere, see everything - and get there all on his own.

By now your baby may be able to sit without help, at least for a short while. This will soon be followed by rolling and rocking motions as your baby begins to crawl. You may notice your baby trying to stand from a seated position.

What you can do:

At this age, your baby may like playing active games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake. Provide lots of word and rhyming games to stimulate thinking skills and vocabulary. Your baby will be fascinated by musical games as well. Try to expose your baby to lots of soothing classical music. Classical music can help calm your baby. It's also been shown to help memory, creative skills, even social and emotional development. Any toy that your baby can bang, poke or clang together should also be a big hit. Just continue to be careful not to give your baby any toy with very small parts that might be swallowed.

This month, some babies may:

• Stretch their body or try standing on tiptoes to reach a toy.
  
  
• Get upset if you take a toy away, as their memory continues to develop and they begin to understand that "no toy equals no play."
  
  
• Identify what you're feeling by the tone of your voice.
  
  
• Eat a piece of finger food by themselves.

The skills described above generally appear during the indicated time frame. But don't worry -all babies are unique and develop at different rates. Talk to your doctor if you become concerned about your baby's health and development - at any time.