Signing Day Friday

I learned a few new signs for expressing emotions.

This is the sign for hurt.  You can do the sign for hurt, and then point to the area that does.

This is the sign for angry.

You form claw hands and placing your fingertips against your stomach then pull both hands up and outward. It's important to make an angry face when you do it.

And finally, this is the sign for Happy.  As in Happy Birthday to Carter tomorrow! ;)

Signing Day Friday

It's true.

I've slacked big time on this, but I'm back now and will try harder. I promise!!

Carter is my...

Baby.

Even if he's having a birthday next week!

Jovie is my...

Girl!

You slide your thumb forward down your cheek.

and

Mikey is my...

Boy.

Just think of it like you're grabbing the brim of a baseball cap.

Signing Day Friday....a little late

"Please"

Just put your right hand over your chest. Move it in a clockwise motion (from the observer's point of view) using a circular motion a few times.

Forgive me for being late in my post today.  I really am "Sorry"

The same as Please, only with a closed fist.

Thank You.

Take your dominant hand and touch your fingers near your lips with a flat hand.  Move you hand down and in the direction of the person you're apologizing to.

Signing Day Friday

Let's start off with the most important sign of all.

Love.

You make the "A" sign with both hands and put them against your chest like this.

Now, who does Carter love?

That's right! Mommy. You're supposed to tap that thumb to your chin, but some people do a double tap.

He also loves

Daddy.

It's the same sign only on the forehead.  I remember the difference by thinking that Daddy uses his brain while Mommy just talks a lot. Some people think of it as men are taller than women.  Whatever works for you.

Have a truly excellent weekend!  I hope to post some pics of Jovie's birthday tomorrow!

Signing Day Friday

So do you want

MORE Signing Day Friday?  That is the sign for More.  You kind of tap those fingers together in front of you.  Jovie will ask me for more treats, I'll tell her no, so she'll sign more.  Gets me every time lol!  See, it's only our second week and you can already ask for "more milk", or in my case "more sleep"!

How about the next letter of the alphabet.  The letter "B"

And finally, we're

All Done!

Signing Day Friday

Welcome to the first edition of Signing Day Friday.  It's probably a really cheesy title, but that's all I could come up with today.  I'm not feeling overly creative.  If you have a better idea, please let me know ;)

Anyway, I've been discussing Sign Language with a lot of our family and friends lately.  After talking to his therapists, we have decided that since Carter has a lot of different factors against him in the area of speech (cleft, hearing loss), we are going to be teaching him to sign.  We've actually started this process the week he came home.  We've been using some basic signs for things that he does every day such as milk and sleep.  My very kind cousins sent us the Signing Time Baby DVDs and the kids (and I) have been watching those a lot.  They are EXCELLENT!  I thought they would be kind of low-budget, but they are really well made. If you want to check them out, here they are on Amazon:

I decided to help everyone learn the signs that Carter will be hopefully using, I'll start posting some every Friday.  I think it will be a lot of fun!

So, here we go.  The first one that we use daily is Milk.  This one is really easy.  Just open and close your hand to pretend like you're squeezing an utter of a cow.

The other one we use daily is Sleep.  This one is pretty easy too.  I think of it as pulling Carter's eyes closed.  We actually do this on his face by recommendation of his therapist.

Finally, let's start on the alphabet too.  Here's the letter "A".  Sometimes names and things are spelled out in sign language, so it's good to learn the alphabet.