Monday, July 31, 2006

Our next sign: Wrong Way

I'm entirely enthralled with this baby signing stuff. I should have read the entire book however because I think I have confused my son.

Sam's first sign is "more" which I had been showing him for weeks during his mealtime. I would hurriedly feed him a heaping spoonful of very drippy baby food and then before giving him "more" I'd make the sign. Now, it seems that Sam corresponds the sign "more" with food, because being the dumbass that I am, that is the only time I ever used the sign. So at random times, Sam will sign "more" to me, of course which I take to mean he is hungry. Yes, yes, there is a sign for "eat." I seemed to overlook the fact that "eat" is the more appropriate sign. I'm just stoooopid.

Today during a diaper change, Sam signed "more" to me. I thought that he couldn't possibly want me to use "more" wipes or had "more" peeing to do, so I rushed him to the kitchen and whipped out some stewed carrots. He screamed like a banshee. This is all corresponding, of course, with a week that he decided he hates baby food. I finally figured out that he wanted a bottle. He does know the sign for milk. As I pulled a bottle out of the fridge, it must have triggered a memory link in his growing little brain, and then he started signing "milk."

Other times when I use one of the many other signs we are trying to teach, Sam will start to sign "more" as though he is thinking, "Oh yeah... I remember this signing stuff. Like this one...see?"

No where in the book does it tell you what to do if your baby is confusing signs or, like mine, uses one sign for everything. It DOES tell you to avoid using the signs too carelessly and be cognizant of your child's perception at the time you introduce the sign. I was thinking, "More food, Sam?" and he was thinking, "Mmm, EAT!"

Sigh.

I have some serious reprogramming to do. In his brain or mine, I haven't decided.

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