Forget the sleepless nights and dodgy nappies, if you’re a parent then you’ve experienced one of the best moments in life: hearing your child’s first word.
A survey of more then 2,000 adults found the special moment your little one first gurgles something that resembles language beats getting married (which came in second) and actually having a baby (which took third place).
The research, by Campaign for Better Hearing, found falling in love for the first time, getting your first pay packet and hearing your baby’s first cry also feature in the top 20 best moments of your life.
So what are the magical words that make parents so warm and fuzzy inside? We asked mums and dads, scoured the internet, and trawled Mumsnet to find out. Got any to add and share? Let us know on Facebook.
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Petri Oeschger via Getty Images
“We count ‘wack wack’ as in ‘quack quack’ as my daughter’s first words at 14 months. Her first sentence, which my friends love to tell me was so middle class, was ‘houmous on top’, as she’d spilt some on her top!”
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SbytovaMN via Getty Images
“After mama/dada, it was ‘cow’ at about nine to 10 months. She used to say it in this incredibly deep voice which sounded hilarious.”
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Christine Schneider via Getty Images
“My son was one-year-old and his first word was ‘yummy’. It was his only word for a while.”
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Madhourse via Getty Images
“My daughter spoke her first word at 10 months and it was triangle.”
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gpointstudio via Getty Images
“At eight months, the first word my daughter said was ‘cat’.”
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petrenkod via Getty Images
“Do animal noises count as words in the early days? If so, my son consistently says ‘roar’ for a dinosaur.”
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Drazen_ via Getty Images
“My daughter’s first word, at 11 months was ‘bottom’. Clear as a day. Didn’t stop shrieking about it for eight weeks.”
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RoBeDeRo via Getty Images
“Star - well, ’tar, while pointing at a star. Followed about ten minutes later by ’tair, while pointing up the stairs. I think he was about nine months.”
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twomeows via Getty Images
“Mine’s was Abu Dhabi. Then ‘love’. Odd I know.”
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Suriyapong Thongsawang via Getty Images
“My daughter’s first word was ‘shoes’! I was so proud!”
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Sasha Gulish via Getty Images
Before You Go
Celebrity Babies Born In 2018
March 2018: Eddie Redmayne and Hannah Bagshawe(01 of09)
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The couple welcomed their second child - a little boy named Luke - in March 2018. They are already parents to two-year-old Iris. (credit:Samir Hussein via Getty Images)
February 2018: Behati Prinsloo and Adam Levine(02 of09)
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Victoria's Secret model Behati gave birth to the couple's second child, Geo Grace Levine, on Friday 16 February. The couple are already parents to one-year-old Dusty Rose. (credit:Allen Berezovsky via Getty Images)
February 2018: Michael Phelps and Nicole Phelps(03 of09)
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Former Olympic swimming Michael Phelps and his wife welcomed their second child Beckett on 13 February. They are already parents to one-year-old Boomer. (credit:Michael Tran via Getty Images)
February 2018: Jack Osbourne and Lisa Stelly(04 of09)
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Jack Osbourne of 'The Osbournes' fame and his wife Lisa Stelly welcomed their third child, a baby girl named Minnie, on 3 February. The couple are already parents to Pearl, five and Andy Rose, two. (credit:Frank Trapper via Getty Images)
January 2018: Ore Oduba and Portia Oduba(05 of09)
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TV presenter Ore Oduba and his wife welcomed their first child, Roman, in January 2018. (credit:Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment)
January 2018: Gaz Beadle and Emma McVey(06 of09)
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Gaz Beadle, who rose to fame on 'Geordie Shore', welcomed his first child with partner Emma McVey in January 2018. He welcomed a baby boy named Chester. (credit:Barcroft Media via Getty Images)
January 2018: Heidi Range and Alex Partakis(07 of09)
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Sugababes' star Heidi Range gave birth to a baby daughter named Aurelia in January 2018. (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
January 2018: Ayden Callaghan and Sarah-Jane Honeywell(08 of09)
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Hollyoaks' star Ayden and TV presenter Sarah-Jane welcomed their second son, Indiana, on 24 January. They are already parents to two-year-old Phoenix. (credit:Getty)
January 2018: Aston Merrygold and Sarah Richards(09 of09)
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Former JLS singer Aston and his partner Sarah welcomed a baby boy named Grayson at the end of January 2018. He is the couple's first child together. (credit:PA Wire/PA Images)