Joseph's first word...maybe, possibly, kind of, sort of....

Mike and I are not used to a nontalking baby at this age. At this age, Clara was speaking two word phrases and asking simple questions like "where's Bear?" Joseph has yet to really talk.

Very early on he started saying all the consonant sounds (baa, gaa, mama, dada, t, and even l). And he would just babble and babble all day. But no words. When Clara was nine months, she very clearly spoke her first word "Daddy." Joseph says "dada" and even "mama" but doesn't mean anything behind it. I don't count those as his first words.

But the other day, he picked up the book "I Touch" and brought it to me to read. Open to first page and it is a picture of a ball. I say "ball" very clearly. He says "ball" back (but lacked the "L" sound at the end). So I repeat ball and he repeats his version of ball. He turns the page and we come to "water." I proceed to say "water" and he, in his own version says "wawer" (lack of "T" sound).

I was starting to wonder if his hearing was off but I think this clearly shows it is not. He heard how I said the words and he repeated them as a 1 year old would say them. So I guess he really has said his first words.

Only thing, it also sounds like he has said "daddy" (but with no meaning really behind it). I am so trying to get him to say "mommy" (with meaning) so I can have a child say and use that word first (before the word "daddy.")