Jaxon's Vocab

Jaxon really has 2 first words. He started saying "mama" and "dada" at the same time. He started doing that at about 15 months. These are the words he can say now:

1. Mama & Dada
2. Woah
3. Wow
4. Oh
5. No
6. Amen
7. Jo Jo (One of our doggy's names is Joey)

He also signs. We started showing him signs long before he would have been able to understand and do them himself. I think he started signing about the time he started walking--9 months. Here's some of the words he can sign: more, please, baby, food, water, Jesus, prayer, toothbrush, corn, excuse me, bird, butterfly, book, phone, and come here.

People have asked me if I think signing delays the child's speech. I say NO WAY. Well, I think there could be a very rare occasion where a child is so comfortable signing his or her wants and needs they do not get frustrated enough to try to speak--they may not feel a need to learn to talk. BUT, there is no way I would not teach a baby to sign becuase of that reason. Jaxon was able to sign, and therefore communicate, months earlier than he could have physically said words. I would not trade months of communication through sign for a frustrated baby who can't talk. I am grateful Jaxon can sign. It's so easy to know what he wants. I can't imagine if he had no way to communicate besides whining and crying.

That is all my opinion, of course. None of that is based on any scientific research; it's just based on my experience. But, I know that it has been said that babies and children who can sign are more calm and better behaved becuase they do not get frustrated that they can not communicate their needs.

Anyway...I don't know why I even thought to post about that, but there it is!


PS: Jaxon has had a runny nose from teething lately, and his new favorite thing to do it wipe his boogers on my shoulder when I am holding him. I don't know where he learned it, but he thinks it is so funny.