Jax now has 18 signs!!

Hi ,
I have finally put down on paper a count of Jax's signs and I was shocked to see that he has 18 signs and has just turned 1 a week ago!!

• His vocabulary is: milk, all done/finished, music, eat, more, mom, dad, bed, lights, dog, giraffe, water, hat, shoes, bath, spider, rain, baby and he gestures hi/bye.

He is using his signs much more frequently now. Before he would only sign if I prompted him either with voice or sign (ex. Do you want more? or a bath? and then he would sign). He will look at me in the kitchen and sign "Water." He will sign "More" spontaneoulsy as well! I'm so impressed!

Today, when dad came home from work and walked in the door, he was greeted by a 1 year old signing/gesturing "Hello (gesture wave) Daddy!" This is a 2 word phrase!
It is now interesting to see how he uses his sign vocabulary to communicate with me and others. He loves to talk about lights, lamps, street lights, sunlight, flashing lights etc.. by using his "Light" sign.

The other day he reminded me how huge the task of learning English would be, since so many words in English sound the same! I was reading a book about rhymes and the rhymes were with the ending-"at" so when I said "at" he signed "hat." I fingerspelled "at"and tried to pronounce it clearly for him but he continued to sign "hat" anyways!

Well as you can see I am so proud of my little signer, anyone else proud of thier little budding signer???

Natasha

Jax now has 5 signs!

hi,
Havent posted in a little while. About a month ago, he was fussing and stretched his arm up and slapped his hand behind his ear. I wasnt so sure what this was about but he continued to do it. I thought hey, is that SLEEP. And low and behold, I gave him his soother and put him into bed ( a little before his usual nap time) and he went to sleep!! Now he signs this to ask for his soother as well. Rats, I am trying (well not too hard obviously) to get rid of the soother..

About 2 weeks ago suddenly Jax has been moving his hands and arms more regularly. I have figured out that he now signs MUSIC-drops the nondominant arm and just uses his one hand to flap up and down while starring at the CD player. At first I thought this was just hand flapping or perhaps hand babbling ( as signers babble too not only speakers) but he did this every time he sat at his high chair and would do it repeatedly and focused on the CD player at the other side of the room. We usually listen to music during meals so ...he was and still is absolutely signing MUSIC. Around the same time he signed WATER. This was much more clear to me as he uses an open 5 hand to the chin which looks pretty close to the adult form of WATER. I was impressed as was my husband as this sign looked the most clear so far.
Jax still signs more. He is now getting closer to approximating the adult form. He used to use flat slapping hands and now he uses his fists-so closer to the handshape (his movement is still incorrect but its coming).
OF course he will not do any of these signs on "command" and will be rather inconsistent in use, but I sign consistently and soon enough so will he. His brain just has to catch up! ha

Any signing stories out there you wish to share? I'd love to hear them!!

N.

J signs "MORE"

hi all,
A funny story. As an "expert" signer you would think I would be able to recognize when my 7 month old signs to me, but apparently not. thank goodness I have his sign "MORE" on videotape. It was only then, when I reviewed the videotape a few days later that I saw my son sign! I was throwing a ball in the air and he was laughing away, as the ball rolled away from me and I turned away to retrieve it my son sat up from his intial laying down position and slapped his hands together (one on top of the other). This exact scenario happened twice!! Of course I was looking for the ball when he signed, but..I should have spotted it and then praised him for it!

You really have to pay attention as obviously the infant is not going to alert your attention first before signing!
Anyone else have a similar experience?
Natasha

First Sign at 5.5 mos!

Hi all,
My son has just signed his first word-milk! The sign for milk is an opening and closing of the fist. He was looking at his hands and then he put up his arm straight in the air and then open and closed his fist twice and then brought it back down and then carried on looking at his hands and then sucking on them. He has done this now a few times. It looks very purposeful as he becomes quiet and still, performs the sign and then resumes his activity. The sign MILK is the most frequently used sign that I use with him in the day and perhaps one of the easier hand movements to perform.
I have this on videotape too!!! It will be nice to show him his first word when he is older!

Anyone else have a similar experience??

Natasha

Welcome Baby Signers

Hello there
My name is Natasha Tuck. Some of you may know me quite well and some may have met me through my baby sign language workshops or perhaps you have not met me in person yet...

I'll briefly introduce myself. I am a CODA which means that I am a c.hild o.f d.eaf a.dults. Both of my parents are Deaf and use American Sign Language (ASL) as thier primary language and written English as a secondary language. I learned ASL as my first language from birth and spoken English as my second shortly thereafter. Professionaly, I am a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing-which means I work with families and young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. And finally, I am a new mother of a chubby sweet little 5 month old.

Naturally, my son is exposed to ASL from me and his Deaf grandparents. I would love for my son to make friends with other signing children, hearing or deaf.

Please post any questions or stories about signing with your child.....

Natasha Tuck
handsinsign.com
handsinsign@yahoo.ca