This post is made possible with support from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program. All opinions are my own.

Taking care of a baby is like starting a new job every day. My 5-month-old Jamie has been changing so much during his first few months of life, that as soon as I feel like I know this tiny human that I’m in charge of, he switches things up on me! These changes, called milestones, are important to his development. As challenging as it is to have to rush and childproof our home because Jamie is rolling over now, I’m grateful that he’s on target.

So, what’s it like to live with a 5-month-old?

I feel like we’re starting to get a better sense of Jamie’s personality. He smiles a lot, and saves his biggest most gummy ones for his big sister Ayva. His expressions are pure entertainment for us. It’s not unusual for my husband, daughter, and I to just sit and make faces at him to see how he’ll react. He’s not laughing out loud quite yet, but his hilarious grunts let us know that he’s having a good time. We’ve perfected a few ways to get those grunts because his (almost) baby laugh is the best thing ever.

5 Ways to Make a Baby Laugh

Stinky feet

Jamie loves when we do stinky feet. We just take his bare foot, put it up to our nose and dramatically declare, “P-U-Stinky feet!”. He cracks up every time.

Peek-a-boo

This baby laugh standard is one that all parents have in their playbook. We sometimes play it by covering Jamie’s entire body with a muslin blanket and pulling it off, or by covering our faces with our hands. There are tons of variations to this game, and just about every one induces laughter.

Blow on his stomach

The first time we blew raspberries on Jamie’s stomach he looked at us like we were crazy! Now he squeals with delight as if it’s the best thing ever.

Put on and take off sunglasses

This could kind of be considered a variation of hide and seek. I put on a pair of sunglasses, say hello, and take them off. It cracks Jamie up because he thinks I’m turning into a different person.

Neck kisses

This is my absolute most favorite way to make Jamie laugh. I get right in the crook of his neck and just kiss, kiss, kiss!

Baby Milestones

Smiling, playing, and showing expressions are just some of the milestones Jamie has reached in his five months on earth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program is helping me to keep track of his development, and will give me a heads up if my little guy needs additional developmental support. It’s a great resource that has information about  milestones from birth to age 5 for parents and caregivers.  As I see him change and develop, I have to marvel at how amazing babies really are, and am so happy that I get to be a part of making him laugh and helping him grow!

What milestones have your child reached? Find out more on the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” site.