Pretty much since he was born, I’ve been saying to my son, “Dada!” “Dada dada dada!” fairly frequently. Not enough to drive him nuts, but enough that he would hopefully remember it and associate it with me. I often touch his hand to my face when I say it, too.
He’s never really given any indication that he’s going to say it. Usually it goes something like:
Dada!
smile
Dada!
laugh
Dada dada!
raspberry
But I’ve kept it up consistently.
When my wife caught me doing it, she of course started fighting back with “mama!” as frequently as possible. Finally a couple days ago, I didn’t hear what he did, but she said he made some noises that suggest he’s probably going to say dada first.
Then today we’re lying on the bed and I’m reading a magazine and he says,
chatterchatterchatterDADAchatterchatter
I freeze and perk up an ear. Whaaaaa?
chatterDADA!chatter
I roll over and look at him, yes?!
Dada!
yes!
Dada. Dada. dadadadadadadada!
dadadada!
DADA
yes! yes! wooooooo!
He did this for 5 or 10 minutes, even said it on command several times, and then clammed up. Performance over. Hasn’t made a peep since.
He’s 5 months and 5 days. I have no idea if that’s early or late. It’s really exciting, though!
“ma” is also a babble sound (and uses a bilabial consonant). In fact, it’s thought that etymologically, words like “mama”, “papa”, and “baby” derive, ultimately, from the fact that bilabial consonants (and the simple vowel [a]) are so frequently produced by babies.
(That having been said, it’s also thought that “dad” derives from a similar source, so it can’t be much harder to learn to pronounce)
Our youngest just said ‘dada’ this week, and she’s almost 6 months. I think her sister was around the same age when she said ‘dada’… on mother’s day even
Wheeee! In a few months you’ll be wishing he’d shut up!
I can’t remember my kids’ first sounds but my son at seven or eight months pointed at an animal (not a cow!) and said, “moooooo” which he then used consistently for animals for a few months. That was the first word that had a meaning attached to it that we knew. His first correct naming of an object was “car” a lot later, past his first birthday.
The second one never talked. Not until just past his third birthday really. And I’m ashamed to say I don’t remember his first word!
This seems to be their personalities - the first one would probably explode and die if he was gagged and couldn’t share every innermost thought ALL DAY. The younger one - doesn’t talk!
My daughter said “Mama” at her six month checkup - her first word! Later that day she came out with Nana and Bubba, which was awesome. That evening she started crawling around saying Dada which was bizarre… she doesn’t have a Dad and no one was using that word around her. I guess it just came in the “First Sounds” pack… ?
Even now (at nearly 17 months old) she sings a nonsense song that she made up herself that goes “Ma ma, Bubba, Pa Pa, Da da” (randomise syllables and repeat for the duration of the car ride).
My daughter’s first word was, “Heeeeey” all sing-songy over the course of at least 2 syllables because that’s how I say it, especially to her. I loved it because she is my Mini Me, which drives my husband nuts. I can’t remember how old she was, but I think she was close to 6 months or so. She’s 14 months now and a chatterbox, most of which is her own language, but in a very serious, important tone.
Our daughters first word was dada. Which she then shortened to Da. So when I get home everyday I’m greeted by her toddling to the back door shouting Daaaaaaaa. Makes the whole work day worth while. Her first real communication was the sign for dog. (We’ve been teaching her baby sign language.) She loves the dog.
I can’t remember how old she was, but I think she was close to 6 months or so. She’s 14 months now and a chatterbox, most of which is her own language, but in a very serious, important tone.