Who ARE you!?

My daughter has fallen prey to the dreaded fear of strangers that most babies go through at this age. She no longer is willing to take with aplumb being handed off to a "stranger" for a snuggle. Instead she gets a dubious look on her face that prefaces out right crying. It wouldn't be so bad except that it happens most often with friends who have held her before. A just doesn't remember of course. She is a warm and friendly child as long as she is in my arms. But even with me right there in someone elses arms she becomes a wary stranger. She even goes so far as to brace her legs on said stranger so that she cannot be held close, while craning around to see where I am at all times. This effectively ends the attempted cuddle session when it becomes apparent that she is not going to be coaxed into snuggliness

This is an entirely typical stage. Most ,if not all, babies go through it. It makes me feel bad sometimes though as my once easy going child turns on a torrent of crying in someone else's arms. She'll outgrow it eventually, and most of the time the person that she reacts that way to understands. Still I want to run over and assure the person that it isn't personal, and she really is a very social baby. The way that we have found to manage this new character quirk is to go slow. Rather than just handing the kiddo off to a new person I hold her on my lap and let the new person warm her up slowly. Before you know it she is babbling and gurgling in the manner that we have all become accustomed to. Then before you know it she is reaching for said stranger, and "Hello have we met before." Flirt flirt smile smile.