A Meera 'Quote'

We've done just a little bit of sign language with all three of our kids during their baby/toddler-hood. We've done the same four words with Meera as we did with Kyle and Owen: 'please,' 'thank you,' 'more,' and 'all done.' Only four words, but K & O, and now M's ability to use these four signed words has allowed them very effective communication as little ones. It is amazing how much you can communicate with just four little words. Meera is starting to be more and more verbal lately, and she's saying quite a few words these days. But she still exclusively signs "thank you." Our sign for thank you is an upturned hand slid out toward the person to whom the 'thank you' is being communicated (photo above). The thing that is so very cute is that she 'says' [signs] "thank you" completely unprompted for every single thing imaginable for which you might say 'thank you.' You give her a little cup of water, she signs 'thank you'; you give her a snack, she signs 'thank you'; you put her shoes on, she signs 'thank you'; you put her in the bathtub, she signs 'thank you'; you change her diaper, she signs 'thank you'; and it goes on and on and on all day. She will stay totally still, with her outstretched hand, signing 'thank you' until you notice it and respond, "you're welcome." She does this with everyone she spends time with and everything that they do for her everyday. It is really sweet and I know it will eventually end as she starts replacing the sign more and more by verbally saying the words "thank you." I want to never forget how cute it was when we were in this time with our baby Meera.