ASL, toddlers, and food

By the by, if anyone has any idea of an ASL sign for kiwi or yogurt, we would love to know it, as we have had no luck finding one in any of our real-life or online dictionaries. Otter is beginning to pick up food signs very quickly, and asks for both the sign and the word for anything he eats.

Later, he'll then use the sign for what he wants to eat next. So far this works pretty well for him, as we are so thrilled by his signing that we tend to rush to give him whatever he asks for so as to reinforce the signing. Thus, last week, even after he'd had lots of veggies and grains and half a banana, when he signed 'apple' I immediately chopped up an apple for him. He did eat all of it, so he was hungry still. But we are trying to set limits, to avoid become short-order cooks--or short-order sous-chefs, really, as most of what he eats isn't cooked.

So far, we have found and been using signs for:
some veggies--carrot, radish, tomato, celery
many fruits--peach, grapes, apple, pineapple, pear, berry, orange, banana
other foods--oatmeal, cereal, rice, crackers, cheese, water

Last night, while we were all eating macaroni and cheese and Otter was also eating apple, he kept making the signs for grapes and for popsicle (as we give him those Edy fruit pops once in a while). And we would say: no Otter, not tonight. Tonight we have no grapes (or popsicles); tonight we are eating macaroni and cheese and apple.

And he would smile, and wait a moment, and make the sign again, then raise his eyebrows and look as hopeful and expectant as it is possible for a small child to look.

If they could send in small toddlers to negotiate international treaties, the opposing side would be worn down in days. Toddlers do not get discouraged and resigned. Of course, they'd need to be negotiating for grapes or peaches or something else highly desirable to toddlers, and I doubt many countries have a need for such treaties.

Fortunately, it is possible to distract them (sometimes) with play and the eleventieth reading of Chicka Chicka ABC (and don't tell me eleventieth isn't a word until you've read and read and read to a toddler).