A Letter to my Girl - Reflecting on Boston

My sweet little girl....

I had the most precious moment with you today. I kept you up past your nap time with some friends, so you were a little fried and pretty tired. We took a quick bath, then I sat on the couch with you in my arms and gave you a bottle. As you ate, you quickly fell asleep- in my arms. This is extremely rare, so I usually settle in and prepare for a few blissful moments of cuddling with my sleeping baby. Your skin was so soft and flawless, your lips were still moving as if you were eating, and your eyelashes are AMAZING. As I reveled in this little piece of heaven, reality set in...

I flipped on the TV, and it was plastered with horrifying news about a bombing in Boston. As I watched the images flash across the screen, my eyes instantly filled with tears. Here I was, sitting quietly and comfortably cuddling the most beautiful girl in the world, and there were people on the other side of the country screaming, crying, and running for their lives. Why do I have to raise you in this world!?!

I quickly contacted Grammy and Kirsten to see if they were alright- they both had the day off and were at a movie during the attack. I’m not sure where they work in Boston, so I had a little freak-out moment - terrified that your grandmothers could have been hurt or badly affected by this. All is well for now.

But the problem is, someone else may have lost a grandmother. Someone else may have lost a mother. Or a father. Or worse... and even harder to fathom...someone else DID lose a child. I cannot even let my mind travel there. Why did a tiny little innocent person have to have their life so violently ripped away from them?

I wish that I could protect you from everything. I wish that I could sit on the couch, with you safely sleeping in my arms, through every trial you may face in this world. I wish that I could keep the sickness, the bad guys, and the heartaches from coming near you. I wish that I could shelter you from knowing the depravity of this world and the hate and violence that some people carry. I wish that I could raise you in a world filled with love, acceptance, generosity, and safety. Your Daddy would laugh at this and call me a hippie, but I know that he feels the same way.

Sometimes I wonder if I was selfish in bringing you into this world because I wanted a baby and I wanted to be a mother. I wonder if I could have saved you the turmoil in this world if you simply didn’t exist. This is the only way I could actually protect you! Crazy, isn’t it? But I didn’t have that choice. God decided that you needed to join our family and make me a mother. HE sent you here at the exact time that he did. He has a plan for you.

If I shelter you, I will be lying to you. This world is not a wonderful and beautiful place all of the time. It is filled with lots of hurting and broken people who need Jesus. And although I cannot protect you and shelter you from everything that hurts, I can introduce you to the one who can. I may not always be there to comfort you, but He is.

I remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard about the Columbine shooting.I remember where I was the moment that I heard about the Twin Towers. I remember where I was when I heard about the shootings at other schools and the movie theatre. And I am sure that there will be many more moments to remember. But today, at the moment I heard about the Boston bombing, I was sitting on my couch, with the most beautiful girl sleeping in my arms. I will never forget this, and I will never take for granted how fortunate we are to have you, to have safety, and to know the true love of Jesus.

I love you Pipsqueak. 

The Babywearing Workout

 As I have told you, I am on the quest to get back into shape and clean up my diet. Sometimes I can do a workout at home while baby is napping, or sneak to the gym for a bit, but other times she is awake and cranky. And going outside works wonders on a cranky baby! It can be harder as it gets warmer, so do it early morning or as the sun is setting! I am also a big fan of wearing my baby (she also hates the car seat/stroller), so as I was walking one day I started doing little exercises to get my heartrate up and work my muscles. It was fun! Pip seemed to think some of it was funny, and once she got tired, she just fell asleep.

It’s good to wear baby, because I think an extra 15 lbs on my chest is like wearing a weighted vest! Ok, not as heavy, but heavy enough to work me out and get a sweat started up! And for you new mommies who are ready to start moving but not ready to hit the gym or start a strenuous program- this could be a good place to start.

First, choose a good carrier for you and baby. Wear one that is comfortable, supportive (for both of you) but still breathable. You may (and should) sweat. Recently I have been wearing my Moby wrap since it is not too hot yet, but I may have to switch it up soon! That is the carrier I am wearing in these pictures. Now put your baby on and go outside!

Here are some moves to do while you keep baby close:

Start out by choosing a distance to walk. Depending on the day and how much time we have (how close to naptime), I usually do anywhere between 1-2 miles ROUNDTRIP.

