Did He Just Say What I Think He Said?
There is a moment that every Daddy waits for.
Hold… Hold… HOLD!…
Typically (or stereotypically, if you’d prefer), Mommy is the all-star. The intensity of the mother-spawn connection is undeniable. After spending nine months living inside of her plus the primal closeness of breastfeeding, dads often feel they are second string in many respects. While there are families with stay-at-home male superheroes like me, I would argue that even then, there is just something cosmically unique about the bond between mother and baby with which fathers just can’t compete.
However, every dad–whether a working dad, a stay-at-home dad, a combination of the two, or some other option I can’t think of–waits for one special, magical moment. A moment he can truly call his own. A moment when his loinfruit shines the spotlight solely on him, and it becomes completely okay for him to ham it up–even in front of Mommy. A moment he is verbally singled out by his offspring as The Man in Charge, the Go-To Guy, the Master of the Universe. Yes, that’s right, I’m talking about the first-ever time his baby identifies him aloud as “Dada.”
“I… have… the POWER!” –He-Man, on hearing his son call him “Dada” for the first time.
This landmark occurrence is mind-blowingly amazing in its own right–it signifies language acquisition and adds a new, verbal layer of connection between parent and child. But–at least in English-speaking households–it also gives Dad a little ego boost as it usually happens before “Mama.” Call it a purely phonetic phenomenon if you like, moms. We’re well aware that the “D” sound is easier to make than “M” and we don’t care, because when we hear that inaugural “Da” amidst the babble, we know the wait is almost over. We’re going to beat you in just this one thing. And that’s okay.
At the same time, this anticipation can get us a little carried away. For instance, some over-excited dads rule the initial, randomly-stumbled-upon, mid-babble “Dada” as The First. Never mind that the alleged “Dada” wasn’t even in the room and the kid was engrossed in turning an expensive board book into paper pudding before he can even fully grasp its content (money well spent). Yet, the first time they hear these two chance syllables in succession, some dads are on Facebook in seconds flat, telling the world that the “Dada” has dropped.
Settle down, Beavis. Sure, I’ve had these moments, too, but to me, this is an inauthentic “Dada.”
Since the Twins arrived, I’ve been telling myself I would not claim to be dubbed Dada prematurely, and was proud with my performance when we first heard my son say:
“NnnnnnnnnguhguhguhthhhthhhDadababababassssssssssssssssss.”
“Did you hear that?” my wife enthused. “He said Dada!”
“Yeah,” I replied, skeptical. “Not really, though.”
See, in my opinion, the Official Dada Ruling should be one in which the child actually seems to be addressing or identifying Dada, an intentional utterance instead of an accidental baby-babble snippet. This is when you know your child has joined Team Dada.
Which brings me to my most legendary announcement since The Unveiling of Twinfamy Logo 2.0:
On Monday, August 29, 2011, around 7:45 am, my son welcomed me into the Dada Ranks…I think. Maybe. I don’t know. Well, here’s what happened.
I had put my daughter down for the morning’s first nap and was now changing my son’s diaper before shipping him, too, off to Dreamland. The whole time, he stared up at me with an admiring half-smile. As I affixed the new diaper’s Velcro and pulled his pants back on, he looked me dead in the eye and said, “Dada.”
Chills. Butterflies. Skepticism. More chills. Imaginary Disney-movie animal sidekicks cheering.
Did he just say what I think he said?
He launched into a squinty-eyed giggle and I joined him, encouraging him on a job well done, and reinforcing, “That’s RIGHT, Buddy! I’m your Dada!”
As the festivities drew to a close, I rocked him to sleep to the tune of my magically delicious baritone crooning “Bohemian Rhapsody,” cribbed him in super slow-motion so as to not wake him, and plopped onto the couch.
Did he just say what I think he said?
He looked right at me.
They were his only two syllables during the entire diaper transaction.
I then noticed the t-shirt I was wearing:
Exhibit A (for Awesome)
Was it because of the shirt? Was he calling Chuck “Dada” instead of me? Or did the nine majestic Norrises inspire him to call me “Dada”?
I needed a second opinion.
I unsheathed my cell phone and ran to the other side of the house to call my wife at work. (After five years as a teacher, I have a slight volume problem–I tend to over-project my voice, even when unnecessary, so I’ve learned not to talk on the phone during naptime.)
“Hello?”
