What's Your Sign?

It seems like I have been a little peeved with preschool, as of late. Whether it's because they seem to be watching movies (at all) or too many of them, or just because I haven't seen a real increase in what Ella's learning, I don't know. Either way, both of those things get me fired up and wanting to search around for other options.

Until times like tonight happen, and then I don't know if it is preschool that I have to thank, or just the sponge-like qualities of a four year old in general.

As of late, Ella's teacher has been teaching them some sign language. I haven't ever gotten the full story as to how she knows some sign language, be it a deaf friend or family member, or that she just knows some rudimentary signs. So far Ella has come home and shown us the alphabet, a few colors, and some other random signs that may go along with a song or two. She has a paper taped up on her wall of the alphabet in signs and even got me to learn them, along with the 'ABC's' and 'Rainbow' songs.

I was absolutely impressed by all this, for sure. But then this past weekend she goes and does something that makes me just stare in wonder. She, David and I are just hanging out on the bed one morning and as I'm talking to David, I notice that she's gazing at my shirt. She notices the block letters that are on it, and all on her own starts flashing the signs for the letters in a personal test of her skills. She knew that David and I weren't particularly paying attention to her, she was just doing it for herself.

I was pretty impressed by her ambition and skill and called David's attention to it before she finished. Hell yeah, that big ol' noggin of hers is humming right along, synapses firing like lightning!

Then tonight she wore a shirt to bed that had the letter I, a heart, and a horse on it. So she showed us the sign for 'I love', but wasn't sure of the sign for 'horse.' Hang on, I tell her, I'll go find out. (How great is the internet, btw?!) I find a really nice site of ASL signs for farm animals and pets, and we go over the sign for horse, so now she can do 'I love horses.'

But it doesn't stop there. She has me read and teach her every.single.sign. on the site. Of course she's an animal lover so all of these animal signs are a hit, but there was a point where I was like 'honey, do you really need to know the sign for hamster? Or lizard?' But she did.

And then as I'm tucking her into bed, we go over the signs for cow and horse and lamb and chicken and then she signs to me 'I love you.'

I love you, too, little girl.