Can I have some more, please?

The other day I took LR to a lunch with a couple of coworkers. After lunch we hit the new Cold Stone Creamery. As soon as LR walked in the door he rushed over to a table with two women sitting and eating their ice cream. He signed and said "ice cream!" Both women hugged their Styrofoam bowls closer and said, "no, this is our ice cream." LR was not to be deterred. He went over to them asking for their ice cream another 2 times since the service was slow and I couldn't hold him the entire time.

After we sat with our ice cream, I decided to teach him a new sign word, "please." When he asked for more, I showed him the sign for more and then added the sign for please. He's just gotten the hang of signs below his chest (e.g. baby and belly), so I knew he could handle it. Sure enough, within a few repetitions he was signing "more, please" each time he wanted another bite. My coworkers were impressed and I was pretty happy with his speedy acquisition.

Today for lunch he had grilled cheese and I made myself soup. When he saw the soup, he looked at me and signed "please?" I have no problem rewarding that. Soup it is! We tossed most of the sandwich, but it was worth it. In the bath tonight he wanted me to lean down and blow bubbles in the water. He does this by grabbing my head and a fistful of hair and dragging me toward the water. I told him that wasn't allowed and he signed "more, please?" Since that was the right way to ask, I leaned down and blew bubbles for him. I'm pretty sure he doesn't really understand the meaning of please, but the language will help fuel the understanding.

I think I have to move the coffee table into the office tonight. He's just too comfortable climbing up on it now. He even takes toys up there to play with or sit on. The other photo in this post is of LR's first finger painting experiment. It went reasonably well. He wasn't thrilled with the grocery bag smock I made him, so I may try to find a good children's one.