Maybe they just have a lot to say

Jonathan has been trying to convince me the past couple weeks that Juliana has been saying “Dada,” on purpose. I didn’t believe him. Gabriella started saying “Mama” at just short of six months (the exact same age Juliana) and shortly followed up that first word with several more. At nine months I think she had close to ten words. However, I had been told about three thousand seven hundred and ten times that second babies talk later. People said that Gabriella would talk for her etc… etc… and I figured that she would indeed talk later. Actually, I kept thinking that she would probably talk much later. I pictured myself with a non-talking 1.5 year old and I wondered if it would be strange after having an early talker the first time. So that sets up my skepticism of Jonathan’s claims of “Dada.” Then, this past weekend she started talking up a storm. Not only did she convince me beyond any doubt that she says Dada and means Jonathan, but she followed it up with a second word… nuh nuh. “Nuh nuh” is our family word for nursing. Gabriella called it “nuh nuh” as a baby and so we used it with Juliana from the start. When your babies speak early it is very handy to have a discrete nursing word. It is much nicer for them to say “Nuh nuh” than “Boobies!!!!” I’ve been trying to get Juliana to say “Mama”, but so far no luck. All I get is a lunge at my chest and an enthusiastic "NUH NUH!" She is such a Daddy’s girl. This talking age is a fun one. As a bonus, my sister Amy is visiting so it is fun timing for her to be able to hear Juliana enjoying her two new words.