Part of being successful at capturing your baby's milestones is knowing when these incredible moments are most likely to occur. If you're thinking baby's first tooth is more than six months away, you'll be caught off-guard when it shows up a month or so earlier!

For at least the first year of baby's life, there is bound to be a new photo opportunity each month — and you'll want to be poised to capture everything you want to remember for years to come. Just keep in mind that development varies widely from child to child. Some milestones may come late, others early, but following are some general guidelines.

One Month

Babies still sleep more than they are awake at this stage. They should be able to lie on their stomachs and lift their heads for brief moments. A one-month-old can usually recognize the voices of his or her parents and perhaps a sibling or two. Babies at this early stage are good listeners, since they are just beginning to learn the language.

Two Months

Two-month-olds can often roll from a side position to their backs. They are beginning to make simple vowel sounds, most often after watching their parents' lips and mimicking them. Smiles begin this month — so get your camera ready to catch as many as you can!

Three Months

Babies get more of a personality and seem to smile at more specific things (such as a parent's smile, a toy, or a sibling). Now is a good time to start playing more music or to sing around your baby, if you haven't already. Babies react more to music at three months.

Four Months

A four-month-old is much more lively and will likely have longer awake periods than younger babies. At four months, a baby can usually roll from stomach to back on his or her own. Laughter begins, and sounds begin to be more refined than in the previous month.

Five Months

Many babies begin to sleep through the night at five months, and their sleep patterns become more regular. With some support from you, baby should stand on his or her feet and bounce for a few minutes at a time. Five-month-olds should also be able to lie on their back and raise their heads and shoulders a little. Teeth may begin to sprout this month, as infants start teething anytime between the ages of three and fifteen months.

Six Months

Six months is a real turning point for babies, since they begin to sit briefly by themselves. Babies' noises begin to sound a little more like complete sentences, even though the sounds still don't amount to much more than cooing or simple words (dada or mama). Six-month-olds can reach for toys or other objects that they find interesting (such as earrings). Watch out!

Seven Months

Your seven-month-old is becoming more mobile, with rocking motions, more grasping with hands, and the ability to sit up all by himself. If you have gone back to work or even just leave the room for a spell, you may notice that baby isn't very thrilled about it. This is when separation anxiety starts.

Eight Months

Eight-month-olds sit up for longer periods of time by themselves and can even pull themselves up to a standing position, although they don't typically hold this position too long. They show more interest in learning to walk and may even start crawling. Also, a new study suggests that babies can remember things you say from this point on — so watch your language!

Nine Months

Your nine-month-old can crawl into the most unusual places, such as up a small staircase or under furniture. Some babies at this stage can even walk while holding on to a parent or some furniture. There is even growing evidence that baby actually understands many of the words you use.

Ten Months

At ten months, your baby can wave (and possibly even say) bye-bye; crawl nearly everywhere in the house; and form simple sounds and words like “mama” or “dada.” The baby can pull himself into sitting position, sometimes by rolling up.

Eleven Months

Baby can walk with you, as long as you hold his hand. He can also call for “Mama” and “Dada,” play simple hand-clapping games, and sometimes stand by himself for longer than one minute. Walking, of course, is still another matter. Expect baby to collapse back to the ground easily or to wind up in a squatting position.

One Year

Baby is one year old! Now, you need to get those video cameras rolling, since baby may be able to walk for three to ten minutes at a time. Of course, some babies don't walk on their own until they are about fifteen months old.