Communication

Xander made up a sign today! After getting dressed this morning, he gave us the sign for food and pointed downstairs. Sure, we said. Then Jonathan asked him what he wanted to eat. He held out his right hand and lightly tapped the knuckles with the fingers of his left hand, while holding both hands completely flat. What does that mean? I asked. He repeated it again, looking determined. It took a couple of guesses, but Jonathan finally realized he was mimicking cracking eggs on the edge of a pan. When Jonathan said the word "eggs" Xander let out a cry of triumph and repeated the sign. Then he signed "bananas." "You want eggs and banana for breakfast?" Jonathan asked. Xander made his yes sound happily, then headed for the door.

When we were actually making the eggs, and especially when Jonathan cracked them on the edge of the pan, Xander repeated his egg sign and was very excited that he was understood. When the eggs were finished we set him down in his seat and he began to eat. About halfway through we asked if there was anything else he wanted - and he looked at the fridge and signed "yogurt"! So we had a very nutritious breakfast this morning, courtesy of Xander: scrambled eggs, bananas, and vanilla yogurt.