Veronika is just about at that age when babies start pulling up. To encourage the motion, today she did her squats!

Hold your baby on your lap, with his or her feet firmly on your thighs. As many times as he or she will tolerate, let them push up to stand and then squat back down.

The first few times we played the game, she would hang her feet in the air, uncertain what to do.

Then she started to get the hang of using those leg muscles. Veronika didn’t know she was getting exercise, she just loved the up and down motion.

When she put her weight on her feet, I encouraged her with a big grin and a “Soooo big!”

After baby gets some exercise, why not reverse things and fit in a few quick moves of your own? Because she can support her upper body completely now, it was time for some Veronika bench presses. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and hold your baby on your tummy, then lift high into the air. A work out for mama and an airplane ride for baby!

Or why not flip over and do push ups? For this one, I lay Veronika on her back and assumed push up position over her.

We nuzzle noses and say I love you each time I press down and then she giggles as I push back up again.

Note: All photo credits in this post go to big brother Travis!