“Babe. I think…our son…just called me ‘Dada.'”
She later told me my unintentional dramatic pauses had her in a panic that something terrible had transpired. My bad.
I proceeded to relate the event in question and asked her if she thought we should “count” it.
Her response was incredibly supportive: “Why is he saying ‘Dada’ first? I pushed him out of me. Does he not remember that?”
…
I was pretty convinced it was For Real, but I’ve been waiting for an encore performance and he hasn’t done it since.
So now I don’t know what to think. Was it an intentional moment of clarity, possibly inspired by nine images of Chuck Norris, or was it just a coincidence?
Since I’m on the fence (but not a pointy one, thankfully), I’m going to outsource my opinion to you, O Loyal Reader.
What do you think? What are your Authentic Dada Verbalization Criteria? When did you decide the first “Dada” had dropped, prompting you to chronicle it in the Sacred Texts (baby book)?
Go ahead. Get your “comment” on.
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Here’s some Jeopardy-style Dada-themed thinking music for you:
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This post was Freshly Pressed by WordPress on September 7, 2011. Yay!
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You may also enjoy:
If not, remember that Chuck Norris is always watching. Nine of him.
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Twinfamy 
I’d count it!
As for your wife, it could be worse, my first word was a variation on mickey mouse, and I have a cousin whose first word was “money” *hand to my heart* its true! o.o
Congrats! :D
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All right! I’m in pretty darn good company then–Mickey Mouse, money, and Yours Truly.
Thanks! Assuming it was For Real, it was one of coolest things I’ve ever experienced. And I’m very lucky to have another one coming soon from my daughter.
Good times. Great oldies.
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Definitely For Real! In my opinion, babies enjoy antagonizing their parents by saying something just one time and then watching us question our hearing, observation skills and eventually our sanity as we plead with them over the ensuing days- months, even- to say the word again (preferably in front of a witness). I hope, for your sake, that your son repeats the inaugural word soon, but until then, take heart in knowing that I- and I’m sure many others- believe it was Dada For Real.
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Thanks Julie. I’ve definitely detected a hint of delight in the kids when I’m frustrated and they’ll undoubtedly team up against the Dada ranks for years to come. At least I’ll always have this one moment that I was in charge.
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Next time walk in with a poster of Chuck Norris or a doll and see what he says… if it comes up again, we have a problem, or not as Chuck Norris is the King of Awesomeness and your son would be the Prince. Whatever you do though, never announce these things to the wife, let her find out for herself.
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John, I can always count on you for a scientific answer to my Twinfamic queries. I shall execute this experiment and report the results.
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My daughter refused to say Mom until about three months after Dad. She looked up at me one day when I picked her up after work from daycare, saw my nametag, and said my first name, clear as a bell.
And seriously, I think you need more tags ;)
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So did she read the nametag, or see your picture and recognize you?
I’m truly sorry for the lack of tags on each post. Sometimes I just don’t have time to properly label each concept I thoroughly cover, but I do my best.
As someone whose daughter first spoke with a tag as a cue, I can definitely understand your tag enthusiasm and will try harder in future posts.
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That totally counts!
My niece says “Mmmnnnbbbll.”
…Do you think that she’s saying “Aunty”? Cause that’d be awesome. ;)
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I think that actually might be “Aunty” in another language, but I’m not sure which. Let’s call it Big Latin. It has a nice ring to it.
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I’d say it was authentic. Funny shirt, too…
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Thanks! I want it to be authentic. Just wanted some more feedback. Looks like I got it.
Thanks for reading, and welcome!
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You know what? Without a witness (sans Norris-on-a-shirt), I think you’re totally good to go here — Dada it was!
Congrats. Big moment, to be sure…
:)
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Yessssss! That IS true. If I’m the only witness, I could also talk about how the nine majestic Norrisses assured my son in unison that they were certainly not Dada, and that I was. In fact, I’m going to go on record and say that’s how it happened.
Go ahead. Try to prove me wrong. You weren’t there.
:)
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I think that’s so cute! I think if mom’s were called dada, their first word would STILL be “dada” because it’s easier to say! ;)
But enjoy the glory, man! That’s wonderful.
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Thanks! I really wasn’t kidding when I said I got the chills. It was that “cool” of a moment, even though the cards were admittedly stacked against Mama. Her time will come.
Who knows? Maybe my daughter will say “Mama” first? Then we’ll be tied.
