Stop!

As far as I'm concerned there are sounds, and then there are words. To me "ma" and "da" are just sounds, yes, they are definitely what the babies use when they want either Mike or I, and even at that they don't say them consistently (ok, maybe "ma" they do!). Then there is "uh-oh", this one is a pretty average one too. I'm not really sure why they pick it up, but all my kids did, probably because that is what I say when they keep throwing their sippy cups on the ground, regardless it is still more of a sound than a word. Then of course there are the built-in sound effects that just come with boys - "vroom" while they are pushing cars, "grrrr" when they are chasing each other and being rough, and the fun screaming when they want something or when they are mad. So, as I hear all these sounds daily I think of them as more developmental than something of a mild stone, but I think we've finally got a winner.
While I was feeding the boys lunch the other day, I had the babies in their high chairs with their bits and pieces of finger foods on their trays, and Gavin and Kaden were sitting near them at the table. Of course, as usual, Gavin and Kaden were playing around and in between bites, felt the need to "play" with the babies (play is a loose term, you may also insert bug, annoy, etc.). Out of nowhere I hear this "Stop!". I turned around to see where it came from, and then Taylor said it again, as clear as day, with the "p" and everything, "Stop!". It was the funniest thing, and definitely a word, not a sound! Since then of course we've tried to get him to just say it, but he won't say it whenever, he is very purposeful when he uses it. He will only say it when someone is bugging him, or when you are doing something he doesn't like, such as trying to clean out his nose, change his diaper, take something away from him, or when the boys pick him up and mess with him. I have even heard him say it to Carter when they are crawling and Carter is going a little too fast for him. He even rats Carter out when he is trying to escape from our little barricade in the family room by telling him to "Stop!".
I can't say that I'm all that surprised, with the brothers he has, this seems like a very appropriate first word. And although he is very deliberate about using it and will only use it when necessary, I'm sure you can guess that we still hear it quite often.

Now I'm just curious as to what Carter's first word will be...