Baby Signing

This last Sunday afternoon, Lia woke up from a nap around 3 pm, when the schedule demanded a snack. However, because Karen was still snoozing upstairs, I kept Lia company for an hour before bringing her up. When Lia saw mommy laying there, she first tapped mommy on the head, but then she started opening and closing both her fists. I thought, “oh this is interesting, she’s exercising her tiny fingers!” But then Karen realized that this was not a dexterity exercise, but signing “milk”!  Karen had been teaching Lia every day before each feeding, and apparently Lia picked it up and used it to express that she wanted a feeding! Wow!

Now in case you’re unaware of what baby signing is, it’s sign language taught to babies who haven’t reached the gabbing milestone yet as a form of communication. Well, a picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s a few examples…

Milk: Open and close fist as if milking a cow

Dad: Put the thumb of open hand on the forehead

Mom: Put the thumb of open hand on the chin.

Sleep: Draw your hand down over your face and close your fingers together while your eyes fall asleep

Airplane: Stick out the thumb, pointer, and pinky, and make the hand fly!

Flower: With fingers closed, touch one side of the nose and then the other, as if smelling a flower

Want: With open hands in front, scrunch your fingers like grabbing something and pull the arms back.

There! Now just teach that to your baby and he or she might surprise you next time!