Communication Breakthroughs

Mike bought the book Baby Signs when I was pregnant and told me about the success of his sisters using sign language with their kiddos. Basically it said that you can start signing while talking to them from the get go but can start as late as 6 months, or something like that, and they should still pick up on it. The book explained that most babies learn how to wave hello early on because when people say hi or bye they wave. Waving is a form of sign language and babies can start waving long before they can speak...that is the case with Stan Bear anyways. So if they can learn to wave bye why can't they learn to say "more" or "all done" or "diaper" or "food" or "milk"? It makes complete sense. So I started early on. I think I was the most consistent with the sign for milk because he understood that one early on. (He spits out his pacifier [if he has it in his mouth] and may start panting with anticipation and if I'm not fast enough de-bra-ing he will start smacking my chest.) This is the sign for milk:

The great thing with sign is that you can sort of make up signs too, you don't have to follow the book to a T. In my sign for milk I leave my thumb sticking up. They also say that when the baby finally is able to do the sign that they may not do it perfectly but as long as you understand what he is doing then the sign language is working. The other sign that I was consistent with was "more" although he points at the bowl or plate of food when he wants more which seems to work but the other day he actually did it! It was very exciting. Our sign for more is making loose fists and tapping our fingers together, kinda like this:        

                                                                                                                      

So when Stan Bear did his sign for more, it wasn't perfect but it got the point across. We got so excited when he did it but I think I need to not get so spastic about it when he does it because I think it makes him self-conscious (I'm probably just projecting this onto him) but I think he won't do it again for awhile (kinda like walking, little by little, and then BAM, he's running, or signing "more" all the time, even when he doesn't mean it.) Signing "more" is almost like clapping and he claps all the time now. So that muscle memory has had some practice for awhile. Other signs we do are "hot". We do that a lot. It's not really a sign but the word hot plus us blowing out of our mouths as if blowing on a spoonful of hot soup to cool it down. Not only do I do that one for food but I also do it for surfaces like fireplaces, fire pits, hot concrete, the oven, etc. I know he understands it. They say that the child will understand the sign first(like how he understands "milk") then he will begin to do the sign himself and then comes the speaking part. It's such a great way to communicate with wee ones. We also do "all done", which is basically throwing your hands up in the air, he actually does that...but he does that for "pick me up!" too. His new one is the sign for "where is it?" which started from playing a la ka kevin on the plane. We were in the sandbox at the museum and we heard the little train go CHOO CHOO! and Stan Bear stood up and threw his hands up in the air as if to say, "Where is it?" It was very very very cute. We also do the sign for "food" which looks like we're putting something in our mouth. There is a sign for diaper change but I rarely use it. I should start using it more to get ready for potty training (eventually). I think that's it. I love seeing it actually work and happen! I will report back with any new signs and communication breakthroughs.

Images from http://judgingjester.blogspot.com/ and http://fromwhatiheard.com