First Words!?

OK, so the whole 'first word' thing is much more complicated that it first appeared. What really counts as a first word, and who has to hear it? And, does it have to be properly enunciated??? At the ripe old age of 8 or 9 months, James started pointing and saying 'oooo' with a certain emphasis. Nate, you roll your eyes, but I SWEAR he was saying 'Look!' For the record, Jeff, Rach and Mom thought so too. But that doesn't count, for whatever reason. Then for a week or two he started calling 'mamamama' and then stopped, cold turkey. Once, he waved and said 'bye-bye' as Jeff was leaving for work. This time, I was the only one to hear it. So again, invalid as a first word. And so it has gone, waiting for James' actual first official word, hoping that it will somehow fulfill the right qualifications. Of course, it came when I was in the kitchen....argh!!! Grammy and Chappy were over, AKA Mom and Dad, and Dad was putting his coat on. As the story goes, James waved and said 'bye' clear-as-a-bell. Darn it! The first smile went to Auntie Rachel and the first official 'qualified' word goes to Chappy!?! Why????????????? OK, so I am done venting about that for now. Since the official utterance of the first word, he has started to say 'Daddy' pretty often, and 'ball' too. What happened to 'mama' is what I want to know???