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The question is “Does your wife know Chuck?” If you are sure that there is no chance Mr. Norris is Dada I would totally count it. -Congrats!
Very funny!
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I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know him, but Chuck Norris moves in mysterious ways.
I think I’m gonna go with me, unless Mr. Norris tells me different, since it’s unwise to disagree with him.
Thanks so much for reading!
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This post is hilarious and touching at the same time! =DD Your son recognizes you as a Dada now! Stand proud! :-)
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Thanks so much! “Hilarious and touching” is what I at least attempt, so I’m thrilled you feel that way.
Initiating proud stance in 5, 4, 3, 2… Oh, hold on. The Twins are waking up from naptime.
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I think that the moment your kid looks you in the eye and says “Dada” is the moment that counts…Chuck Norris T-shirt or not!
Loved this post! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
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That’s what I thought, too. He looked me in the eye and said it. There’s gotta be something to that.
Thanks so much for reading! I’m thrilled to be Freshly Pressed and have so many new people checking Twinfamy out. Hope you stick around!
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This post was hilarious! You had me laughing out loud. I’m not a parent, so I can’t relate to exciting mama/dada event, but even so your writing and tone kept me interested and laughing throughout. Great post, thanks for sharing! And congrats on ‘dada’!
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Thanks so much! I know that this is essentially a parenting blog, but I really try to make it entertaining for everyone, even non-parents, so I’m so psyched to hear you feel that way.
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Great post :) Thanks so much for sharing.
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Happy to share. I write because I love it and I write about my kids because I love them.
Thanks to YOU for reading! :)
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Love the shirt! Chuck Norris can do anything–including to get babies to talk!
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
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Thanks! I remember the day we were at the store and I was trying to convince my wife that it was a justifiable purchase. Good thing I won.
I think maybe Chuck heard me from afar and clenched a calf muscle, bending the space-time continuum ever so slightly in such a way as to sway her in the Right Direction.
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Remind your wife that once children learn to say “Mommy”, she’ll want to change her name!
They’ll soon chase her around the house, screaming “Mommy, mommy…” climbing all over her, and wrapping themselves around her legs, for the next few years…. and you’ll get to relax in the other room and watch TV …(unless you feel guilty about ignoring her as she’s getting mauled). ;)
My children actually got the “Eee” sound in there fairly early, so it came out “Dada-ee”. But I think it was practice for “Momm-EEeeeeee!”
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Oh wow, the “Eeeeee” sounds like a blast. I’m in no rush to hear that.
I know what you mean about the name repetition. I was a middle school teacher for the past five years and I got sick of my name, too. Kids would call it out all day in whiny desperation.
“Mr. Pseudonymous! Mr. Pseudonymous! Mr. P! Mr. Pseudonymous!”
I don’t miss that.
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My mom was always jealous of my dad because she had two c-sections and he got to hold both of us before she did.
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Yeah, it is kind of unfair the way that happens.
Although, if you think about it, your mom got to hold each of you pretty darn long before you were out. :)
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This is hilarious! And it totally counts.
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Thanks so much! Looks like that’s the majority’s opinion so far.
Team Dada, here I come!
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Great post, really enjoyed it. So glad your child said ‘Dada’! and I’m sure it wasn’t the T-shirt!! Like your sense of humour :)
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Yeah, this is really great post. First word of baby: “Dada”, it’s lovely.
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Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
I may have been overthinking the t-shirt, but I’ve always believed that if Chuck Norris is involved, it needs to be taken seriously.
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lol awesome
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Thanks!
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As a mom to 5, I can tell you that most babies say dada first. But, a wise father won’t tell mom. When baby says mama, then you can celebrate with the addition of your name. That way, mom’s delicate ego isn’t crushed after 9 months of lugging them around inside, and all the work of nursing, sleepless nights, and hormonal changes. Yeah, they love their daddies just as much as mommy – in some cases (like a certain daughter of mine) even more. But, mommy’s just need to think they are first in line. Keep it your secret and everybody wins! imho.
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Looks like I’m not so wise. I shouldn’t tell my wife that either.
I’m pretty sure my wife knows she’s number 1. Sometimes I wonder if the kids are just being nice to me because The One With The Boobs seems to like me, but I think I definitely have second place nailed down.
Thanks for reading and the mom POV! Good stuff.
