Master communicator

Matthew has been a communicating machine lately. We started him a few months ago with some simple sign language so he could express himself a little bit. Within the past 3 weeks or so his communication, both what he understands and what he can express has gotten better by the day.

What he can sign:
• please
• hi and bye
• more
• eat or food
• milk
• bird
• fish
• dog
• water
• all done
• his own sign for pacifier (pats his mouth)
• and he dances to music

What he says:
• Screams "mam" and "da"
• "boat"
• "go"
• "duck"
• "car"
• "Hi"
• "nak" for snack
• "ruff" when barking back at dogs
• "huff" (what a horsey says)
• and babbles all sorts of things I'm sure he is working on saying.

What he understands: A lot!
• He follows commands, like come here, put that here, or give that to...
• put on your shoes
• put that down
• help me close the door
• can I have that? (hands me object)
• something is "hot"
• clean up
• I'm going to get you (playing chase)
• throw the ball
• want watermelon?
• want a snack?
• want milk? (responds with sign),
• want a cookie? (responds with please sign and comes running for his cookie- a graham cracker)
• what do you say? (answers with please sign)
• do you want more? (answers with more sign)
• be gentle (when petting a dog)
• Don't eat it
• Do you see a bird? Do you see a fish? (responds with sign and looks for it)
• are you all done? (answers with sign)
• push the button- helping me turn things on/off
• horsey, and how to ride it
• throw the bread to the duck
• did you find a stick? (shows stick)
• how to brush his own teeth
• how to use a spoon
• Where's Matthew? (knows I'm looking for him)
• Where's your tummy? (pulls up shirt and pats his tummy)
• to dance to music
• How to use a remote control to drive a truck
• that he can see Alex when we face-time on the phone (he hugs the phone and points to Alex. Even played "Find daddy" when I hid the phone under some toys
• Can mommy have some? (asking for food, will feed me or pretend and pull it back at the last second only to feed himself. and laugh. at. me.)
• Give the bear a hug (snuggles teddy bear)
• We are going to go (walks toward door saying "go", recognizes this when I put on my shoes
• Get down (laughs at me like, yeah right mom, but knows what I want him to do)


.... And the one I say the most often that he still doesn't seem to understand...

DANGER! (Daddy says we must "Practice Danger")