First Word and Sign

Everytime Tash has said what I thought was a 'word', Owen is always quick to say "She's just babbling, she has no idea she's saying Mama or Dad because she's repeating it randomly". His logic of it all always bugs me, but I just ignore him and continue to believe that she is indeed saying Mama or Dad even though she says Mamamamamama and Daddadada instead of just Dad and Mama.

Yesterday though, there was no disputing that she actually said a "word". I was doing my bi weekly grocery shopping and while in the fruit and veggie section I picked up some Bananas and said, "Look honey your favourite, Bananas" and she promptly replied "Nana!" I said again "Banana" and she pointed and said "Nana". That night when Owen got home I got one and said "Do you want a Banana for supper Tash?" and she again said "Nana!" :0) Definitely no disputing that she said Banana.

About a month ago (maybe) I started trying signs with Tash. A couple of the toddlers in our playgroup do signs (please, drink, eat..) and in an attempt to try and eliminate the tantrums she had started to have, some I thought due to me not understanding her, I thought I'd try teaching her to sign. I started out with 3 - drink, done, and eat. After about a week of doing all 3, I dropped eat and stuck to "Done" and "drink". This morning after it looked like she was done her breakfast I said w/o even thinking "Done?" and she held up her hands and waved them for the sign "Done". I stood there a bit dumbfounded and said again "Are you done?" (w/o signing it) and she again held up her arms and waved her hands. :0)

Now, I'll be honest and she does wave them for a long time, but she has NEVER done it. I've spent a month, maybe longer waving my hands above my head like a weirdo and she has always just stared back at me like I was nuts (I probably looked a bit nuts) but this morning, she signed Done, I did not even sign done to her.

The other ladies in my playgroup did say it would take some time (and I expected that!). I think J started with her little one at 9 months and it was 3 months of her signing to her before she started signing drink. She said after she picked up that one, she started doing other signs almost right after seeing J do them.

I have no plans to have her 100% sign, but I thought it would be nice for her to be able to communicate a few basic needs - drink, done, eat and say please & thank you.