Sign of the Times

I know I said I was going to post some cute pics of Baby Girl next but I've been too dang lazy to do it and realized I had better post something. Big thanks to everyone who replied and emailed after my last post. It's always nice to feel love and support.

Baby Girl has been amazing lately. She's turning into the sweetest little kid. All love and hugs and kisses. I'm trying to enjoy this because I know the terrible tantrums are coming.

Although I really think sign language is the key to her easy-going nature. I'm usually not a big pusher of anything to do with parenting. I mean, who the hell am I to say what's right? Not to mention that I'm afraid to tell anyone how I parent because I'll have to listen to a 30-minute rant about how I'm doing it wrong, whatever it is.

Still, I find myself raving about signing to anyone who'll listen. Well, anyone who asks anyway.

I'll be at the park with Baby Girl and she'll sign "swings" or "slide" or something and another mom will say, "Oh, you're doing sign language?" The next thing I know I'm giving out websites and recommending videos. I can't stop!

I'm such a freak about it because it's working so well for us. Baby Girl very rarely gets upset because she can just tell us what she wants in sign. (Although it doesn't stop her from getting upset when she can't have what she signs.)

We started signing to her when she was born but she didn't show any interest at all. At around 9 months, I told the hubby that she couldn't care less about signing. Then, we decided to try watching Signing Time on PBS. Ding, ding, ding!

Suddenly, Baby Girl started signing away. Her first sign was "dog" due to her fascination with ours and it didn't stop. For her first birthday, we bought her the Baby Signing Time DVD and CD sets and she is obsessed with them.

I was one of those people who swore my child wouldn't watch TV for the first 2 years but, damn, these Signing Time shows are amazing. We sit and watch them together and BG signs along and has even started singing along with the songs, which are horribly catchy. Well, if you can call it singing. I'll have to figure out how to post video of her doing it. It's pretty funny.

About two months ago, every time we'd get in the car, Baby Girl would start making this horrible screeching noise and just wouldn't stop. It took us a few weeks to remember those CDs and out they went to the car. Sure enough, BG now sits happily in the car and signs along.

She's learned to say "thank you" and "sorry" and "please" although I have to admit sometimes I regret that. She'll ask you to do something that she can't (like go outside at night) and when you say no, she'll look at you really sweet and sign "please" over and over. THAT is really hard to say no to!

But I'm staying strong. I've only let her play in the street twice. What? She said please!

I can't figure out a way to end this so I'll just end the way I started - lazily.


FYI - This is sign language for all done or finished.