Signs

Our little Sky just seems to double her intelligence by the day, I swear. A couple weeks ago she communicated by pointing or whining. Now, she’s consistently using her sign language that her daycare teaches. I finally had to have my own sign language review session with her daycare teacher just so I would know what the heck she was trying to tell me! So besides her own “all done” (hands above her head, twisting her hands back and forth) which now I can see is a mix between the “finished” sign and pick me up now, she’s also using the sign for “milk” and “more.” It is so cute to see her versions of all the signs. It’s obvious what it is, but with her 16-month-old coordination, things don’t always come out quite right!

She’s also showing signs that will hopefully help prepare us all for potty training some day! If I catch her in the act of pooping, and I ask her if that’s what she’s doing, she reaches her hand down and grabs her diaper or points between her legs. If I catch her stinky after the fact and ask if she pooped, she immediately takes off in the direction of her room and points up at her changing table. So I’ve added to that and asked her to pick out a diaper before I begin the changing process.

She still isn’t talking much – English, that is. She’s got a wide range of syllables and all kinds of sounds, and she tries so hard to tell me stories, but I still have no idea what she’s talking about. And her walking is coming along as well, though she’s still very dependent on us to give her two hands to hold onto. We’ve tried guiding her with only one hand, which works sometimes, for a couple steps, but she’s still so unsure of herself that she spends those few steps looking for our other hand so she can steady herself again, and many times ends up just walking in a circle before she falls down. However, she loves to practice standing by herself. Her favorite is if I lay on the floor and she uses my body to stand up and balance herself, and then she raises her hands in the air and lets go. I think she’s up to around 10 seconds by herself before she falls down. And of course she thinks it’s hilarious!

And finally, she is showing signs to be quite the affectionate little girl. Her favorite thing lately is to give me hug after hug after hug, sometimes mixed in with slobbery kisses. She’ll crawl up to me, climb my legs, and tug my pants so I’ll pick her up. As soon as I do, she wraps her arms and legs around me and snuggles her face into my neck or chest. If I’m on the floor with her she all but tackles me for hugs. I can’t say I mind this phase one bit! There’s nothing quite like your child’s affection!