Signing Out - Hola Espanol

Sign Language has served us well. What an absolute blessing, life-saver and source of entertainment it has been to have our little one communicate with us so beautifully. Now that her verbal language is kicking in to full gear - it seems like Gianna is signing is less often. It's amazing and fun to watch the transition.

The other day when I returned home for an afternoon out, my huband was proud to show me Gianna's new linguistical trick. She has a precious little lamb that she enjoys playing with and she can now say 'lamb' in Spanish. "Ovejita" (Pronounced: oh-veh-HEE-tah) So cute. The funny thing is that every word we tell her to repeat in Spanish - she does so LOUDLY. It just cracks us up. We don't say it loudly....only Gianna does. I didn't get a great "ovejita" on video, but I got a pretty decent "hola." Here ya go:

We're not into Dora the Explorer yet. It is a cute show, but it drives me nuts that every thing Dora says is just a tad bit beneath a YELL. Is there something about the language that makes people want to speak it so loudly? Who knows? For now, we're enjoying "Ovejita" (at whatever decibal) and the fact that she just thinks it the little lamb's name.

My huband is from Nicaragua originally, so Spanish is his first language. I took five years of Spanish throughout both HS and college so we're hoping between the two of us, we can get her familiar (and one day fluent) in Espanol. (Maybe Mommy can get her act together enough to become fluent as well.)