Sign Language fun

Dax's sign language skills are increasing and it is making life easier for both of us. I LOVE SIGN LANGUAGE!

Here's an example: Yesterday, I heard him grunting and making little displeased sound effects. I looked over and saw he was trying to reach a ball that had gone back behind an end table and was out of his reach. His grunting from efforts of trying to reach it quickly escalated into whining and fussing and crying.
I asked him, "Dax, what do you want?"
All the frustration visibly drained from his body, he paused for a second or two, and then signed "help" and pointed to his ball.

It's amazing. There are times when he seems like a little caveman, with his grunts and yells and weird little toddler tantrums. It does seem like he is very frustrated sometimes. Signing has given him a way to communicate. A way to be understood. A way to participate in conversation. It's teaching him, at the ripe old age of 1, to use language to communicate.

Oh, and the conversation participation is funny! He's accumulated a signing vocabulary of 35+ words last time I counted. It's surprising how often those words come up in conversation when my husband & I are talking with each other, and Dax will sign! Let's say I talked about the neighbor's dog... right when I say "dog" then Dax starts making the sign for "dog". He just wants to participate. Letting us know that he understands what we're talking about, even though he can't speak. When we look over at him, he's usually wearing a very proud-of-himself grin.

Signing has increased his previous love of books. Now he reads books and signs to the pictures. I'll catch him "reading" on his own, too. I'll peek in his room to see what he's doing, and he'll have a book on his lap, turning pages. He'll flip to the next page and do a sign for the picture on that page! This he does even when he thinks he's alone!
He never really liked the book Goodnight Moon until I read it to him and signed. Then he loved it. That book has 10+ signs in it that he already knows. Signing along as I'm reading is something he loves to do. I can't help but love something that brings my son this much enthusiasm and excitement. I'm sure he could easily double his signing vocabulary in just a week, if he had more exposure. Mommy wouldn't be able to keep up, though! ;)