Sign Language

Alissa and I have been trying to teach Oliver sign language. A lot of parents do this early on to help with communication between them and their baby before the baby has developed their verbal language. So, we have been working on four signs: milk, food, more and all done. Oh, and 'dog'.

Oliver started picking up and doing the 'milk' sign when he was about 5 months old. We'd notice his hand opening and closing then look at the clock and sure enough it was right at feeding time. This is only sign he has picked up so far but he has created a couple of his own signs lately.

In addition the the 'milk' sign Oliver has created a second way to tell us he's hungry (before he starts crying.) When he is ready to eat he looks right at you and opens and closes his mouth nice a big just like a guppy fish. You can do the sign back to him and he smiles real big and does it more pronounced. And he only does this at meal time.

Today, I was feeding him solids and was asking him, in sign language if he wanted 'more food' or 'more milk.' He didn't do his milk sign or his guppy mouth. So, I asked him again if he wanted 'more' or if he was 'all done.' He looked straight at me with his serious look, picked up his bib, keeping eye contact with me, and started licking the food off his bib with purpose.

I think he has a new sign for telling me he wants 'more food.'