And now it is our favorite time: Signing Time!

I was NOT going to teach my baby sign language because I didn't want to be one of those moms who said, "Did you know we're teaching her sign language?" and then have her demonstrate for people. I don't know what I was so hung-up over. I guess I thought of it as code for, "Do you know that my baby is smarter than your baby?" (I know, that doesn't sound very nice. I get over it.) Then Chelsea discovered some DVDs in the basement from when Hailey was studying sign language a few years ago, and they became an instant hit with Gracie when they appeared on screen.

At the beginning of Signing Time, Rachel Coleman (co-creator) explains that among many other benefits, sign language can help eliminate the terrible twos because your child can sign what they want even if they can't say it and become much less frustrated in the process. It's pretty wonderful. It's been really fulfilling to see her get so excited when we understand what she's trying to tell us. For example, she'll come up to me doing this:

And I will say, "Are you thirsty, Grace?"
To which she'll nod her head emphatically and let out a delighted shriek.


She gets what she needs and we're both very thrilled about it.

Here are some words she let me take pictures of this afternoon:

cheese

dirty

eat

hot

cold

It's a really wonderful language. I'm glad she's been exposed to it and I'm glad my initially bad attitude got out of the way.

dancing to "I'm Proud to Be Me" at the end of Volume 3 :)