Are you walking in a park? If so, find the grassy hills and zig zag up and down them. Do your zig zags narrow so that you can get more in a small area. This should help to warm up your muscles and get your heart pounding a bit.

Next get to a light pole or some other focal point and start your lunges, alternating each leg. I usually lunge from from one light pole to the next- approximately 36 lunges for these short legs. And I am so ready to be done by the time I reach that next light pole!

Continue walking and when you feel ready, drop into some squats. These can be harder depending on how big and where baby is hanging, because you have to open your legs REALLY wide for her to go through them! I usually do about 20- more if I’m feeling a little crazy!

 Is there a bench nearby? Stop there, turn around, and drop into some tricep dips. Again, I will do around 20- give or take. Remember to keep your arms as close to the bench as you can when you drop down- you’ll feel the burn there!

How about a side-shuffle in between the next two light poles? Make sure to stay low in your squat even when your feet come together. Here’s the problem- you have to even it out, so at the next light pole, switch sides to work the other direction! 

Next find somewhere to balance (a light pole.... there are just so many!). Start with 30 calf raises. If you aren’t burning, do more! There are two ways to do this- the standard way standing up straight, and a more advanced way in a sumo squat. It takes a little more balance and will make your thighs burn too. Both are pictured below.

Is there another bench around? How about some pushups? DO NOT DO THESE IF BABY IS NOT SECURE OR YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE. In our situation, she is tight enough on my body and she thinks these are fun. I only do a few- maybe 10 before I want to readjust her. Then I’ll do 10 more later. 

 Are we having fun yet? Continue to alternate these exercises throughout your walk. I am usually out about 45 minutes to an hour. I try to get every exercise in about 3 times. I’ll do them all on the way there, and then double up on the way home.

Or I’ll mix it up and do something like :

- Everytime I come to a bench, I do all bench exercises.

-Everytime I see a dog, I drop into squats (after they pass)

- When I get to a road, I lunge underneath it through the tunnel.

Get it? Do what works for you. Challenge yourself!

If baby is still cooperating when you get home and you have enough energy, drop down onto the floor to do some abs- with baby as your weight!

Here are some examples:

Extend Crunches: 

Chest Presses:

Russian Twist:

Sit Up with Baby Lift: 

Enjoy your workout!

  

The Big Bad Epidural

The Big Bad Epidural. For anyone in the natural childbirth community, this is how it is often viewed. This is how I viewed. Until my own experience with childbirth. After 48 hours of natural labor, I was too exhausted to go on and my midwife transferred me to the hospital to find relief and finally rest.

We have read multiple reasons on why epidurals are bad and why we should avoid them. We look down on anyone who had one. We even fight strongly against them and feel guilty and like a failure when we “give in”. I did. But I believe there are VALID REASONS to receive an epidural. Here are some of them:

Exhaustion: This was my issue. My body and mind had become so exhausted, that I wasn’t going to be able to give my all to get my baby out. My labor was wacky and long, and I never rested more than a few minutes at a time, for days straight. I pushed for about 7 hours at the birthing center with little luck, and I couldn’t go on. I was also mentally exhausted and losing my confidence and sanity. I was exhausted. Once a mother’s body reaches this point, it is hard to find the strength and energy to push. It is also difficult to find the energy to take care of baby after delivery (yes, there is a new baby “high”, but you’re still exhausted). A epidural can help you to relax, rest, and sleep so your body can dilate and you can feel refreshed when the time comes to meet baby.

Position of Baby: Sometimes the baby is in an awkward position, causing a longer labor or more painful contractions. After trying different laboring positions, an epidural can be a good reason to take pressure off of your body and relax your cervix as baby moves and turns trying to find the correct position to descend. Sometimes, this pain can just be too much to bear.

Fear: Yes, a very valid reason. I think this was also part of my problem. I wanted to meet my baby and give birth naturally, but I was so scared. Scared of pushing, scared of tearing, scared of the pain, and scared of actually HAVING a baby! Fear can act as a sort of “mental block”, and your body can actually refuse to dilate or move the baby down when you feel fearful. This is why so many childbirth classes work on relaxation, breathing, and mantras to repeat to give yourself confidence and keep you calm. Hiring a doula can be a huge help. It has also been proven that when you are afraid, your uterus has the possibility of not receiving enough blood supply to work it’s best. THIS CAN BE PREVENTED, and everyone should do their best to prepare mentally for childbirth.

