More Monkey, More!

Hey Sage,

Your mommy called me today to tell me she is a monkey. Yup, a monkey. She says that she is at the beck and call of you and your sister. You say "Jump, monkey, jump." And she does whatever you tell her. Like a monkey who wants a treat.

This morning (or last night - who can remember these details), you were fussing in your crib. You were crying a lot, so Mom was rubbing your head and your tummy to calm you down. It worked. You stopped crying and relaxed. But then, your mom stopped and prepared to leave. You turned over, looked up at her, and made the sign for MORE. Mommy asked you verbally, "You want me to rub your head more?" And you, apparently not knowing the sign for YES at only 9 months old, just signed MORE again. So Mommy started rubbing your head again and your whole body relaxed again. And then you went to sleep.

And so. What is the lesson here for people reading this or for you if you someday decide to torture your own life by turning into a monkey for a kid of your own? Is teaching a tiny baby to sign a good thing or a bad one? To give them the ability to make specific demands so early? Perhaps a little of both, as mothers of babies who cannot ask for more head rubbing instead jump around like monkeys trying to figure out what is needed or wanted while your mother knew exactly what to do because you spent no time beating around the bush asking for it. Perhaps the lesson is to escape the room quicker before the baby can turn around and ask for more. Perhaps the lesson is that you are spectacularly smart. I'm not sure.

You are making developmental progress in leaps and bounds! And I get to see you in only two more weeks to see some of it in action.

Love you,

Auntie K