Signs of Life



Adilen Figueroa, Baby Signs by Adilen, as featured in
the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper, June 28, 2011
Photo by Darleen Douty, Republican-American

Today, I had the wonderful privilege of having my business, Baby Signs by Adilen, featured in my local newspaper, the Waterbury Republican-American! In addition to that, I was recently interviewed on NBC CT to talk about the wonderful benefits of using the Baby Signs Program. Needless to say, it's been a whirlwind of a month! If you were wondering where I have been, that's just a little clue into how busy life has been lately!

In promoting my business, I have been given the opportunity to reflect on those wonderful moments when my children were just babies learning to talk for the first time. I used the Baby Signs Program to help them use gestures to express their needs, wants, and thoughts well before they could them into words, and it was such a blessing in my life. I remember how my daughter's favorite sign was FLOWER, and she would sniff at every flower she could possibly find to tell me about all of the beautiful flowers in her world. 

I remember how my son used to pound his two chubby little fists together to ask for MORE food...as if it was really a request! My best friend and I used to joke about how it was more of a demand than a request...give me MORE...or else!

In reflecting on these wonderful milestones in their lives, I was also reminded of how different my children are! My daughter had such an interest in language. She was so receptive to learning Baby Signs and used so many signs and very quickly moved on to talking in no time. I remember having complete conversations with her before the age of two. She was, and still is, quite the conversationalist!

My son, on the other hand, was the doer, not the talker. It's so funny, because I don't always realize how sarcastic and exaggerated I can be when I speak, but in the article, the reporter actually quoted me as saying that, other than using signs to tell me he wanted to EAT, and he wanted MORE NOW, my son wanted nothing to do with me. I can't believe I actually said that, and to some degree, I said it in jest, but there was also some truth to the statement. Anthony was such a mobile baby who had places to go and things to do, and conversation just seemed to be in his way. While he did use the Baby Signs to some extent, and did utter enough words to reassure me that he was not developmentally delayed, he just didn't have the same interest in talking as Aloni did.

At the end of the day, what I have learned the most from using this wonderful program, beyond the benefits of decreasing the frustration that can come when babies know what they want but can't find the words to express themselves, is to respect my children's abilities, interests, and differences. It gave me a unique window into their minds.

They are both so special in unique ways, and everyday, I get the chance to re-discover who they are! I'm so excited about my new business venture, mostly because I get to re-live the awe and excitement I experienced in watching my own children utter their very first words and let me into their wonderful worlds!

Savor each moment!

Aloni signing DRINK at just 12 months!