Lack of Support: I don’t know how single mamas or mamas without their husbands (deployment, etc.) do this birthing thing alone. They are awesome. I know one, and she is simply amazing. I don’t think I could have done my long labor without my husband there every moment of the way. It is grueling work, and without someone (husband, mother, friend, doula) staring into your eyes and calming you or telling you that “you can do it”, it can overwhelming. I now understand why some women volunteer for an epidural if they are alone- it is tough to go through something so difficult alone.

Avoid a C-Section: I have read and heard some stories of women receiving epidurals in order to help avoid surgery to deliver baby. It is usually for one of the reasons listed above- and again, this was what we ran into. Even after our epidural, we were facing a possible c-section. If this is the case, it is good to have an epidural already in to speed up the process and help to avoid general anesthesia- because that DOES NOT sound fun.

There are many people who may not agree with these reasons, and that is okay. After my experience, I see the necessity of the epidural and how it has changed our ability to birth. My husband constantly reassures me that if it wasn’t for my epidural, I may not have lived through my childbirth 100 years ago. He also states that my body went through so much during my labor, that it’s like I delivered 3 babies that day! My body was exhausted, my baby was malpositioned, and I was scared. But my body would not stop contracting or give me rest. My epidural helped me to relax, birth my baby, and avoid further medical attention.

I still believe that God has fashioned our bodies to create, carry, and birth life naturally. In my opinion, every woman should labor naturally as long as possible for their health, the baby’s health, their ability to move and eat, and to allow their body to progress naturally. Whatever else you choose is your choice. I don’t know what my birth plan will be for future babies. I am still healing mentally and emotionally from my experience, as is my husband. I guess we’ll keep praying, healing, and leave that one up to God. 

(Much of this information was obtained from  Birth Without Fear. Check out their blog at birthwithoutfearblog.com for more.)

For the Love of Bonding- by Robynn Lee

Roughly three years ago I was waiting to deliver my first child. A baby boy, who would be the first
generation of my husband’s family name to be passed down. Everyone was stoked, including me but I had so many mixed feelings, especially about what to expect after he came. I was always super athletic and able to go and do anything I wanted to and now I would have a child in tow. I was afraid and anxious and had no one to turn to, mainly because I thought, what Mom could ever think that way about her precious gift? So what did I do? I put a smile on my face and told everyone how thrilled I was to have him, when deep down I was hesitant.

Well the day came and he arrived and my entire family was there to welcome him. When I held him the first time I knew I loved him but something was missing. There was no instant bond, no warm fuzzy feelings and even worse, I didn’t feel depressed.

I thought to myself, 'what the heck is wrong with me?'. Everyone else I knew instantly loved, and
nurtured their newborns and here I was looking at him, saying how cute he was but it felt like he was
someone else’s child: a close relative but not mine. I didn’t get it. I wanted children; I loved children, so what was this all about.

Even after a few weeks of being home, I still hadn’t felt that bonding that I knew should be there. Everything else was going great. My life had become a routine of baby things and I was completely fine with that but still I felt a little distant from Landon. It wasn’t until a close family member lost their patience with him and made me feel like he could instantly be hurt or gone that I bonded with him. That was nearly a month in to his existence!!!! BUT finally I felt like I could breathe. I BONDED with him!!!

 So why doesn’t anyone talk about this? I have asked many new Mommas if they ever have had this feeling and it was overwhelming how many felt this way. I wasn’t alone this entire time but I was too ashamed of what others would say or think that I kept it to myself.

Because of this I was so worried when I found myself expecting baby #2; thinking here we go again!
But this time, with my daughter it was completely opposite. I instantly bonded with her the second she was in my arms, it was love, adoration and so many warm and fuzzy feelings and it felt AMAZING!

So if you find yourself in the category of not bonding with your little ones. Please don’t be so hard on
yourself and give yourself some time and a little break. Your body just went from yours alone to sharing that space with someone else. And then from living your own life with just your husband, to sharing everything with the little one. But I promise that bond will come. Seek someone out who has felt the same feelings and vent!

