First Words

As you know every parent anxiously awaits what their little ones first words will be. Of course there is always the cooing and the "da-da-da-da." But we really wait for that first word, the one that is actually understood by more than the mom. This is an important event in a parent's life as well as the child's.

My oldest, her first word: "book." As a parent, I could not have been any prouder. Since she was the first one, she had our undivided attention. We were on her time since I didn't even work the first year of her life. "Book" This meant, in my mind, that she would love to read, that I had taken the time and effort to read her books and I was proud!

My second, her first word: "baby." This was very appropriate given all that was going on in our house at the time. I found out I was pregnant when this sweet baby was only 4 months old. So as she was growing, so was my belly and there was lots of baby talk. I was alittle sad that her first word revolved around me. But I soon found out that "baby" was so much like her. She is my little nurturer and "baby" definately fits her personality.

My third, his first word: honestly I had no idea. You may think I am a terrible parent, but there is a reason! He had not spoken even the normal "da-da-da" and so the doctors decided it was time to do some investigating. He was 17 months and did not communicate with us at all, no pointing, no waving, no babbling!! After some tests, we discovered that there was fluid built up in his ears and he had 60% hearing loss in both ears. The doctors immediately suggested tubes. We had tubes "installed." And 2 weeks later, he started talking in 2 and 3 word phrases, so it all came so fast, that I don't remember what that actual first word was. I still feel guilty about this, and I didn't think it could get any worse!

Until my fourth. He did not say much at all. I was very worried that history was going to repeat itself and we would have to get more tubes. The doctor checked him an said there was no fluid, he was just taking his time. So we have anxiously awaited his overdue first word. His first words: "On Guard!" He uses what ever he can find and uses it as a sword and repeats over and over "On Guard." This is modeling after his big brother of course, who sleeps with the foam sword.

After looking at the progression of my children's first words, I think it just goes downhill! We started intellectual, then we progress to things going on the the household, then we just don't remember, and if that isn't bad enough, we finish off with very defensive phrases. When Haley said "book" I remember thinking that this said alot about me, now that Bennett is saying "On Guard" I am thinking what does this say about me? You always have to be on the lookout for the enemy (which is probably an older sibling!) and ready to defend yourself! I definately think that with his first words being "On Guard" there is no telling what we are in store for!