Sign Of The Times

Addison has acquired a new talent....actually several. Grunting, whining, squealing, yelling, pretty much any sound she can make to tell you that she wants something. Thanks to this new talent, Mommy has stepped up her efforts in the sign language department. Signing has always been something I've wanted her to learn but I haven't been the most consistent with it over the past several months. However, we now practice daily....multiple times a day....anything to help her realize there are ways to ask for things without any high pitched squealing, etc. And I'm still in awe of how quickly she can pick up the signs.

My amazement began about a month ago when I randomly taught her the sign for "Thank You" and then within seconds she signed it right back to me.....clear.as.day. So much so, that I almost had to rub my eyes to make sure I saw her correctly. Cool yet creepy! Anyway, I learned more signs so I could teach her more immediately. She always does well picking them up, and even signing them after I sign them. However, she has yet to realize the timing of it all. She either signs things long after the fact or because Mommy asked her to, or just randomly whenever she feels like it. I encourage anything/everything that resembles signing so she always gets praises from me regardless. Maybe one day they'll actually help her communicate TO me instead of just COPY what I'm doing. Anyway, just a few of the signs we've been practicing to date:

Thank You - She does this one well but again only when she feels like it and sometimes not at all.

Bye Bye - This one she does great and I swear she says "Bye-Bye" even while she does it - soooo cute.

Please - This is a new one. She does a modified form of it by rubbing her hand somewhere on her stomach, belly, chest, etc. but it's close enough for my liking.

Milk - Again, modified. Mostly just moving her fingers in her little chubby fist but I understand her and that's all that matters.

Up - This one she still struggles with. She LOVES to sit on the couch with me and usually just grunts, whines, squeals until I lift her up. However, each time I repeat this sign before I even lift her up. One day hopefully she'll get it.

Eat - This one she hasn't mastered too much but it's my own fault. I usually forget to show her before I put the food in front of her.

More - She does this one great - especially when she wants fruit snacks as we drive down the road. Again, she just taps her chubby fists together but it works!

Drink - Still one we need to practice - Mommy included.

Anyway, I think it's just amazing what her little mind can comprehend. They really are like little sponges...just absorbing anything/everything. She's learning a few words on top of all the signs. She has known "Mom" and "Dad" for awhile now but now says "Bye Bye", "Ball", and everytime I fake a baby cry she toddles over to find her baby. She's a good Mommy to her little baby - even if she's still dangling her all over, upside down, and banging her into things. Gotta start somewhere right? ;-)

Here are a few pics just for the fun of it...

She's in to just about everything now...including the fridge. Apparently she's throwing sign language out the window and just helping herself to the milk. Trying to speed up the process I suppose?

She usually only holds still when food is involved. Here she is hanging out in Daddy's little nook and chomping down on some Cheetos.