Oh and you ask how my relationship is with my son? It is phenomenal…he is my world and the most
amazing little man I could ever have ask for!

Managing Your Time- by Joanna Grageda

 Joanna is a dear friend who I have been close to since 2nd grade... that's a long time! She is the kind of girl who made her bed EVERY MORNING and flossed every night... in HIGH SCHOOL. She has great morals and convictions, and is pursuing a new career in fitness! She is over-all awesome. She shared a little bit with us on time management and making the most of the moments you have!

As I sit here and right this blog, all of the MILLIONS of things that I “must” get done today
are racing through my mind! I’ve thought about what I’m going to prepare for lunch, I need to
vacuum, forgot to run to the grocery store after I went to the gym this morning, my husband
will be home for lunch in an hour and a half and did I mention, I am still in my sweaty workout
clothes?! It never ends.

It’s been recent that I have been investigating “time management” and honestly, just trying to
figure out how to do it and how that will look has been a step in the right direction. What are the
different systems? What are the different tools to assist with this? What are others saying works
well for them? After spending some time on this, I have yet to really find THE answer to this
question.

I recently posted five different suggested ways to “Add Value to Your Time”, all of which I
found helpful.

Step #1: Set Morning Intentions…by this I mean you should map out your day! Having a
“To Do” list will almost guarantee success as well as ensure that you don’t miss anything
important.

Step #2: Live Your Values…I read this quote “where we spend our time is a direct
reflection of what we value most” and it really stuck. Sure some things get forgotten that
we do care about, BUT…this speaks mountains of truth and in one way or another, we
have experienced this in our lives and know that we enjoy having time invested in us, so
why would our “To Do’s” be any different?

Step #3: Sleep well…now I am not a mom, and I do not know what “the sacrifice of
sleep” is really about in terms of babies, however. I do know that working a full time job,
while running a business at home and trying to be the best friend/wife/lover/daughter/
sister/etc. I can be, is something I do not discredit. Life gets busy and demanding.
Without rest and downtime, one WILL wear out. Make sleep a priority!

Step #4: Create Time for Important Relationships…HUGE! What is all of your busyness
and success going to look like if you are alone? THIS is huge. I cannot say that enough.
Making time for those we love, seems to always be the biggest struggle when it comes
to making it a priority, am I right? Our intentions are of course to do the right thing,
after all, you are working to better not just YOUR life, but everyone who is in it as well.
Correct? But make it a priority anyways, create time for them just like you would that
post office run or that business call you have at 3:00.

Step #5: Organize…Now this is my favorite! If you know me well enough you know that
I could literally spend all day, “organizing”…organizing my office, life, room, pantry,
fridge, etc. Ha! But on a more serious note, why would you do double the work, if your
time is valuable and can be done more simply because of organization?! Get rid of what
you don’t need, keep what is essential, and begin to “de-clutter” in whatever form this
may need to be done in. Organize!

After looking over all of these steps, I have begun to put many of them to practice and they have
shown to be helpful. In seeking out the answer to my question, ‘How do I add value to my time’,
I have grown to also find, that in some cases it is more of a Yes or No skill instead of a How
To approach. Meaning…does this “thing” that is taking up my time, get me closer to my goals
or what I’m trying to accomplish? Will something bad happen if I don’t get it done TODAY?
Does this thing bring out the best in me? Will this benefit or hurt those I love in my life? Yes or
No. By going through this thought process, you are reflecting on what matters most, which will
provide a sense of clarity. That “thing”, or some times more than one thing, that is not such a
priority in the large scheme of it, begins to shrink in importance and eventually will no longer
demand your attention.

I have realized that whether you are trying to be the best mom you can be and get those
never ending tasks done, become successful at a business, or something as simple as a home
project…remembering what matters most to you along with what you value and believe in will
provide the clarity to “de-clutter” your life of monotonous tasks, allowing you to excel in all of
your To Do’s that truly matter most…

Adding the Value To Your Time that we all desire so much!

Thank you and good luck with your tasks!

Joanna =)

Five 'Clean' Desserts

This is a Pinterest inspired post!!!!

