When BG was born I was the typical first time mom, but to the extreme.

I started reading all kinds of books about 'developmental stages and learning' and how to play effectively, and...
Well, you get the picture.

As I was reading, I came across this great little book   (there's a link under MW bookshelf).  I had never heard of signing to your kids before...  and it required me learning how to do it.  So, I started asking around about it.

Many mom's that I talked to thought it was weird. 

"They'll talk soon enough, why bother signing to them?"  They would say.

Or, "Is she deaf?" was one of my favorite responses. 

Then I talked to mom's who had signed to their babies.  And they absolutely raved about it!

So, I decided, what the heck, I was at home with her all day, what did I have to lose?

I started signing to BG at four months of age.  Yeah, I guess I was a bit overzealous!  I started with the basics.  You're supposed to start with five or ten basic signs first until they "get it" and then the sky your knowledge is the limit.  I was signing "milk," "more," "food," "change" for change diaper, "finished," "ball," "book," and "bath." 

I remember the day her light bulb came on.  I was trying to teach her the sign for milk.  I had read that if I gave the bottle to her baby doll she would see the connection.  Well, it worked like magic.  After that it was amazing.  I would sign things to her and I could see she understood what I was signing.  But she wasn't signing back to me!  That was most frustrating.  The books said that she would start signing when it became interesting for her.  Milk and food were obviously not cutting it.

I broadened the scope.  She liked animals so I started signing "cow," "bird," "butterfly," "squirrel,"and "doggie;" since we had one.  And one day, she saw the dog in the living room and she turned to me and signed "doggie" to me!  I was elated!

Soon thereafter she started signing for milk, more, food, and fan!  She was eleven months old! 

When I started signing to Buddy, I completely forgot this experience and was only teaching him the basics, milk, food, more, and fan (since we have ceiling fans in the house).  I know he understood me but he wasn't sign back.  Until one day, for no apparent reason, I pointed to the dog and signed "doggie."

A day later, we were listening to a children's CD somewhere.  Suddenly, as part of the music, a dog barked, and wouldn't you know it, Buddy turned to me and signed "doggie!"

I'm so glad we got that dog!  Ha!

I know he'll be talking before we know it...and I know it seems like a fad, but based on my past experience, I'm absolutely all for it!  Kids are little sponges and generally by age two, they can understand a lot of concepts.  I think it's imperative to give them a way to express themselves.  It diminishes tantrums and it helps build a stronger relationship with them.  Even if you only sign five things with them, it's immensely beneficial!

There are a couple of motivational stories in that little signing book about why you should sign to your kids.  It certainly doesn't hurt to do it.  I hope you'll give it a try.