Mama or Dada? Baby's first words...

Have you ever wondered about the significance people put on a baby's first word?

When Bella first started to babble, she clearly said Dada. Now, I wasn't the parent that was over the moon because she said Dada. In reality, she really had no connection to the word. And if you think about it, it really is the easiest word to say between the two.

For those of you with stage fright, go to the bathroom. All you others: try saying DADA, and MAMA. Dada is all inner mouth. All tongue (save the reference for another time), and really takes no effort to say. MAMA, on the other hand, takes a whole other consortium of muscles to make your cheeks, lips, and jaw move to form the letter M.

Isabella - 10 months, Dada!

Jaxsen is exploring his voice and is making word sounds. While Bella took forever to say Mama (Angela was starting to get a complex), Jaxsen has said Mama already. But again, the kicker is that he has no idea what he is saying, and can't make the connection quite yet. I'm sure it makes Angela feel better that he's saying both now, but when does it REALLY count?

Bella began to make an association when I came into the room one day. And then it happened more and more, and more. And more. And more. There was a definitive point to where she could identify with Dada that it was ME. NOW I was over the moon!

Jaxsen - 10 months, Dada & Mama!

I think Jaxsen will make the connection quicker because he's already able to say both. He'll be able to understand the reaction he gets from us after saying the word. Pavlov's dog, I guess... In the end, it's just a first word of many that we as parents will be called, I'm sure. (Mom and Dad, don't read into that...)

But what do you think? Is there importance on the first word? Does it matter if a baby says Dada or Mama first? I'm sure there are people who do studies on this, and then there are people who study the people. And then there are studies by people who do do studies on people. I wonder what word those people said first?