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It totally COUNTS!!! Hunny’s first word was “hoop.” As in, basketball hoop, so at least your baby said, “Dada” first! Congrats on being Dada & Freshly Pressed.
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Nice! “Hoop” is a rad first word–you don’t hear that one often as the first. I’m honored to be my son’s first.
Thanks so much for reading!
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Wait, is there a chance you’re raising Chuck Norris’s children?! So awesome.
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If you think about it, there’s a chance that really anyone could be raising Chuck Norris’s children, without the parents even having any idea. The guy is FAST.
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My sister’s first word was ‘Batman’, because her older brother and I had been singing it nonstop for a week. Sorry, parents.
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Wow, now THAT is an epic first word. Was her second word “Robin”? It just seems fitting.
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My husband is also a stay-at-home Dad, so even if “Daddy” weren’t easier, it’s an odds on favorite for the win over “Mommy” at our house.
Every night, when I ask my 3 sons to tell me something fun about their day, the 1.5 year old ALWAYS answers “Daddy!” Granted, he doesn’t say much else (other than “MINE!) but it charms his Dad.
Lately when I ask him to say “Mommy”, he’ll say “Daddy” and laugh and laugh. We’ll do this for awhile until he goes in for the kill with “Daddydaddydaddydaddy” and collapses in a fit of giggles.
*sigh* Trust me, yout “Dada” counts. Even if he does think Chuck’s his Daddy. Could be worse; at my house, that would have been Darth Vader. : )
And my husband does that baited…TERRIFYING…pause…thing to me…all the time!
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! Fun blog!
(- from Momsomniac and the Sons of Anakin ; )
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Okay, now hold on just a minute. Are you telling me that you’re Darth Vader’s wife? It’s an honor, Momsomniac. No wonder you’re not sleeping–if he breathes like that when he’s awake, I can’t even imagine what his snoring sounds like.
I’m thrilled to hear that Galactic Empire’s position on this matter is that the “Dada” counts. Is there anyway I could get that written up on Empire letterhead? I’d like to be able to show it to my son some day.
Thanks so much for reading. If your husband is available for Force-harnessing lessons, I’d love to learn. I’m very teachable. Let me know.
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At first I was sitting on that fence with you. It might not be pointy, but it does appear to need a coat of paint. :-) But the more I thought about it, I believe he was calling you “Dada”, and I believe it was solely because you were wearing the Chuck Norris shirt. Babies aren’t stupid. I’m sure he knows just how cool Chuck Norris is, and thought to himself, “Yep, that guy (you) is way cool and I think it’s time I go ahead and give him a little shout out and call him Dada.” And once he did, and saw your reaction, he does what he will do for the rest of his life. Try to infuriate the “H” “E” double hockey sticks out of you when you want him to do something! You indeed are now officially “Dada”. Congratulations…..and for being Freshly Pressed!
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Oh, was that you who made that comment about the paint? You left before I could tell you I agreed with you.
I like your angle. My son is definitely a genius–I know that much–so it only makes sense to assume that the shirt was confirmation of my coolness to my son, encouraging him to throw me his first word.
That’s my boy.
Thanks so much!
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Oh, it’s real alright. It’s already started: He’s just trying to drive a wedge between you and your wife. It’s what they do. Always. Ten bucks says when he gets her alone next time, he’ll whisper “I like mommy better than daddy” and tell her about how you just watch TV all day while she’s at work.
You’ve got to stop this before it gets out of hand. My folks used duct tape on me (until some time last year when the price of duct tape went through the roof). Trust me, the psychiatric bills are totally worth it.
Oh, and congratulations on the pressification! It’s well-deserved and great that more people are going to see your great posts!
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This is good advice. I think I especially need to be vigilant because the Twins will inevitably create an alliance against me.
I’ve read about the Duct Tape Method in several parenting books, but as you’ve mentioned, that duct tape price spike is just too high for us as a family, especially with only one income. If you know of any more frugal solutions, let me know.
And an enormous, heartfelt thank you for the congratulations. It means a lot coming from you since your blog is one of my favorites.
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Count it for sure. Identifying with Chuck Norris ain’t so bad anyways. I like the previous suggestion of walking in with a Norris poster or image of some sort. Test it out and go from there. But for all intensive purposes, I’d count it.
