Communication (Not the Elimination Kind)
As fun as it is to see Pearl reach her physical milestones, I find it even more exciting and fascinating to see proof of her mental development.
For example, peekaboo. We used to play sitting on the couch, me slouched down with my knees in the air; her sitting on my tummy leaning against my legs. I would put my hands together in front of my face and say, "Where's Mama?" then either peek out to one side or open my hands and say, "Peekaboo!" But for a little while now, as soon as I put my hands up between us, before I can even ask her where I am, she grabs my hands and peers around their edge, with the most pleased little look on her face. It's horribly cute!
We've been signing with Pearl for about a month and a half now. I started with just two signs, bye-bye and milk. Last week I realized she understand what the sign for milk meant, for if she was hungry, she would stop fussing if I asked if she wanted milkies and made the sign.
Then the night before last, Mr. Peach was diapering her and dressing her in her pajamas for the night, and he called to me, "She made the sign for milkies!" I was skeptical, but she did indeed want milkies. Yesterday there were several instances where she made the sign - opening and closing her fingers several times, a la milking a cow - and followed it with accepting the breast, and she's been doing it this morning as well.
I'm still feeling slightly incredulous, because it's so amazing! She's scarcly six-and-a-half months old! When I first read Baby Signs, it said to be patient and not expect to see your baby begin to sign for a few months, and of course every baby is different and all that. Since I started when she was five months, I expected it to take longer than this. But she's doing it!
For example, peekaboo. We used to play sitting on the couch, me slouched down with my knees in the air; her sitting on my tummy leaning against my legs. I would put my hands together in front of my face and say, "Where's Mama?" then either peek out to one side or open my hands and say, "Peekaboo!" But for a little while now, as soon as I put my hands up between us, before I can even ask her where I am, she grabs my hands and peers around their edge, with the most pleased little look on her face. It's horribly cute!
We've been signing with Pearl for about a month and a half now. I started with just two signs, bye-bye and milk. Last week I realized she understand what the sign for milk meant, for if she was hungry, she would stop fussing if I asked if she wanted milkies and made the sign.
Then the night before last, Mr. Peach was diapering her and dressing her in her pajamas for the night, and he called to me, "She made the sign for milkies!" I was skeptical, but she did indeed want milkies. Yesterday there were several instances where she made the sign - opening and closing her fingers several times, a la milking a cow - and followed it with accepting the breast, and she's been doing it this morning as well.
I'm still feeling slightly incredulous, because it's so amazing! She's scarcly six-and-a-half months old! When I first read Baby Signs, it said to be patient and not expect to see your baby begin to sign for a few months, and of course every baby is different and all that. Since I started when she was five months, I expected it to take longer than this. But she's doing it!
posted by fuzzypeach | 10:31 AM
6 Comments:
most kids won't be able to produce a sign until after their first birthday, so be proud, mama; this is big! I'll have to start with Anya!
That's awesome! I asked for Baby Signs for xmas. I couldn't remember what the recommended age was to start, he'll be 5 1/2 months by xmas. I can't wait to try it, but not sure if he'll be as quick to catch on as Pearl!
We started at about 6 months both times. They both got 'milk' very quickly, but we found the real benefit of baby signing is when they're pre-verbal toddlers - they suddenly 'get' signing and start to look to you for the sign for something they're interested in - it's just great!
Just found your blog, by the way, and think I'll be reading it regularly!
BWs
Clare
wow!! that is awesome!
That is so exciting! GO little Pearl. Bean started signing milk, more or less regularly last month (when he was 8 mos)... unfortunately it more or less coincided with his dwindling interest in nursing during the day (food is SO exciting to him now), that he doesn't sign for it often--just before naps & bed. But it's still SO cool, isn't it? Way to go mama!
that is so exciting!! your post reminded me that i was going to do this too... so we've started with 'potty' and dd is very interested in that wacky thing i do with my hands before potty-time now. hehe. hopefully she catches on as quickly as pearl!
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