Cognitive

• Understands how to use many objects (cuddling a stuffed toy, shaking a rattle, putting a cup to lips)

• Understands object permanence well (will look for an object that’s hidden because she knows it’s there) 

• Expanding attention span, from two to three minutes at 8 months to 15 minutes at 12 months

• Attracted to novelty (new toys, objects)

• Explores playthings in new ways (touching, banging, dropping)

• Increasingly shows memory of recent events

Motor

• Rolls over quickly and suddenly

• Has good accuracy picking up objects with fingers (the pincer grasp)

• Getting better at releasing objects from grasp

• Points and pokes with index finger

• Feeds self, though messily

• May drink from cup

• Sits up unsupported for long periods

• May pull herself to standing

• Stands with support (holding onto fingers or furniture)

• Crawls up stairs

• May take first steps or even walk (though most don’t yet)

Communication

• Recognizes own name

• Understands many things said to her

• Shakes head or frowns to express “no” or as a response to “no”

• Holds out arms to be picked up

• Babbles in long groups of consonant and vowel sounds, like “tata upupup ba ba ba!”

• Babbles using the cadences and inflections of real conversation

• May use “Ma ma” and “Da da” to refer specifically to parents

• May say other early words, though probably not with good pronunciation (“ba ba” for “bottle,” “mok” for “milk”)