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He’s probably been calling you “dada” for a while now and just hasn’t been able to get the words out until now! Take it! You never get the first “dada” twice! :)
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You know, I’ve been having a rather crappy week and your blog just made me chuckle quiet a few times! I have been trying to train my sisters twins to say Dada (they are only 5 months though ^_^) and so far I have failed. I would definetly count your Dada if I were you! Be proud! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed, I honestly enjoyed reading it.
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Dada, it totally counts! Congrats!
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OK, first word is one thing (yeah, it could be random … but sometimes you just gotta run with it). But, first phrase is quite another matter!
My son’s first phrase was, “Big truck.” Yes, he was in the car seat at the time, in the traffic, and a big truck went by.
But, of course there’s always a hitch. (And no, that wasn’t an attempt to make some sort of bad automotive pun.) In his case, the only problem was, he pronounced “truck” with an “F” instead of a “tr.” So that took something away from the big moment.
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this is awesome! :)
-grace
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Hahaha! Hilarious post.
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“Exhibit A (for awesome).” I’m sold. Well played. Congrats on being Freshly Norrised.
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I have never read a blog post that touched on so many of my favorite, fantastic things…the highlights? If you insist:
“Settle down, Beavis”
“nine majestic Norrises”
“magically delicious baritone crooning “Bohemian Rhapsody,””
and Trio’s, Da Da Da
It must be my lucky day! Awesome. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!
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“After spending nine months living inside of her plus the primal closeness of breastfeeding, dads often feel they are second string in many respects.”
John P – go and look up “dangling participle”. Then see what you did in that sentence.
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Awesome post. :) Both my babies said dada first. But I wasn’t mad. Now that the oldest is two I’m wishing she’d forget how to say mommy (or at least start yelling it at the top of her lungs an hour later than she does). But grats on the big moment and freshly pressed!
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So now I have an inkling of how the Yankees must have felt when Pedro Martinez recognized them as his “daddy” for the first time…this explains alot…
technically though, and I hate to be a wet blanket you know but, it’s really not “scientific” to fully embrace, internalize and dispense “daddyhood” based on a single utterance from an infant that no one else witnessed…I’m sorry brother…I gotta see the video…
Soon though…there is no disputing that you will meet full criteria soon…and if this is true then it follows that you must already “be”, truly, cosmically, eternally…the very archetype of “DADDYHOOD”..therefore, I must relent…
“Daddy”…go forth and conquer in the name of your great, wise and fluent son…
Peace. May our clans find more to celebrate together than dispute…
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this is awesome :)
http://www.galnjd.com/
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Of course you count it! You were there. It’s sort of like the tree falling in the forest. If you are THERE, you heard it. And really, 30 years later… as in my case… I really don’t remember.
Here’s to more happy firsts!
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cute blog. I’m a stay at home mom so I can say you are probably searching for things. Only because my 10 month old says dada and it’s all the time, and we call dad ‘papa’ and haven’t called him anything but papa.
but he said ma ma ma first anyway. LOL. Not trying to steal your thunder but.. you might have to wait a bit longer. I like it best when my son opens his mouth for a ‘kiss’ and sticks his slimy drooling mouth on my cheek better anyhow :)
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You’re hysterical! I love it.
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i think you are spending too much time at home. i am hearing stuff like this often from new dads. lol
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Definitely count it. He was not responding to Chuck Norris, as amusing as the t-shirt is. I loved the story, remembering how my kids also named da-da before ma-ma. Dang it, you are so right. Enjoy your moment of glory! You have earned it.
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WOOO, I’m gettin’ my comment on….and it feels GOOD!
I like your realistic attitude toward the first word. I think people who interpret every sound as “mama” or “dada” should chill out a little bit =)
Hey! Congratulations! You got a legitimate “Dada!” Or, Chuck Norris did.
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congrats John! That definitely counts! direct eye contact and no other sounds involved is the real deal. That’s how it was when my John called me Momma for the first time, well, no eye contact, but he climbed up on my lap, settled in and only said “momma.” he didn’t say it agin for a while after that as well so don’t fret. I even waited 2.5 years to hear it the first time and the glory of it all was worth the wait! Welcome to ParentLand :)
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The Kileys both say count it! Hilarious post!
