I want more please

Avi has been learning signs from the get go. When we are out and he signs something, I see other mothers recognize his signs adding something along the lines of, "I'm using baby sign with my son/daughter too." I've even had a well intended mama correct my signs. I wasn't sure how to respond, because I am a certified sign language interpreter. I'm pretty sure that I know how to sign "more" correctly. Smile and nod? 

"I"

"want"

"more"

"please."

"FISH"

Yesterday, Avi signed "FISH" and pointed to the junk drawer. I opened the drawer to look for something that was fish-like. Nothing. "What fish babe?" I asked him.  "FISH" he signed over and over. I kept bringing him "fish" things. A book with fish in it, another book with fish in it, and a third book with fish in it. "FISH", he signed again and again. Walking back to the junk drawer, pointing. This went on for about three minutes.  I finally opened the drawer for -- oh, I dunno, the fourth (?) time when everything clicked. Avi had been drawing fish with Reji and then his Grandma recently. His crayons are kept in the junk drawer. Avi wanted his crayons. "FISH" of course.

coloring with grandma.

I LOVE how our kidlets make associations and use their limited language to communicate to us.  I felt a sense of .... hmmmm, what's the word?  Connection? Yes, connection! Yes, I felt a sense of connection -- connection with Avi -- when I was able to solve the mystery and interpret his "FISH".  I feel grateful for these little moments.  

little fingers.

 

little joys.

 

 little fish.

huge connections.

What do you see?

The other day, Avi and I were sharing a snack and he started signing something.  Avi signs a lot, but many of his signs look similar so at times it takes a little deciphering.  I started looking around so I could make sense of his sign.  This is how it went:

"What do you see Avi?" (He didn't want "more")

(There weren't "shoes" nearby to be seen) "Can you show Ema what you see?"

He pointed out the window and I look.....

"Of course, the squirrel.  Looks like that squirrel is also having a snack."

And so... we watched the squirrel for a while.  

And I marvel at how our little ones can "tell" us so much about their world.  And the fact that his sign for "shoe", "more", "squirrel", and "rock" all look similar or that his signs for "book", "help", and his clapping all look similar doesn't really make that big of a deal.  We always seem to figure it out together.