Your babbling baby may make no sense to you, but ACT as if you understand. After all, you're your little one is trying to communicate. Most babies jabber so much because their capacity to understand language far outweighs their ability to use it. Just keep talking to your baby in specific, short phrases, and remember to watch your tone, which your baby ABSOLUTELY understands. You should also encourage your baby's individual personality, which is really starting to show now. Personable or shy, moody or sunny, passionate or calm, your infant is really becoming a "person" at last. And while you're proud of this independence, you may find it less than thrilling when you want your baby to do something your little one is not inclined to do. Your baby's independent streak MAY cause some resistance when your are trying put your little one down for a morning nap, which you CAN encourage-as long as your baby can last to lunchtime without fussing. If your baby tries to blow off sleep at night, however, you'll obviously need to put your foot down. This is where a bedtime ritual can be ENORMOUSLY helpful, as it eases your baby into sleep mode slowly. Also, make sure you actually LEAVE your baby when you say "night-night"-and try not to return until he or she is asleep. During waking hours, though, your baby will love to play with you! Your infant will learn language, social, and coordination skills from his favorite activities, like peek-a-boo, "sooo big" and pass the ball. And another fun new play game that often gets discovered this month is how to put things in an object and then remove them. Give your baby some infant appropriate blocks and a bucket for this purpose and let your little one go to town!