Hellobee Boards

I would probably consider a real first word as something that was said with clear intent, even if the word sounds nothing like the actual word. My son's first word was "baba" but he was trying to say "appah" (daddy in korean). He babbled a lot before that but nothing with obvious or clear intent.

Yeah, my kids say mama, dada/dadee, nana, baba, and such, but I don't consider them real words yet. Sometimes, I think there is general intent behind it....mama when they need something or are whining and baba occasionally when they are hungry. But nothing has been a clear correlation yet at 9 months. We're keeping an eye out, and like sorrycharlie said, I think calmness is kind of a factor, and also a succinct word rather than a string of sounds.

@pregnantbee: That's totally sounds like a word to me! Especially since he looks for your DH when you ask where dada is. And since he says "dada" while signing dog, that sounds like a definite word!

LO always says mama, happy or sad, but I don't think she is saying it towards me, so it's hard to consider it her first word. Although I wouldn't complain if it were.

@banana: @Sammyfab: @irene: Thanks, ladies. I truly was wondering the same thing because (at 10 mo pp) I've just started filling in his baby book, and I got stuck on "first word."

We've been trying to teach ASL, and he actually signed "dog" at 5 months! We just started noticing the "da" and "dog" connection, though. And when he's excited about anything, he flaps his arms like a crazy man. But he does do it on command when I point or ask about the dog.

And as for LO looking for DH when I ask "where's dada".....when I ask "where's mama," it's like tumbleweed is blowing by. I don't think he has any clue that I'm "mama." Nor does he say the syllables "mama" regularly. LO is 10 months this week.