verbal ben

Benjamin's first word might have been "Yay!" (said while he clapped his hands).

That was the first time I heard him say something that was obviously connected to something else, as opposed to babbling familiar phonemes. He did it over and over again, clapping and saying, "Yay!"

But Miss Angel says that while he was over at her house last night, he was upset and calling for his Mama. She says it was obviously the word "Mama" and, again, not just babble. So maybe "Mama" was his first word.

Then this morning I finally heard him say "Papa" — which Nathalie says she's heard him say before when I walked into the room. But I hadn't heard it. I knew he was working on it. When I walk into the room, he starts mouthing "Papa," practicing his P's. He did that again this morning. But then at one point, he'd had enough practice and said it aloud: "Pa pa!"

How exciting. And I like the idea that his first word might have been "Yay" because it seems appropriate. He's a very enthusiastic baby boy.

- "Pa pa"

PS We should have predicted that his first words would be the ones that his mother and father say the same way. I wonder when he'll starting using words that are different in French and English.