In the months leading up to their son's first words,在引導兒子說出第一個詞的日子里

lead up to導致； 引導； 作為 ... 的準備；一直通往（某處）；為…做準備，為…鋪路

A flight of steps led up to the house.

一段臺階向上通到了屋前。

Her kind words led up to a request for money.

她的好話為要錢的事打開了門路。

then over the next several months learned to slowly approximate the proper speech form.在接下來的幾個月里經過學習逐漸向正確的表達方式靠攏

learn to學習

I must learn to snatch at every chance to meet him.

我必須學會抓住一切機會同他見面。

A mountaineer must learn to stand the gaff.

一個登山運動員必須學會吃苦。

speech form言語形式