First words

Location: Living room, morning light
Marcus: Toddler, babbling, playing with blocks
David and Sarah: New parents, exhausted but amazed

SARAH: Come on, Marcus. Say 'mama.' It's easier. Ma-ma.

MARCUS: (babbling) Ba-ba-goo-gah...

DAVID: (playfully competitive) Forget that. Say 'dada.' Much more important. Da-da.

SARAH: (mock indignant) More important?

DAVID: Well, who's going to teach him to throw a baseball? Who's going to scare away the monsters under his bed?

SARAH: And who's going to kiss his scraped knees? Who carried him for nine months?

DAVID: Okay, you win the pregnancy thing. But I'm going to win the first word thing.

Marcus looks up from his blocks, directly at David

MARCUS: Da... da...

DAVID: (freezing) Sarah. Sarah, did you hear that?

SARAH: (grabbing camera) Say it again, baby. Say it again.

MARCUS: (clearer, proud of himself) Dada!

DAVID: (scooping him up, spinning) That's right! I'm your dada! I'm your dada!

SARAH: (fake pouting) Traitor.

DAVID: (to Marcus) Tell mama you love her too.

MARCUS: Dada! Dada!

DAVID: (to Sarah, grinning) We'll work on 'mama' tomorrow.