Since giving birth, my body is not the same...ya know what I mean? And I have recently run out of the excuses “I am breastfeeding” and “I just had a baby”. Yeah, we’re going on 7 months now! So in addition to a new workout plan, I have decided to explore more options for eating ‘clean’. I used to be really good at it, but I will admit... I used pregnancy and breastfeeding to splurge! Sugar and pastries are my weakness, but I can easily cleanse myself of these with a few days work. Since I still have an extreme *sweet* tooth, I have started to cook/make more clean desserts so I can still feel like I am indulging while eating healthier...if you will!

What is clean eating?  “The soul of clean eating is consuming food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible. It is not a diet; it's a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation, leading to an improved life - one meal at a time (Cleaneatingmag.com).” It also includes making sure that you consume enough water (they recommend 2 liters a day- seems easy compared to the 4 liters they recommended during pregnancy!), eating 5-6 times per day, eating healthy fats, reading (and understanding) labels, and doing your best to avoid processed and refined foods.

Anyway, before I get too lengthy, I will go into these 5 desserts that I have recently tried and I LOVE! Yes, these are all my pictures and all things that I have made- they are not tough! What I love about them is that I already had most of the ingredients in my pantry! Maybe they can help you to make a switch to cleaner eating- my goal is to eat about 90% clean by the time I am done with my 90 day challenge.

I tried to add the recipes how they were given to me, but I added my own variations too that you can see. Here we go!

Peanut Butter Protein Bites:

• 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used quick oats)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed(make sure it's ground. If not, you will be finding seeds in your teeth for days!)
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup (I used honey)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips (find 'clean' chips if you want. I think I found these at Fresh 'n' Easy)

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. I just took a clump in my hand and started rolling. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.I have seen other variations of these also, where someone added chia seeds and coconut flakes. Sounds good to me!

Brownie Cupcakes:

• 1 Can Black Beans 540mL (rinsed thoroughly)
• 2 Egg Whites and 1 Full Egg (I used 2 full eggs)
• 1/3 Cup Plain Pureed Pumpkin
• 3 Tbsp Cashew Butter (I used regular butter and it worked. Next time I will use almond butter)
• 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/8 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 6 Packets Stevia (I did not add- not needed)
• 4 Tbsp Agave or Honey (I used honey and agave nectar- running low)
• 1/2 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (Or clean chips. See above recipe for link)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Spray your muffin tin with olive oil spray or line with cupcake liners.
3. Place all ingredients excluding chocolate chips into your food processor and blend until smooth scraping down the sides occasionally. (I used my blender- it worked!)
4. Remove blade and with a spoon stir in chocolate chips.
5. Spoon batter evenly into muffin tin.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Let cupcakes set for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Tip - Feel free to add chopped walnuts or almonds to these brownies.
Tip - Let cupcakes completely cool before icing.

FROSTING Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Plain Pureed Pumpkin
• 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 2 Scoops Chocolate Protein Powder (Optional) (I added 1 scoop of Shakeology)
• 2 Tbsp Honey or Agave (Agave Nectar again)
• 1/3 Cup Cashew Butter (regular butter again)

1. Stir all ingredients until completely smooth.

Tip - Cashew Butter will blend more smoothly if it’s at room temperature. If not, use your food processor to make your icing whipped.
Tip - Make your own piping bag by simply filling a ziplock bag with your icing and cutting the very tip of the corner off. So easy!

Ice your cupcakes as desired and place on a plate for serving!

Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• 2/3 c. almonds (I used sliced almonds)
• 1/3 c. cooked oatmeal
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add all ingredients except chocolate chips to food processor and blend (I used my blender- did not blend well. They stayed chunky but still worked and tasted good!). Scrap batter into a bowl and add chocolate chips. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool before enjoying.

Primal Fudge:

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup high quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup smooth almond butter (I used natural peanut butter. SO GOOD)
1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup (Agave Nectar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt coconut oil.  Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender.  Pour into paper-lined muffin tin cups or silicon muffin cups and fill half-inch full.  Makes about 1/2 dozen. I did a double batch to fill an entire cupcake tin. Put in freezer for 20-30 minutes.Take fudge out of liners and store in an airtight container in freezer. Do not let sit out- coconut oil melts at room temperature!

These are literally MY FAVORITE right now. I can't make them too often because I eat them like they are my meal! Next time, I may add quick oats because they already taste like no-bake cookies!

