Her First Word?
- 07
- 22
- 11
Little Sister usually wakes up between six and seven in the morning. This morning was 3:45am but we will pretend that didn’t happen, okay? Anyway, when she wakes up, she kicks around in her crib and coos. Softly at first and then quite forcefully. The trick is to get to her before her cute coos turn into curdling cries. I usually do. And when I do, when I walk into the soothing blue haven that is her room, I turn the light up just a bit and announce myself.
Mommy is here! I say from the door as I walk in. And, hearing this, she kicks more and coos more.
And then I do something kind of embarrassing. When I actually reach the side of her crib and lock eyes with her, I say hello. But I don’t just say hello.
I say, “Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!” I say this in a sacharrine, breathy, quasi-Southern accent. And I say it over and over, as I take off her sleep sack and change her diaper. My girl seems to like it.
Anyway. Yesterday morning, Husband was playing with Little Girl after her morning bottle. Middle Girl was by his side doting on her little sis (she’s officially obsessed with her baby). Big Girl was getting ready for camp, I was blogging. From my perch at the kitchen island, I heard a chorus of coos and other sundry baby sounds and then I heard it.
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I smiled. Said nothing. And then? Husband confirmed my hunch.
“Babe,” he said. “I’m pretty sure she just said hi.”
“Yes,” I said. “I think she did.”
So. We might have ourselves a first word. Or, let’s be honest, we might have ourselves a sweet and silly sound that a certain mother is choosing to interpret as a first word because, really, is there a better first word to have?
Hi.
_________________________________________
Have you ever been told what your first word was? What have your kids’ first words been? Do you do embarrassing things/make embarrassing sounds around your tiny ones that you would never do/make in public? Do you think I can count this as her first?
My first word was “Hi” as well and it set the foundation for an extensive vocabulary in the years to follow….wise choice Little Girl, wise choice!
This is so cute. My boys first words were mama and dada.
Love it! My kids’ first words, respectively, were “Ellen,” “cupcake,” and – get this – “Hi.” Like you, I’m not really so sure that Baby Sister really meant “Hi” when she said it in response to my greeting, but who cares?
Happy weekend!
That is sweet. Because I am sure that she knows that that sound that you make is a good one and announces someone she loves is nearby!
I don’t recall what age my kids were but I do know that my son Rocket’s first word was “squirrel” or more accurately “quirrel”. I came over to the sliding glass door where he gestured repeatedly to a squirrel doing what squirrels do.
And Tiny Dancer, my daughter’s first word was “doggie” or more to the point “‘gie”. We had a dog at the time and she was petting it and and saying “‘gie” over and over.
What a sweet memory to share! Thank you for reminding me of my own long ago foray into words!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Well according to the dictionary, a word can be a speech sound that communicates meaning. She may not know what “hi” means, but she made a sound that communicates meaning- and that meaning is I see you, I hear you, I love you. It’s her way of reaching for you. Or maybe she’s genius smart. Either way, it’s one of those moments, isn’t it? Lovely!
What an exciting, and adorable, milestone!! And how amazing that both you and your husband were able to witness it together!!
So sweet, my children’s first words were dada.
My first word was “color” because I wanted to use crayons and scribble. My little brother’s first word was my name. =)
I don’t know what my first word was — I’ll have to ask my parents — but I can’t think of anything more perfect than hi. So adorable.
And yes, when I am around babies I absolutely find myself making noises/faces, ect that I would never say/do in public.
I feel a little lame that I don’t know my younger son’s first word (older son was car, his first real word). Then again, I am fairly certain my mother would have no idea what my first word was. As for embarrassing your kids, I call my older son Moofee (not sure how that came from Myles) and my younger son Wes Wes. They have drawn the line and these cannot be shared in public. Game over, they are growing up.
thanks for your comments about Jen, I miss so much her already.
Adorable! I think both of my kids said “gog” for “dog” as their first word!