So I've been listening to Shayna's baby babel become more and more sophisticated as time goes on. She's been able to clearly say mama when she want's to for at least a month now, but I don't know if that really counts since it's such a natural extension of baby babbel. She says dada sometimes, but not in any really directed way. So this week I was told that she clearly said the name of her dog. While driving with her in the car that day she said the word "baby" quite a few times, I think because that's the first thing other kids say when they first see her. I haven't heard anything as distinct since, but that was the first time I heard her say something not quite baby babel.

This all makes me realise that the process of baby's learning language skills isn't always an on off switch. I always hear about a baby's first word, and first sentences, but that comes after weeks and months of trial and error on their part. I don't know if there really is a "first word". Does it count if she says it, but not focused or directed at anything? How far away from "baby babel" do you get before it counts? Anyway, its amazing to watch her grow up and develop into an amazing person.