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LOVE the shirt. If i was a baby i’d be sure to call you dada with chuck noris giving me all his emotions at once! lol great posts.
check this one out beautyinvoid.wordpress,com
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I can’t help laughing if your son recognizes Chuck Norris as his ‘Dada’. Maybe he thought, ‘OMG my dad must be as awesome as this guy on his shirt, Chuck Norris maybe it’s time I acknowledge him’, thus the ‘Dada bomb’
I’m happy for you, and I think it counts. For real. Even if I have no idea about this stuff. Too young, eh?
Two (maybe even four) thumbs up for this! :)
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My son called me the exact same thing when he was a baby! Freaky!
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It absolutely counted… mine still haven’t said “dada” for sure, and they’re 3 and 4. How rude.
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That is the coolest….whether because of you or Chuck, you have a great story out of it.
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SUH-WEET BLOG! All my kids, I have 5, said Dada first! And I am the SAHM! There’s something to it! Count it as all yours!
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very interesting article!! life is that fun.
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I love the shirt ;-)
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Okay…WHOA. not used to you being all famous yet. I had to scroll down past SO MANY COMMENTS.
It is awesome. My kids both said mama first…so I am happy. Dada was followed shortly thereafter, so he can feel good too.
Best sound ever. Even if it is babdaba,aMAMAdadbama!
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AND. your wife has reason to be kinda pissed.
the whole, 9 months of parasites living off of your body, followed by the years of lactating with the pressure of being the sole reason your child is alive and nourished, DESERVES a mama first.
yep. sorry. I just said it.
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Great post! I think it definitely counts – congratulations!
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I would count it. I got the very cool surprise of hearing “mama” the day he was 7 months old. He didn’t start saying it nonstop right after that, much to my surprise…he’s doing that now, at almost 3. Like Steuy off of “Family guy”
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Yes! Count it!
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That was awesome! u should take it cause you’ve earned it.
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Ohh…that is amazing!!!I never knew gave a thought to it before that such a moment could be so great for a parent. But after reading this, I am just trying to make out, how my parents might have felt when I started calling them mom and dad.
Lovely! congrats on being acknowledged as a DADA…finally and also on getting Freshly Pressed (which must be so little a joy against the one you’ve written this post)
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Ohh…that is amazing!!!I never gave a thought to it before that such a moment could be so great for a parent. But after reading this, I am just trying to make out, how my parents might have felt when I started calling them mom and dad.
Lovely! congrats on being acknowledged as a DADA…finally and also on getting Freshly Pressed (which must be so little a joy against the one you’ve written this post)
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Hahaha!! Awesome one!
Me thinks the Dada seems genuine, Chuck Norris would’ve only inspired a ‘gaga’, no way ‘Dada!’ And that calls for the second round of celebration :P
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hiyah
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cooooooieeeee <3
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alright larrrrrrrrr <3
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Lad, Your ‘De Bomb’ <3
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Okay, I think this is an authentic Dada moment. Your son may have been showing appreciation for your sweet Chuck Norris shirt, and if he had the capability, would’ve uttered, “Awesome tee, Dad!” But I think he’s showing appreciation by saying “Dada.” Be it for your choice in clothing or for your parental skills, does it matter? I chalk this one up to a son showing appreciation for his dad!
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I laughed, I teared up, great post. Congrats on Freshly Pressed. The Chuck Norris shirt pulled me in – I LOVE CN humor.
peace
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Oh the joys of being a parent!
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Chuck Norris is awesome
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Considering how much mommy was thrown that he said DaDa first, i’m going to go ahead and say it was the real thing. The whole relationship is inversely proportional.
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Chills. Butterflies. Skepticism. More chills. Imaginary Disney-movie animal sidekicks cheering.
— Priceless. Must have happy woodland creatures cheering on the sidelines or it doesn’t count. ^_^
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hii salam kenal iya dari vira .. :)
jangan lupa mapir keweb vira iya di http://www.rumahkiat.com/ vira mau berbagi pengalaman nih.:)
wah bagus juga iya blog ka2 … ^_^ good luck iya…..
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test
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No, your son is idolizing Chuck Norris! Haha, what a wonderful post. It makes me want to try to remember when I first started talking. I am sure that in no time your son will definitely be calling you “Dada.” Congrats on making Freshly Pressed!
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test1
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I would definitely count that!
Great post and well written. Congratulations on being FP.
http://pjmgfashionn11.wordpress.com/
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You are hilarious. Consider yourself followed…in the un-creepiest of ways, obvi.
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Great post :p
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Everything Is Here For Tourists, Travel In Georgia
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I Like Your Blog. Thanks!
