It's a Sign

Simon hasn't said any words yet, but he's definitely gotten a few signs...

We started using signs and trying to teach him to use them at around 9 months. The first four we did were all food related: more, drink, all done, and milk (we use milk for nursing and a bottle). He understands them all and will initiate more and milk (especially milk!) often on his own. He has turned the sign for milk into a request for Mama as well.  

We recently introduced light, which he picked up really fast. He looks up at the lights and signs light. If the lights aren't already on then the sign is his way of asking for them to be turned on and off... Because a light going on and off is hilarious - which you obviously already know - especially when dad snaps at the same time.

We started Thank you and Please last week. If he keeps picking them up so quickly it won't be long before he has a pretty decent vocabulary.

As a side note, apparently teaching babies sign language is controversial because some people think that learning signs causes a baby to speak later. It amazes me how many people have brought up the delay in speaking when I've told them we're signing with Simon. They usually approach it like a fact and act like it'll cause him to speak years later and I'm permanently scarring Simon. I'm sure it will surprise no one to know that I've looked into this supposed 'delay'. There are lots of studies out there, but even the studies that claim they've proven a delay have only been able to show a max of two months delay in speech and that is well within the huge 'normal' range of a baby's first words (first words can be anywhere from 9 months to 15 months). I personally believe that teaching a baby sign language does not cause a delay in speaking. But even if I thought that there were, it would be well worth 2 extra months of no words to have him not get frustrated by being unable to communicate. Right now he can tell us when he is still hungry (more!) or wants to nurse. That is huge.

As soon as we can get a sign on video (that isn't more) then I'll post it.