Baby Signs: Lisa, our daughter-in-law, writes about Austin, our grandson

My 22-month-old son, Austin, has a vocabulary of about 40 signs that he uses to communicate with us. I began teaching Austin sign language when he was about 6 months old. I had read all the books on the benefits of signing to your children and since I knew ASL, I thought it would be fun. I didn't realize how quickly he would pick up on it or how beneficial it really would be for us. I began by teaching him the basics - eat, more, all done. We have since gone on to learn the ASL signs for dog, cat, ball and book. Austin has now begun to make up his own signs for things he wants to tell us, for example, he made up signs for the show "The Wiggles," his blanket and his pacifier. He is beginning to put two words together; for example: more water, or more milk. He is now able to learn a new sign within a day and can use it and understand it's meaning very quickly. I watch in amazement every day at the benefits of teaching him sign language and love the communication we have developed.

1. Austin signing baby. He rocks his arms at the same time. - http://www.JoanWink.com/gifs/Babysign1.jpg
2. Cow -http://www.JoanWink.com/gifs/CowSign1.jpg
3. Cat -http://www.JoanWink.com/gifs/CatSign1.jpg
4. Fish -http://www.JoanWink.com/gifs/FishSign1.jpg
5. more -http://www.JoanWink.com/gifs/MoreSign1.jpg
6. The Wiggles -http://www.JoanWink.com/gifs/WigglesSign1.jpg

How to Play Jelly Bean on the Trampoline
By Dawn Wink, after speaking on the phone to her mom, Joan.

"Mom, I just came in from playing jelly bean with the kids. Do you want to hear how to play jelly bean?" I asked on the phone.

"Are real jelly beans involved? I'm not interested if there is not sugar and food coloring involved somewhere in this game," she responded.

"No, no food color and sugar, unfortunately," I said to mom."One person, usually me, stands in the middle of the trampoline and the others, the Three Little New Mexicans, choose a color in their head and crowd together to whisper in each others' ears the colors they've chosen. Each can choose their own color, but they opted to all agree on one color. They insisted that I hold my hands over my ears so that I wouldn't eavesdrop. Then we all start jumping, and I call out colors. When I call the color they have chosen, they have to try to run or jump to the other side before I tag them. If and when I tag one of the Three Little New Mexicans, then that person is in the middle, and I rotate out to choose a color with the other jelly beans."

"Red" I called.

"Nope" all three chimed in while jumping on the other side.

"Ummmmm, green!"

"No!" they giggled and jumped.

"Yellow!"

"Nope, Mom, we didn't choose a basic color this time."

"What do you mean a "basic color", Luke?" (Jump. Jump. Jump.)

"Well, you know green, red, and blue are basic colors. We mean NOT a basic color like, you know, coral, chartreuse, and fuchsia."

"How am I supposed to guess with all of those options?!"

(Delighted giggles.)

Quickly, I started running through every deluxe crayon box I'd ever scanned, "Okay, burnt sienna!"

"Nope"

"Goldenrod. Saffron. Umber. Indigo."

"Nope! Nope! Nope! It starts with "S" and ends with "S," and Wynn wears it on her panties!"

"What?! Starts with an "S" and ends with an "S". Hmmmmm" (Bounce. Bounce. Bounce.)

"Sp" Wyatt called out to help me.

"Sparkles??" and all three squealed and threw themselves across the trampoline.

"Now, my avid objections that sparkles does NOT qualify as a color were heartily overruled, and the game continued," I explained on the phone to mom. "Some of the NOT basic colors that they chose were chartreuse, turquoise, silver, and coral."

"Mom, you and Mary Ann (our dear family friend who adores colors and textures) would have loved it!"

Note to parents and teachers: This game came to us thanks to Liza Doyle who taught it to my children. It is usually not played on a trampoline, but a large open area. Have particular fun with the "not basic" colors. I recommend giving kids a chance to peruse a crayon box before playing for true creative color ideas. Enjoy!