Zucchini Bread:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour ( I only had white...can't wait to make it with wheat!)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2/3 cup honey (or agave nectar)
• 1 generous cup grated zucchini (about 1 large zucchini) (I used WAY more. Like 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 tablespoons safflower or olive oil (olive oil)
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
• 3/4 cup plain, non-fat yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Oil loaf pan with olive oil (I used an OO spray).
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and nutmeg.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, zucchini, apple sauce, egg and egg white, olive oil, lemon zest and yogurt. Mix well.
5. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture and blend well.
6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and place in the oven.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Note: You may need to cover this loosely with foil if the top starts to get to brown.

This bread is more dense and could be a little more dry than your typical zucchini bread. Of course, that could have been the extra zucchini I added too. Oops. I warmed up a slice and spread either a little bit of butter or almond/peanut butter on it. So yummy!

Let me know if you attempt any of these and what you think! REMEMBER: These are not necessarily HEALTHY, they are just clean. Still enjoy them in moderation! You may have a difficult time doing this with the primal fudge though...

Here is my Pinterest board for clean eating. I am constantly adding more! 

Baby Sign Langauge

We have all heard the wonderful promises of our babies learning to sign words and being able to communicate with us long before they can talk. It sounds great! But many mothers are leary of teaching sign language to their normal-hearing baby. I did some research on the subject, and here is what I found:

Baby sign language can be an effective communication tool for infants and young children.

Limited research suggests that using baby sign language may improve a child's ability to communicate and ease frustration, particularly between ages 8 months and 2 years. During this period, children begin to know what they want, need and feel, but they don't necessarily have the verbal skills to express themselves. Baby sign language allows children to use their hands to bridge the communication gap.- Jay L. Hoecker, M.D. (mayoclinic.com)

I love the idea of Piper, now 6 months old, being able to sign and tell me what she wants at 8 months old! How much easier would that make my life? There there is the other side of the spectrum. This is a comment from a frustrated mother:

Wasn’t signing a way of intervening early so he could communicate? However, my son is now seventeen months old. He doesn’t speak at all. No “Mama.” No “Dada.” Not even “No.” It didn’t occur to me to that he should be speaking until his pediatrician mentioned the words “early intervention” and “speech therapy” at his well-baby checkup. Funny. I thought I’d already done that. Wasn’t signing a way of intervening early so he could communicate?

So what is the “right” way? After much more research (please do your own and do not depend solely on my opinions), I have decided that I WILL start baby sign language with Pip. The reason for this is personal- when I was a baby and my mother worked, we had a nanny who lived across the street. We called her “Nana”- she was a much older woman, and both she and her husband, “Pop Pop Charles”, were deaf. We had no choice but to “speak” sign language. I quickly learned ‘drink’, ‘light’, ‘potty’, ‘hungry’, ‘thirsty’, and many others. Yes, we would come home and sign to my mother instead of speak, but she would simply speak as she signed back to us. We were fine! I never remember a time when she struggled to get us to speak instead of sign. And she has never spoken of one (though I will ask her now).

Starting this month, I plan on teaching Piper just a few small signs. I do not think it’s necessary for us to have a conversation in sign language, just simply for her to know certain signs to tell me what she needs. These are the few I will do:

PLEASE:

THANK YOU:

 MILK:

 WATER:

 HUNGRY: 

MORE:

ALL DONE:

I may add more as I learn them, like “dog” or “sleep”. Who knows? I am not worried about her speaking because the girl is already extremely vocal. Before she was 6 months, she is already saying ‘mama’, ‘dada’, ‘nana’ and anything else that she can end in an “aaa” with her tongue. She’s got a lot to say!

I plan on ALWAYS using these signs with words, and repeating them to her with the word. Babies understand! Already, I can look her in the eyes and say “don’t cry, just talk. Tell me what you need”. And she will usually stop whining and start to form sounds with her tongue and lips. We have to give the little buggers credit for how smart they are!

Many children also begin talking and still use the sign out of comfort and familiarity. There is nothing wrong with that, and they will probably drop it soon enough.

Like I said, I am no ‘pro’ on this subject, but this is my plan of action with my child. We’ll see if it works for us! Like everything else in parenting, do what works for you!