How to Speak "Benglish."

Ben knows about 20-25 Baby Sign Language signs...It's not like we speak real sign language, more like caveman sign language.  Single words, demands or exclamations, but it's pretty effective to know if he wants "Water" "Milk" "Night-Night""Play" "Book" or "Ball."  One day in Panera, I was signing something with Ben, likely "Chicken" or "Cheese," given the circumstances, and a lady came up and started speaking REAL sign language with us, very rapidly, and in full sentences.  Ben and I both stared at her, literally dumbfounded, because she was moving waaaay too fast for our baby sign selves. When she paused for us to answer we were like, "Uhhhh..."  It was pretty funny.  It's like me and German -- Just enough to be dangerous!

So...part one of speaking "Benglish" is knowing the high-value baby signs (see above).  

Part two is to decipher what his spoken words mean:

"Bee-bee" = Baby, used for anyone under the age of 20
"Pee" = Please (with sign), or pretty, used only after Ben's "helped" brush Mommy's hair
"He!" = Help!

"Ba!" = Ball or Bottle or Bath, depending on the context

"Mi!" = Milk

"Wa!" = Water or wash

"Tow!" = Towel, used to preface bath time, as Ben knows it is his job to get the "Tow" from the drawer for his bath.  Often confused with "Ta!" which is short for "Tabitha", the nanny

"Hi!" = "Hi!"

"Da!" = Duke or Doggie (who says "woo-woo-woo," by the way)

"Away" = Putting anything back in it's place.  Usually said in a series of 4-6 "aways"

"Uh!!" = Pick me UP!

"Dow!!" = Put me DOWN (we get this a lot lately)

"Na-Na" = No (we get this a lot lately, too)

"Boo" = Book or Spoons (big bucket of spoons on the kitchen counter that we get down for him to bang...this is usually followed by Uh! Uh! to get the metal mixing bowls to bang on...or if said with "Ree" he wants to you READ.)

"Ow-ba!" = Out Back (outside please)

"Wee-bee" = Wheel Barrow (this one is too cute)

"Moo!" = Moon or what a cow says or music, again, depending on context.  Music usually accompanied by sign for music

"Bye!" = Bye-bye or there is a BIKE going by.  Ben keeps a color commentary on all walks and runs in the stroller, noting everything going by.

"Tee" = Tree

"Ma-ow" = Mail (usually spoken in a series of 4-6 repetitions, because getting the mail, of course, means you get to be outside)

"Pop!" = Popper

And now I hear him in his bed saying "Mama!" so he's up from his nap.  

Hope you've enjoyed the update.  Feel free to call or Skype us to try out your Benglish skills!

XXOO