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Originally Posted by jenmk  Ditto on the sign language. And you can simply pick up a sign language dictionary at the bookstore or library to pick and choose the words you want to teach her. A few basic words were invaluable for us:
food/eat (to ask if she's hungry)
more (which can be used for more food, more reading, more playing, etc.)
drink (to ask if thirsty)
all done
The other thing I'd suggest doing is ask her to show you what she wants, to take you to it. If she can't reach, pick her up so she can. That helped a lot when I couldn't understand my kids' words. I would usually say, "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying. Can you show me what you want? Can you take me to it?"
HTH
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I totally agree with this. My son actually started to talk and sign at the same time- around 11 mos, and just used the sign language to basically double his vocabulary for several months. I just checked out a kids ASL book from the library, no classes, DVDs, etc. (I was also lucky to have an ASL translator at my department, from time to time I would ask for her help in modifying a sign to make it appropriate for a baby to do). In addition to body needs such as those listed above, he liked to point things out to us- He did a lot of animal words, vehicles (airplane, bike, truck, car, train). He could ask for a book, say he was tired, ask for a clean diaper, ask to get down, ask to nurse or for a pacifier. He also made up some of his own signs (like he made up a sign for the trash truck, for a hood- as opposed to a hat- stuff like that, it was pretty neat!)
I did the latter with a girl I nannied for (who is now 12!), I would carry her around to try and figure out what she was after. I'd never heard of baby signs at the time, but as soon as I did (I was pregnant at the time) a lightbulb went off in my head, I thought how much she would have LOVED it. She was really struggling to let her needs be known.
Its easy- introduce a couple of signs at first for topics that come up a lot, and just sign and say the word together. (I think the above ideas are good- food/eat, drink, all done/all gone, more. I'd also add sleep, and nurse, pacifier, milk or something for other comfort needs, and maybe a few words for favorite toys or activities?) Add them slowly (for you, not for her, once she "gets it" she can learn them really fast, but you have to remember them!) Babies can point really well, can use a pincer grip, and their hand as a unit. They aren't really good at separating their fingers so some signs that require a lot of dexterity can be frustrating for them and you might want to modify or choose a simpler way to sign those concepts.
Of course, it doesn't end all frustrations. But it makes it much easier in that day to day way, and honestly its really fun- and funny- to get to talk with your baby.
