MORE than words can say...

Alex, 10 months, and mom just graduated from our Baby Signing I class with etel. Mommy Karen is so generous to share with YOU this special moment; Alex's first sign.
I love Karen's laugh, you can feel the amazing bond between Alex and mommy.
Click on the picture, or here, and leave a comment.
We are SO proud of you Alex!! Mommy and Daddy, thank you for sharing this precious video with us.

"I just wanted to share the story of Alex's first sign. He just turned 10 months and he's been imitating things that I do and sounds that I make lately. (Clapping, kissing, coughing, yelling, short words, laughing, and yes, even burping.) I've been asking him if he wants more when I've been feeding him and doing the "more" sign. He started copying me on Tuesday and I made sure to quickly give him more of his food. He finally got it that whenever he did the sign, he would quickly get more food. I wasn't sure at first that that was what he was doing because he doesn't use his fingertips...it looks more like a clap but he does it very purposefully and just does it 2 or 3 times. (It kinda reminds me of somebody trying to use "The Clapper".....ha ha!) He may think that it means he "wants" something because he did it today when I asked him if he wanted his milk. I am very excited that he's wanting to communicate with me and he seems very excited too that I understand him! I'm so looking forward to his next signs....Thanks again to Etel for a great class!
Cheers!

Karen and Alexander ;)

 
 
Etel Leit, M.S.
Founder & Owner http://www.signshine.com/
Publisher http://www.babysignshine.com/  

Sign Language for Babies

Baby sign language is one of the most rewarding things by far that I have tried with my own children. There are many benefits that have been discovered in the scientific research, shared at classes and documented on websites however I want to share a few of the most special moments that signing has provided our family over the past 13 months. My story is fairly long so stay tuned over the coming weeks as I tell it...here is part 1.

Scarlette is 17 months old now and we introduced baby sign language to her at the age of 4 months. We understood that it would be a long time until she signed to us but we were keen to see her reaction nonetheless. What I didn't expect at this tender age was the feeling that she actually understood us.

It did take a couple of weeks but she would intently watch us, and eventually we get an indication that she actually understood that we were communicating with her. At this early age there was no way that she was going to have the muscle control or the dexterity to sign to us however there were some important things that we could tell her - for instance that it was time for a bath, time for milk or time for bed. This proved to be very beneficial in these early months.

In part 2 I will let you in on some of the major milestones as she discovered how to communicate with her little hands...to be continued.