Welcome, friends, to Part 2 in this 10-part milestone series on 10 Can’t Miss Photos to Take at Every Stage. If you missed Part 1 (newborns), check it out here or at the link at the end of the post. Today, we are jumping into the 3-month-old stage (or thereabouts) and sharing 10 photographable milestones babies hit around this age.
(To get a printable checklist of ALL the milestones to capture from Newborn to Age 5, click the image below.)
As I noted in our first part, sometimes we forget to capture the little milestones because there are so many big milestones to come. I think EVERY milestone is important to capture and let you remember those moments that seem to just fly by.
Your 3-month-old has changed dramatically from the time he came home as a squishy little nugget. She is probably smiling and interacting with you making her just so much fun. Check out the things I love to capture for 3-month-olds!
1. Real Smiles
The best thing about this age is that by 3 months, your sweet little babe is smiling at you, for REAL! Quite possibly the most exciting milestone at this stage, or really at any stage, is this connection with your child. It is just the BEST!
2. Baby Rolls
Those squishy, chunky baby rolls are going to go melt away. Those extra sections of their arms and legs will never be there again. Some babies even look like they have little rubber bands around their parts. Now is the time to capture these squishy rolls!
3. Tummy Time Push Ups
There are plenty of newborns that love tummy time, but many hate it. 😊 It is great for neck strength, learning to roll over, and eventually learning to crawl. Three-month-olds often finally get the hang of being on their tummy and either smile, push up or roll over (or a combo).
I love to capture this moment because baby looks so proud and mom and dad are super excited that the next step (crawling) feels close!
4. Sticking Out Baby’s Tongue
I just think babies sticking out their tongue is the cutest thing! As they get more in control of their muscles, they can do it on purpose. So precious!
5. Holding Toys
As baby becomes more in control of her hands and arms, she will start to hold and “play with” toys. He will get more and more in control as he gets older, but 3-month-olds can often grip a toy. It is fun to capture these early toys they love the most.
6. Sucking on Hands or Fingers
Maybe your little one likes to have his whole hand in his mouth, maybe she sucks her thumb, or maybe he loves those two middle fingers. Either way, baby will grow out of having fingers in her mouth and capturing this sweetness is a must!
7. Finally Able to Hold Up His/Her Head
Baby bobble-head no more, 3-month-olds start to have control over their neck muscles and hold their head up on their own.
8. Rolling Over
Many babies are not quite rolling over at 3 months, so this is sometimes a 4- or 5-month milestone, but it is fun to see baby start to roll over from his tummy or from his back.
9. Staring at Mommy or Daddy
When baby first came home, his eyes could not focus well enough to see Mom and Dad well. Now, she can focus and see your face. It is his FAVORITE thing to look at!
Especially when I do family sessions with older instead of brand-new newborns, I love to get a photo of baby staring right at Mom or Dad.
10. Putting Weight on Legs (“Standing”)
As baby gets stronger, some babies like to “stand” on your lap. It is always fun to see them get stronger and see the new things they can do!
And that wraps it up! 10 can’t miss milestone photos of your 3-month-old! Stay tuned next week for 6-month milestone photos to capture or download the full checklist by clicking the image below!
The Full Series
3-Months (This post!)
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