Dada and Baba

Alex’s two words. For at least a month now he’s been saying Dada. He calls Daddy dada, he calls Mommy dada and he just babbles dadadadadadaaa all day long, so he might not as much know that that means daddy as much as he just likes it! Three days ago he said baba!! I’m pretty sure that most the time when I give him a bottle or talk to him and ask if he’s hungry I also say do you want a baba? I don’t realize it, so I can’t be positive that I do it, but I think so.
So the other day I was feeding him some carrot and squash babyfood I made him and he loved the first few bites. Then he shook his head, which he’s been doing for a few months now, and I think he’s finally got what that means. Before he just always thought it was funny. But, I’m pretty sure that on this day Alex and I might have actually had our first real conversation! He took the spoonful of food in his mouth, didn’t chew and slurp it down like he was doing, but left it on his tongue. He then smiled at me and said BABA. Very quiet, very polite, just baba. Then again. Next bite, baba again. And the next and the next. It was really very funny, but even though I thought it weird I assumed that he was just making sounds to babble because he couldn’t possibly have just meant to actually say baba with a mouth full of food, could he? So I asked him baba? Are you saying bottle? Then I said, Alex do you want a baba? And I’m pretty darn positive that real quick just then he did a head nod! For the first time ever, I’m pretty positive he nodded yes, not no!! So I went and grabbed a bottle and showed it to him to make sure. He started kicking and waving and laughing, which is what he does every time he sees that he’s getting a bottle. Then I act quickly because I know what comes next…
Alex is a little Hunger Monster… I become a little impatient and somewhat mean when I’m hungry for too long and people are making me wait, some have said so I guess he gets it from me. My husband is the number one believer of this trait in me, he says it’s funny, but I don’t think that he thinks as much at that particular time. I’m sure all babies get a little fussy and cry when they’re hungry but Alex is on a whole other level! He is laughing and bouncing around excited and happy one second and then a switch is flipped. No one ever sees it coming and all of a sudden he is furious! He jumps up and down to begin the temper tantrum, then he sees the bottle being prepared. So, he switches from night to day, he’s happy and laughing thinking he gets to eat. Then he sees that it’s being warmed and doesn’t understand why he’s not eating yet and it’s holy terror again! The flailing arms, jumping legs and screaming shows that in just eight short months he’s figured out how to throw the perfect tantrum, just like mommy! OK, I’m not that bad. But as soon as he gets his bottle, which he grabs viciously from the hand that feeds (and would probably bite if he could get hold) he’s back to being a perfect little angel! It’s an emotional roller coaster, that hopefully is way worse than my display, but it’s a little funny after the fact. We are starting to think that we have produced our own personal little Jekyll/Hyde duo!

… It may seem to you that these are all negative traits, but it depends how you look at it. He’s not afraid to get comfy, no matter how funny he looks, he has a wonderful sense of humor, and sarcasm already emerging, and he knows what he wants and how to get it pretty darn quick!!! My little man is growing up so fast!



But, yes, from these events I’ve gathered that Alex has learned to say baba and knows what it means!! My smart little man !!