By nine months of age your baby will do something amazing - smile selectively right at you. She'll see you and her little face will brighten right up on purpose!
Once this happens you may be super excited to share this experience with your pals and family only to find that your baby refuses to share her smile with anyone else. The issue here is stranger anxiety. As she realizes that her parents are people who deserve her smiles she's also realizing that she doesn't know who other people are, and she may not want to smile at strangers. It can be frustrating because of course you want everyone to see that adorable smile, but keep in mind that this is normal. Almost all babies go through a period of stranger anxiety and this is actually a great developmental sign because it shows that your baby has learned to distinguish faces. No worries - even the most shy of babes will eventually spout a grin for other people besides you and your partner.