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I have 6 children from the age of 4 to 21 and I am still waiting for the first DaDa! You are so blessed, Congratulations :-)
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I remember my first son calling me Daddy, Daddy is much harder to say, so you can distinguish it from Babby Babble.
Thanks for the post
Dean
http://www.deanseddon.co.uk
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OMG I laughed out hysterically after reading this.. and I was attending a funeral! :D :P
Awesome post!
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Great Post, amazing sense of humour! Dada, it was your moment, enjoy it.
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Laughed all the way through this!
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‘Dada’ was my first word- fact! I’d say your baby said the same thing, of you of course though, not my dad…or Chuck :).
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He was staring you in the eyes, right? And he said “dada.” I would count it. Congrats on being pressed!
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Now that is the funniest and most in-depth study on the verbalization of the word Dada…lol! Loved it!
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Admittedly, I didn’t read all the comments before me, but I saw quite a few that said “YEAH! I’d count it”
I want to argue the other side for a second. Twins are complicated. (Purely speaking from experience here.) If I’d had the chance to call Chuck Norris my dad, and claim him as my own at that early age I totally would have.
I mean then I could just call out “DAD HELP!” when my sister was fighting me. And I could forever use it as leverage with her.
I mean, I called Chuck Norris my dad first, after all.
I’m totally kidding of course. You should definitely count it. Good luck with your kiddos. I know we gave my parents quite a run for their money growing up. I’ll definitely be following your blog now. I love your writing style!
Thanks for the good read,
-Em.
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Nice one :D
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loved reading this :) very cute. Although Chuck Norris is magical, that was for sure the real thing. He was definitely calling you, “dada”. Also, please tell his mommy not to be offended. The ‘d’ sound is usually part of a baby’s first word, it’s simply easier for them to pronounce in the beginning.
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this is an absolutely beautiful story! (… and of course, funny.) I’m always fascinated by the growth of babies.
you might find this interesting: http://www.cracked.com/article_18538_5-superpowers-we-all-had-as-babies-according-to-science.html
I came across it about a few weeks ago. And I guess you can see these things in your twins.
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Giggle! Love this.
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I’d go ahead and count it :-) Great post
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I’m gonna have to jump into the fray and say count it! Trust me, you’re gonna need those bonus points with what’s to come – there will be much more jockeying for parental position in the near (and maybe not so near) future.
The icing on the cake?
You’ve got it in writing…and published ;)
Kids are great, aren’t they?
Awesome post – and congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
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VERY funny — I was wiping my eyes with laughter.
Congratulations, Dad. You’re in the rank and file now. Keep on enjoyin’ em!
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The Police said it right: dododo, dadada, thats all i want to say to you!
I’d take it. Life is short. and with that shirt, i’d say bad a$$ dada! ;) lovely post.
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As a father of twins, let me assure you: it counts. Oh, yeah. It. Counts!
Boo-yah!
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(facepalm) Dude. It was you. It’s cool, you’re it.
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hilarous! and the picture/quote selections couldn’t have been better. as a mom, i recall the heartbreaking moment my son uttered “dada”….and for the next couple months he continued to do so. now i’m certain i’m the favorite :)
http://www.icouldntmakethisshitup.wordpress.com
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well,don’t get too excited yet because I said dada as my first word but it turns out my mom was better but barely though.
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Real or not…..sweet shirt! Keep up the good work Dada.
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Chuck Norris CAN triple stamp a double stamp
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Ha! You are hilarious! I believe you. He said dada. Now do the happy dance!
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Mine is 11 months now and we’re still waiting for that. Months ago he did the sign-language for Dada when I would pick him up in the morning when he wakes up, but then that stopped. To really guarantee, I’m thinking when I walk into the room and he suddenly says it when quiet, then you’ll know.
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It was alone. What more do you want? If you keep waiting, you’ll be waiting until, “Father, will you please fill my cup with juice? And then may we watch Sesame Street?” :D
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Haha great post! I have that shirt as well!
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That’s great congrats. It reminds me of the time my daughter said momma for the first time or was bababa (as in bottle) hence the breastfeeding and all, I wasn’t sure….
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Love your post, funny but so true. Enjoy your Dada moments with your twins…and yes, count that as a Dada to you…uhmm, though I wonder…maybe you wear a Chuck Norris shirt and see if he calls you Dada again…lol.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
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I think the best part of this blog was the fact that you described your child as “loinfruit”.
