For an entire week I have had a little comment from another mom at gymnastics classes under my skin. It's been sitting there fermenting, perplexing me, leaving me wondering. It wasn't anything mean, in fact, it was sort of a compliment. It was, in many ways, a compliment of the highest order, but it seemed like such a lie. SURELY, it couldn't be true.

The mom had told me, "It's so amazing how well Alexis listens."

I am certainly Alexis' biggest fan, but I'm not blind to the fact that she's two and certainly not the best-behaved two-year old who ever lived. I don't drug her nearly enough to achieve that level. As for listening skills? I'd probably give her a C+. Some days she's really good about doing what I ask, other days she acts like I am a moron from the plant Snurp.

Tonight as Alexis was wandering away from the group during gymnastics, I suddenly figured out how it was that we had so totally fooled that mom. I should have realized it sooner, but I guess it's just second nature. As Alexis started wandering and acting a fool, instead of yelling or going over to her, I signed, "Come play here, please."

And she did.

Because she always follows signed requests. I don't know why, but she doesn't think you can argue with sign language.

I wish I had realized this sooner; there is a whole world of fun I can have with a kid who knows 300+ signs and will take all of them as Fact.

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Just in case you haven't been around for eons, we started teaching Alexis sign language when she was about six months old. We used DVDs from Signing Time and watch the videos with her so that we can learn the signs as she learns them. I entirely credit them for her starting to talk really early, as the reason that her vocabulary is still pretty advanced for her age, and the reason she's already starting to read a tiny bit. Right now we're all about Baby Signing Time #4, which is good because now she'll know the signs for "clean." You better believe I plan to make good use of that.

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I'm also over here tonight with my thank you to PittGirl.