Meaningless Questions: I Want Your Answers!
1) What do you consider to be “baby’s first word” - is it the babble they make with no meaning associated? Like ‘mamamama’ which may later become mama but is currently just babble? Or is it the first word your child says on their own? Or the first word they can repeat after you that they know what it means but don’t yet say spontaneously?
2) When do you say a child is “walking”? Is it when they take that very first accidental step? Or the first tentative but intentional step? Or more than one step? How many? Is it when they are walking as their primary means of transportation?
3) How do you wean off of formula? Do you start in time so that you are done by the first birthday? Or do you just start after the first birthday? Do you mix the bottles with milk (or whatever you are weaning from formula to) or do you replace a few whole bottles with entirely milk? Do you wean off bottles at the same time?
4) How long can you live in a World of Cardboard Boxes without going out of your mind?!?!? Ok, don’t answer that one. Too late!!!
March 27th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
I always considered their first word to be the one they said on their own, no babble. As for walking, I think when they are walking more than scooting or crawling? You’re so curious today.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
1. The first “word” they say that obviously has a meaning associated. (even if it’s not a clear “word” by adult standards)
2. I called it “walking” when there was a series of steps.
3. I wasn’t in a big hurry to quit formula, so I probably did it slowly over time after the 1st birthday, mixing with milk. (until the can of formula ran out and hubby said “no more”!)
4. Umm… I still have 6 cardboard boxes in our closet from the last move. But then, I’ve been out of my mind for quite some time.
March 27th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
1. I consider the first whimper at birth a word
But mostly I consider it a word if it is aimed directly at someone or something
2. I call it walking if there is more than one step
3. I weaned Avery off formula when she was around 15 months. But by then she was only getting formula in sippy cups and at night. I just mixed half and half for a while and then eventually just threw it all away.
4. Hire someone to come and unpack and then pay them to take the boxes with them
Orrrr…hide them all in one room and never open the door and wait for the husband to do it LOL. If he wont? Wave divorce papers in his face cuz divorce can get expensive in Texas and he is sure to realize that hiring someone to unpack is cheaper in the long run 
March 27th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
1. I consider the first word to be what Leslie said…a word directed at someone or something. Althought I’d love to consider the endless mamamamamamama a word since Sarah’s great at that one!
2. I consider it walking when they take a few steps.
3. I can’t wait to get Sarah off of formula! I may start at 11 months and may go cold turkey off the formula if I’m near the end of the canister. I switched my 3rd son at 11 months from breast milk to whole milk with no problems.
4. Unpacking sucks! Have fun with that! We still have 4 boxes that we haven’t unloaded since we remodeled our kitchen last year. So sad!
March 27th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
1. With Diesel I considered the first time he said “dada” to be his first word, but Kinhly’s first English word was “Spiderman” because it had meaning to her. In the future I think I’m going with the meaning and not the word itself.
2. Walking is when they do it - to do it. Not an accident but the purposeful, “I need to get there” kind of steps.
3. Diesel went from Hyper-allergenic formula to water and soy milk. We just did the wean from bottles all the time, to bottle at night only, and tippy all other hours on the 1st birthday. He got to open the cups so he was excited to use them.
4. We’re still living in boxes and it’s been 6 months! When we moved I realized we’d been living in our house for 4 years without every really unpacking….so I’d say “LONGER THAN ONE SHOULD!”
March 27th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
1. I consider the first word to be the first word they use with meaning.
2. I consider it walking when they take a few steps. But for purposes of saying, “Oh, he’s walking now,” that is when walking is the primary mode of getting around. Otherwise it’s “Oh, he’s starting to walk.”
3.I start around 11 or 12 months just switching between milk and formula until the formula canister is empty. I generally end the bottle pretty abruptly once my kids turn one. “Hey, you’re one now, time for a sippy cup!” It’s never really been a problem, oddly enough.
4. Good luck!
March 27th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
1. First word was said alone…Blake was mama, Lance was mama and Miles was dada. Mine was owl:)
2. Walking was across the room.
3. Don’t know about the formula, never did it:)
4. Do you have to be living out of boxes to be considered insane? If so, I need a new definition of insane!!!
March 28th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Nicki,
You always make me laugh! First word: first clear word they say. Walking: There are first steps and then walking fairly steadily. So, two different times. Milk: I waited till first birthday and then mixed with formula for a change over. Did it in a few days. Cardboard boxes: wish I was there to help you. It’d keep me from losing my mind waiting for TA!
March 28th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
1) I agree with Leslie on this one. Both girls made distinct conversation at birth like Stewie from Family Guy LOL. I considered Raye’s “first word” to be CAT as she was pointedly looking at her favorite stuffed cat when she said it. She was ten months.
2) Raye grabbed a large ball and pushed it around the room, which was her first attempt at actually walking (as opposed to the decidely side-ways scooting along furniture). That sealed it, that’s walking to me. There’s no turning back from that kind of thing. More than one purposefull step makes a walker in my book!
3)I honestly don’t remember! We never went to cow’s milk so I don’t think there was a weaning period. Raye got a mix of formula and breastmilk until she was 18 months, then moved onto rice milk. Maybe it was easier since she was used to the variety? LOL
4) Snort. When life gives you cardboard boxes you make forts out of them. Then you get whipped for being a P in your parents’ A. Luckily, you’re not me twenty years ago so that may not apply.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Oh, I’m late on this, but here’s my $0.02.
1. I think of the first word as the word they use knowing what the meaning is and saying it with that meaning. Chloe’s first word happens to be “hi.” She saw a baby on the elevator, looked at the baby, and said “hi.”
2. Walking I consider, kind of like the first word, as the first sucessful and deliberate steps, no matter how far.
and 3 and 4 I’m not opinionated on. I haven’t used formula and I still have boxes packed and in a closet from the first time my husband and I moved somewhere- 5 years ago.