I just teach real language

I have friend that teases me. She insists on eating all organic food, she refuses to touch anything with soy, and thinks I'm silly for not teaching Jonah sign language. She used to teach at a preschool and found it very helpful to have the kids sign to her what they needed something. I laugh and tell her that as a language teacher, I just teach real language. Now I know, sign language is a real language too. I mean no disrespect to the hearing impaired that rely on that form of communication. But I find that barriers I would have with spoken language is no different with that of sign. I say cut out the middle man. Instead of teaching him to sign drink or cup I'll just teach him to say it. I'll still be left wondering what he wanted to drink or put in his cup no matter what. I remember Clarissa called all food cracker and so I had to go through the list of food she liked to learn what kind of cracker she wanted. Was it the green bean cracker, the pasta cracker, I just didn't know.
Jonah is doing a great job with his language skills. He is starting to babble away like he's really talking. It really is exciting for me to hear him pick up patterns and sounds. He learned "Daisy" first. But they are playmates during the day so I'm not surprised. Not even when the second word was a bark : ) He also says "Ada" for Adam. He yells his name up the stairs. But that is just copying me. He says "ma" for more and "ma-ma" for me. (I particularly love that mama thing. He will follow me around the house or look for me saying that one. Warms my heart everytime.) There is also a "na" but I'm not sure yet if it means no or mine. He says it with an intonation of mine but sometimes the context is more like a no. He hasn't really attempted his sisters names yet but definitely knows who I'm talking about when I say their names. He will also make a cute smacking sound to my cheek when I say kiss.
This is such an amazing time for him...and for me! I have loved watching all of them learn their language. Once their brain clicks it just starts flooding in. They recognize words so quickly and then begin producing those words almost instantly. I absolutely love it! And that's why I just teach "real language".