It could mean: He needs a minute to process what's going on. "Babies are often trying to make sense of what they're seeing," says Paul C. Holinger, M.D., author of What Babies Say Before They Can Talk. "Looking away can mean 'Let me swallow this first before you give me another bite.'"

How to respond: Let him check out his surroundings on his own schedule, even if he only wants to peek periodically at his reflection in the mirror or his new toy. When he turns away for good, move on.

Or it could mean: You've invaded his personal space. "Babies can get annoyed if you enter their space bubble, just like adults can," says David Burnham, M.D., a pediatrician and medical director of HealthEast Maplewood Clinic, in Minnesota.

How to respond: Give him room to chill. Sure, you love fawning over him, but it's fine if he'd rather stare at the wall. So give patty-cake a rest and let your baby play on the floor by himself for 20 minutes. (Hey, it's downtime for you, too!)