First Word?

Alright. I want to start this off by saying, like with most things, I have no idea what I'm talking about. Which is why I am posting this question to you all today: When do/did you count a word as your baby's first word?

When I ask friends and family members, I get mixed responses ranging from counting anything intelligible at all to when the baby repeats the word and associate meaning in some way, etc.

Ada said "mama" a lot during the week leading up to Mother's Day, for example. Especially when she was tired and hungry. It seemed on the surface to have meaning to my own mother and even my grandmother. But did I count it? No. Did I desperately wish it had meaning? Yes!

But I know better. She's been uttering strings of syllables, not limited to "mama" and "dada" and "baba" and gaga" for a while . . . and this week "nana" has been a new favorite.

Then this happened:



Just like with the standing video, this was the first time she did this whole repetition thing. Blew my mind. But ever since, I'd say about 80% of the time, she will repeat "dada" even if she's in the middle of another conversation. As for meaning: She's looking directly at Stephen when she says it in the video. She seems to associate him with the word.

So, the question remains: Did Ada say her first word? And is she working on another? "Mama" has been falling off her tongue like crazy these days. Always when she needs me -- however, she won't repeat it in isolation. Another fledgling is "kitties" but it sounds more like "ktttttsssssssss" . . . she only says it when the cats are around.


According to my mom, I had a vocabulary of over 100 words by age 1 and could even string together primitive, two-word sentences. I find that difficult to believe -- sorry, mom -- but at the same time, not entirely out of the question. I'm a skeptic by nature.

I am compelled to believe her when I consider the truth: I always did get in trouble in school for talking.

When do/did you count a word as your baby's first word? Is this one ready for me to ink into the memory books?

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