I have this theory about a baby’s first words. It came to me recently as I recounted the first words of each of my 3 children. It struck me that the words seemed to match their personality, even as they got older. I’m wondering if others have noticed the same thing. Pay attention as I’m sure this will end up being noted as an important scientific discovery. 😉

None of my kids chose the standard “mama” or “dada”. I try not to take offense, but apparently we just weren’t that high on the priority list.

My first two children were early talkers. They also spoke complex words really young. The youngest baby, not so much. She’s decided to keep us in suspense as long as possible. Don’t get me wrong. She talks A LOT! Most of it just sounds like Chinese. So far there is only one word she is clearly saying, but I do believe it proves my theory.

Their First Words

Cameron – His first documented word was duck. I remember it came out of his love for taking baths. There was a little duck toy that he played with. It also seems to me ducks were well represented in our books at the time. Regardless, this is the word he chose to say and use frequently.

Ducks are cute! They are typically seen as sweet and docile. They are often associated with silliness and humor. They love the water. Cameron was all of these things. He had the sweetest personality. He loved animals and was always the care giver and so empathetic. He would always do anything for a laugh. He loved nothing more than to make everyone around him smile.

Melia – Her first documented word was banana (pronounced nana). This girl had a love of food. Still does. I would attribute that love to her nasty bout with reflux the first year of her life. She was constantly eating because the moment she stopped, her reflux got ugly.

From a very early age, Melia loved food. So much so that one time we found a loaf of bread on her bedroom floor after she fell asleep because she had snuck into the pantry to get a slice of bread after bed time. The other way this fits? She has so many layers to her! She is a complex, complicated little girl. So tough on the exterior, but once you get through that she is all mush.

Sienna – She has only clearly spoken one word so far. Her first documented word is nice. What a strange choice, right? Well, this first word was born from her mean. She loves to give you a kiss and then smack you across the face. It is quite funny…right now. However, through us trying to teach her to “be nice”, she has picked up her first word. She says it all the time when touching something or as the dog enters the room.

I fear Sienna will be a force to be reckoned with! She is far more stubborn than any of my other children. Already from the time she turned 1, she has had the ability to stare you down. If she knows she isn’t supposed to do something, she locks eyes with you and the world goes into slow motion as she does exactly what she knows she isn’t supposed to do. It can be chilling. If my theory holds, this need to teach her to “be nice” will be here for a while.

What were your kids first words? Does my theory hold true?