Contact! Baby Sign Language Rocks!

I talk to my kids all the time. I am communicating. They are trying to communicate, but face it: I'm not always so good at translating their noises clearly.

I fully admit that I understand that baby cries are supposed to mean different things, but frankly all I hear is "AaaaaaahieeeeeeeeeEEEE!" at assorted decibels. Instead, I go through my standard checklist: pain, diaper, hunger or boredom (If you've ever played the Sims, the baby checklist was Feed, Play, Sing. That works, too, except you've gotta get a diaper change in there.). However, as the twins get older, that checklist gets quickly exhausted and the screaming in frustration gets louder and louder.

The first time around, with Caitlin, we tried out baby sign language and found it worked like a charm. We didn't have a huge signing vocabulary, but what we did know and what she learned was awesome for helping her to communicate her needs to us. She was a lot less frustrated in that pre-verbal stage than she would have been otherwise. Now, we're doing it again with the twins.

Today, Emma showed me that it's really (Finally!) working with her after she was done eating lunch in her highchair. She got my attention and started waving both arms in the air and turning her hands. It took me a moment to realize it was her signal for "All done". (See this link for details.)

It was, in a word: awesome.

I've known for some time that they understand me. It's the reverse that is somewhat harder.

Now if only I could get Caitlin to listen to me!

"What's de sign for 'I want a pony'?"