Seriously though, I say claim it! If he made eye contact and imparted solely those two precious, repetitious syllables, it’s yours for the taking. :)
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cool, but this is better: http://vejadireito.wordpress.com
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Ok, so, as my first words were ‘George Bush’, my parents were probably pretty disappointed. But if you discount every ‘dada’ you get from him because of a shirt, you’ll never get anywhere and ‘mama’ might as well go first. Chuck Norris has nothing to do with it. Your son’s used to you changing clothes. He knows that it’s his dada inside that Chuck Norris shirt, and it’s the same person no matter what shirt he’s wearing. If you had been wearing a solid-colored bottle green shirt, you still would’ve been called Dada.
Count it.
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Thanks SO MUCH to everyone for making these past two days such a blasty blast!
It seems Chuck Norris received word of this post and flexed a bicep ever so slightly, causing a chain reaction in the cosmos resulting in WordPress’s Highest Honor–Freshly Pressedness.
Welcome to all of my new readers, and I hope you stick around for future installments.
I’m going to TRY to respond to everyone, but it may take a while, since, as you can imagine, my hands are pretty full.
You all rock very, very hard, and you’ve made Chuck Norris very, very proud.
Thanks again!
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enjoyed reading :)
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oh’s,great….
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Indian fathers don’t even have that luck.. We call mom ‘ma’ and dad ‘pa’ – mostly children say ‘mmmma’ long before they learn to say ‘pa’
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I enjoyed, this Dada-mate. There, I said it. That officially welcomes you into the happy-sad-unpredictable world of Dada-dom. If you care to visit my Dada moments, come hither to my world — http://fatherseyessnapblogs.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/morphing-the-father-from-the-man/ .
I hope our paths cross again somewhere down the road of our fathering adventures.
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I don’t have a valid opinion in this matter. I was just laughing through the whole thing! d=
Hmm, but let me try. It’s Chuck Norris you’re up against. Sure, it’s a printout on a shirt so it’s not full-on Chuck Norris. But it’s repeated nine times! That might have out-Chuck Norrissed Chuck Norris.
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Insipring article. Thanks
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Gosh, memories, totally classic
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LOOOVE IT! I say take it, but I should add that I have 3 children and my hubby was willing to do whatever it took to get them to say “Dada” first that he’d sing songs (where the only words were “Dada”) and tell stories… with our first he would repeatedly say. Say Dada, say Dada… and my boy responded with (clearly and with me in the room, I might add) MAMA. I pretended not to hear as husband tried again, Say Dada, say Dada… and again he responded with Mama. Our second also said Mama first. But our 3rd made the dada sounds early and clearly… we were so sure he would belt out a serious Dada any day. Maybe it happened and we missed it. But our 3rd (who’s only 14 months old) chooses Dad hands down. And I’m a SAHM! Dad walks into the room and he wants him and only him. And won’t even go to me if dad has him! When he gets home from work he runs to him and gives him repeated hugs! It’s so sweet! We may get a lot of the babyhood firstisms, but as they grow Daddies definitely have the upperhand as they grow into sports, the outdoors, and dirt in general.
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Well my nephew’s first real word was “car” he had a mad crazy fascination for them and after this word then was “Bada” which in other words is “Dada” so even if were in shock and laughter at this placement of the priority of words , it was still a heart warming moment for his Dada when he was done with the word car then came Baba. Enjoy the feeling! :)
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That’s adorable. I bet Chuck was involved though.
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This was awesome. And he was TOTALLY saying “dada” to you, count it for sure! The t-shirt was a hilarious addition though. The best part is, your kids will be providing you with fodder for blogs and Facebook status posts for years and years to come. Seriously, I don’t know what I’d write about without mine :-)
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It definately does count Mr. Dada….congrats on the recognition, it truly is an awesome feeling!!!
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Thanks for posting! It’s nice to meet a nurturing father. :)
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Chuck Norris has fathered every child past, present, and future. Bow down to the greatness. Ha!
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Hmmm that’s a toughie because my daughter is going through the same phase and only says “mama” when she’s looking for me or wants something from me. As the “dada” is just word babble that she likes to repeat while playing or running around the house. Not to rain on your parade but your son may just be looking at you and saying the only thing he can say. I don’t think the name calling really gets solidified for 12-14 months. Sorry.
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