Back when he couldn't talk . . .

As mentioned in my last post, Cameron is very expressive these days. He "uses his words" and this is sometimes a mixed blessing! But, we've been "talking" with Cameron since he was just a year old! Some of you have asked about the photos I posted of Cameron in Chicago signing "wet," both at 18 months and 3 1/2 years. We started using American Sign Language with Cameron from the time he was able to focus his eyes! By the time he was a year old, he was signing such classics as "milk" and "more." Around 15 months, he had what I refer to as a "signing explosion" where he was picking up new signs each day. This was in large part due to an amazing DVD series called Signing Time -- check it out at http://www.signingtime.com/! By age 2 years, Cameron used about 300 signs. This allowed us not only to know his needs ("more," "all done," "hurt") but also to get to know our little guy really well at a really early age! Here are a few of my favorite signing memories:

- When Cameron was about 20 months old, we went to an outdoor concert. Sitting near us what a girl with lots of tatoos and piercings, including a lip and nose ring. Wide-eyed, Cameron turned to me and signed, "Scary! Hurt!"

- At 18 months, Cameron spotted a VERY large dog at the park. "Scary horse!" he signed! (Of note, Cameron went through a signing phase in which he got a LOT of use out of the sign "scared!")

- I had a chance to use "scared" myself when sitting on the floor playing with Cameron one day. He seemed very excited by something he saw near me. A toy or favorite blanket, perhaps? No. Cameron thought and thought, then signed, "Butterfly." Butterfly? I thought? Then, with a look of triumph, he corrected himself. "Spider!" he signed, and pointed next to my leg. And right he was!


And here are some signing photos. First, Cameron tells us he is all done.

In this photo, Cameron very helpfully points out that he is dirty.

Cameron asks for milk. Note that even at this early age, Cameron had a remarkable ability to pair a traditional piece such as a ringer-tee onesie with a suprising fashion choice like Mommy's shoes.