Nodding and Pointing and Screaming and Grunting

"Ady, do you need a new diaper?" She nods.
"Okay, let's change your bum. Go get a diaper for Mama." She nods, goes to find a clean diaper and returns with one.

"Chloe, do you want to take a nap?" She shakes her head.
"But it' s time for naps. Aren't you tired?" She shakes her head.

"Girls? Are you hungry? Do you want to eat lunch?" They both put their hands to their mouths.
"Okay, let me make lunch for you and then we'll eat." Hands to mouths again.

"Who wants a bath? Do you want a bath girls?" Nodding and running towards the tub and pointing.

I never set out to teach them Sign Language, but it ended up working out. We've taught them a few signs for important things so they can communicate. Eat. They tell us that one all the time.

They understand. They communicate by nodding and following directions. But they won't talk.
This is "normal" for twins. But it's getting frustrating for me. I hear other moms saying, "Little Timmy is turning 2 next week and he already says his ABC's and knows how to count to 10."

All I can say is, "My kids grunt and point when they want something."

So, how normal is it? When will my kids start using words instead of the grunt/point method? I don't know. But I will be sure to ask at the next pediatrician appointment. I know we aren't to the point of needing speech therapy, but I've not heard them even TRY any new syllables.

Sure, they have said the normal Dada, Mama, Baba, Dee-der (for our dog, Ginger), and random babble happens frequently. But they just don't seem interested in verbalizing much these days. I expect maybe a new word a month, or trying to sound out a new consonant. But get nothing.

"Can you say Banana? Buh-nah-nuh? Nah-nuh?" They just look at me and point. Sometimes they say, "Ugh. Ugh. Mmm." More pointing.

Ryan tries too. "What do you want for dinner? Grilled cheese? Cheeeeese? Say Ch. Ch. Cheeeese?" Nodding and pointing.

Both girls recently have a new pasttime: screaming for fun. Oh, thank heaven for little girls?? Um, only sometimes. Thank heaven for times that they aren't having a screaming match. It's fun to them. The high-pitched squeals of joy and just figuring out how their voices work, I guess. The sound waves they make are no match for human ears. Sometimes I wonder if they are just trying to 'call' all the neighborhood dogs over or something.

Sigh.