Like so many things about parenting, we’re not really sure of the protocol for deciding on a child’s first word. Is it the first time he says something recognizable regardless of context, or the first time he clearly identifies something by using the correct word for that thing? When does it happen? If we declare it too early will we get knowing, accomodating, but not-quite-accepting nods from fellow parents?
The Boy has often said “mama” and “dada” and “hey” and a few other things that seem to be actual words, often at times when it could reasonably be said that was what he meant to say. And for a month or two he’s been making vague noises when he sees one of the cats “or should I say Hastings, because Siegfried and Roy still run from him like he’s a tiny veterinarian”. Sometimes it sounds like, “Hey, kitty.” Sometimes it sounds like, “Ehhh, keeeahhhhahh.”
But this morning in response to Mommy’s question, “Do you see the kitty?”, Conrad responded, very clearly and without ambiguity, “Kitty!” All the sounds were there, including the oft-overlooked T sound.
So, we’re calling it. On February 16, 2009 at 8:42 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, at the age of one year, five days, one hour and 42 minutes, Conrad said his first word, and it was “kitty.”
UPDATE: We just got back from his one-year checkup with his not-easily-impressed pediatrician who said that this, in fact, does not count since Jean said “kitty” first. So his official first word is yet to pass his lips.
She also asked us a lot of questions seemingly designed to deflate the proud parent, like, “How does he show you what he wants?” and “When you roll a ball does he roll it back to you, and does he put any English on it?” and “Has he written anything I might have read?”