[kirei]

... but I'm not sure.

Heres the story. I have not really been trying to teach her to sign. I meant to, but just.... I don't know, I didn't do it.

Okay, so she is 10.5 months old. Lately, we have been waving at her and saying "Hi" when we do it. She often waves back. When I wave, I have my hand straight up, and bend the fingers down, which makes a right angle. I hope I'm explaining this well. When she waves back, she basically opens and closes her hand.

Well, very recently, I started to use the "milk" sign when I would ask her if she wanted milk (for nursing). The milk sign is squeezing the hand... it looks like milking a cow. She has picked up on it almost immediately (like, seriously, i had done it 3-4 nursing sessions). The thing is... she's been "waving" back at me. They both look the same!

So.... when I ask her if she wants milk, half the time... she "waves" at me. Sometimes when I lay her down in my lap to nurse her (without saying anything)... she starts waving. Occasionally she will "wave" will nursing.

It really looks like she is trying to make the sign for milk.... but her milk sign, and her... waving sign, look EXACTLY the same!!!

That was my mistake, I guess... but I'm not sure if I should have altered the milk sign or the waving.

So, I don't know... what do you think? Does it seem like she understands the sign for milk? Or is she just still waving at me? And how can I clear this up with her?

 

[joy11]

sounds like she could be...did you try any other signs with her? catch her while she's on a roll!!

How fun! I can't wait to try sign with DS.

 

[proud mama of 2]

How exciting!!! Could you explain the sign for milk a little more? I've been teaching Lily too and she just picked up on 'more' but I'm not sure what the sign for milk is?

 

[Chalex]

I'm sure your daughter understands and is signing back to you! My DS was the same. We had been trying to teach him 'milk' since he was born. LOL First, he started waving (which was a surprise, but then I realised how often we wave in all the mirrors around our house) and then the 'milk' was just a little sideways so we weren't sure if he was really signing it. Now, a couple months later, it's more obvious and if you say 'milk' he starts signing on his own.
DS just turned 11 months. Cool, isn't it?!!?

 

[kirei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by proud mama of 2 How exciting!!! Could you explain the sign for milk a little more? I've been teaching Lily too and she just picked up on 'more' but I'm not sure what the sign for milk is?

The sign for milk is exactly what your hand would do if you were milking a cow!! Like here: http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/m/milk.htm

As you can see.... its very similar to what a baby would do with their hand when they're waving.

Anyway... no, I haven't tried any others yet!! To be honest, I was a little intimidated with teaching her, and thats why I kept putting it off, I think! Milk just seemed like the easiest one to start with..... I don't really know how to teach the concept of "more". I guess I could try to teach her "eat". Or.... "kitty"! She LOOOOOOVES the cat.

Anyway.... do you think I should stop using the sign for milk when I'm nursing her, though? Maybe.... well, I don't know what else I would use. Or should I change how I wave to her? Maybe just waving my hand back and forth...

Or just leave it the way it is? I was hoping that this would help her tell me when she wants to nurse..... buuuuuuuuuuut.... I never know if shes saying milk or just waving!!

Because, yes, sometimes she waves at me randomly. I never really know how to respond.

 

[Chalex]

I'd keep things the way you're doing it--signing 'milk' while nursing or before. She'll probably smile and get excited when you sign, if she wants to nurse and start signing along with you....and eventually, you'll see a difference between her waving and signing.
She'll teach you! Definitely stick with it!

 

[proud mama of 2]

I definately think that you should continue using the signs. I did this with my son too and he did great with it. Lily is taking a little longer to pick up on things but she's getting it!! Thank you for posting the link to the sign for milk, i've started using it with her already!

 

[kirei]

Cool, thanks for the support!! I'll just continue with the signs they way they are. I just feel like... sometimes when she "waves" randomly, I don't know if I should wave back and say hi, or offer to nurse her.

When I nursed her earlier, she started signing "milk" (or WAVING...

) as soon as I layed her down in my lap. I just signed milk back to her, and said "milk" as I got ready to nurse her. She continued to make the sign as she was nursing, over and over. It was so cute!!! I just kept saying "milk" every time she did it, and making the sign too. She grinned every time I said it!! It was adorable.

 

[proud mama of 2]

I want to thank you again for posting the sign for milk!!!! I was showing Lily last night how to do it and then she would nurse and we did it again this morning... so this afternoon she was nursing and she stopped looked at me... signed milk... smiled and went right back to nursing !!! I love it!!!

 

[Mariposa]

i bet that she is!! isn't it fun?! i remember abby signing for milk. she would even do it with both hands when i was taking too long getting her to the boob. so funny.

 

[parkermgg]

My dd is signing dog very clearly and I love it! She even signed it to me when she saw a picture of a dog in a book the other day.

 

[kirei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by proud mama of 2 I want to thank you again for posting the sign for milk!!!! I was showing Lily last night how to do it and then she would nurse and we did it again this morning... so this afternoon she was nursing and she stopped looked at me... signed milk... smiled and went right back to nursing !!! I love it!!!

that is so sweet!!!!!! and she learned so quickly too! thats great!

 

[laohaire]

From what I've read, using 1 sign for "everything" at first is a normal stage of language development. The verbal equivilant is saying the same thing - like, "bah!" - for everything: dog, dad, bottle, etc., which some babies do.

So, as the PP said, keep showing the different signs and your baby will then take the next step of understanding there are different signs for different things!

 

[DBZ]

This is too cute! I can't wait to sign with my DD. I wish I had done it with my older ones too.