hi ladies so i have a few questions 1st my fifteen month old son will not talk, he sometimes babbles, but he wont talk. he understands everything you say to him like go get the ball and he will bring it back. he knows when he wants to be changed and will get a diaper or the diaper bag. he uses the sign for more and knows what he wants he will point to things when asked like where is brother? and he will look and point. he knows what lots of words mean and follows instruction but i cant seem to get him to say words. i have tried to make him, and he either screams or ignores us. i tried bribing him, he doesnt seem to care. i have tried to just talk to him saying things like look at the red ball and he will get it and show me, but no matter how i try i cannot get him to say simple words. my older son talks like he is nine or ten. 2nd i do not like to wear my wedding ring, its not that i dont like being married or that i dont want people to be married i just dont like wearing it and i have tried a few different rings and i like them when i try them and for the first week but then i find myself carring it in my pocket. i have to take them off to wash my hands or do the dishes or anything that involves getting my hands wet. i dont wear any other rings either. what do i do about this? 3rd and last i have a beagle that i need to find a home for, i have had an add up at the local store for about a month and no calls, i dont know what to do now, but he needs a home and family with a yard and i do not have that. thanks for listening and thanks in advance for any help. K.
K.,
Don't stress about the talking issue - at least yet. Just give him some time. My son, who is now 27 and a brilliant IT guy, didn't start talking until he was about 18 or 19 months old, and then it came out in complete sentences. And, once he started talking, he didn't stop. Kids just develop at different rates. Chances are that he is just fine.
We found a great home for a dog we couldn't keep after my grandma couldn't take care of her anymore. Put a "free to good home" ad in the local paper and ended up having more great homes to choose from than we could have imagined (and withing 24hrs). Good luck
I have a very simple, 3mm plain band for my wedding ring. I never take it off for showering or lotion or anything. No reason to. There is NOTHING adorning this band. I never wear the engagement ring.
I think your 15 month old will suddenly talk up a storm when he's ready. He's just absorbing it and will talk when he has something to say. My husband and I both don't wear our wedding rings. We both work with computers and it bothers us to have anything on our wrists or fingers when we are keyboarding and mousing all the time. If you want, you can put your ring on a chain and wear it as a necklace. The rings are just a symbol of your marriage, not your actual marriage. As for the dog, you are going to have to get the word out there to as broad an audience as possible - on super market bulletin boards, dog park bulletin boards , vet office bulletin boards - any place where family s and/or dog people congregate. See if this site can help you:
http://www.petfinder.com
1) Some children talk later and catch up just fine. Those averages for talking are just averages.
2) Find a ring you can leave on. Most rings can be left on for doing the dishes. Make yourself wear it. You'll get used to it.
3) Google a beagle rescue in your area for help.
K.,
My son is 19 months old and babbles all the time, he knows what he is saying and what he wants, the problem is we didn't untill we taught him sign language. Now he can babble all he wants and does his signs so we understand. It has made life so much easier. If your thinking it's too last to start teaching, don't think that even if he learns eat, milk, sleep. your life will be much easier. You can get my first signs probablly at your local library. Good luck with your little babbler. Just have fun with him, he won't be little forever and soon will be a teenager and saying all kinds of things you wish he wouldn't. lol
Here are some suggestions, in reverse order. Look online to see if there is a beagle rescue organization, and contact it. In addition, you could talk to the other animal rescue organizations where you live - groups that foster pets and find new homes for them.
You could check with your doctor to see if you are allergic to the metal in rings. I've heard that it sometimes happens. I do not take my wedding ring off to wash my hands or do much of anything else, including dishes (which I always do by hand). Washing dishes should not damage your ring. If you worry about losing the stone, take the ring to a jeweler and have it checked to make sure it's snug and safe in its fitting. You could also wear dishwashing gloves if that would make you feel more secure about it.
As far as your boy is concerned, fifteen months may be a little young for him to begin talking. Some children do begin saying words that early, but others don't start until quite a bit later. You know he understands you. I'd suggest you keep on communicating as you do now. You will want to ask your doctor to check your son's hearing, just to make sure. (One of my boys needed tubes in his ears and we could tell the difference within hours after the surgery.) If there's nothing wrong with the hearing, just wait and communicate and love. When he's ready, he'll start talking - and you may never get him to stop!
I have to agree with the moms, including yours, to know worry about your son. You sound like you are doing the right activities to encourage his vocabulary.
I know it's hard not to compare your children. I tell myself to stop, but I can't help it.
My son is almost three. He didn't really start talking until a little before his 2nd birthday, and not until recently did my sister, an RN, express that she had been worried he wouldn't talk well. But the trick is now to get him to take a rest for just a little while. While he was going to a daycare with a boy one month older, the father of the boy expressed concern my son didn't talk on the same level as his. His wife told him that my son was very smart, and comprehended well - used his sign language when he wanted something, and understood everything you said to him. My son was a listener and watcher. He still is with certain activities. Every child is different. I have to remind myself that my daughter will talk when she is ready. She understands everything we say to her, and I think that is a little more important at this age than her talking. I believe your son will talk when he's ready, and be rady to hold on tight! :)
As for the ring, neither my husband or I wear our rings except for special functions. We both have a job where wearing a ring is pointless because it could easily fall off and get lost. I think, as some moms have already suggested, to talk it over with your husband so he understands why you aren't wearing your ring, especially if he's asked why. Wearing it around a chain on your neck is also an excellent suggestion.
I don't know much about having to find a home for a pet. From what I've read from the other moms, they've made a lot of suggestions.
I know you'll find your solutions!
Sincerely,
Tricia
www.Mamas2Mamas.com
About the wedding ring... Get a plain band, comfort fit. They're curved on the inside for comfort and plain (no diamonds, etc.) so you don't have to take them off for anything. I can't even tell I have mine on; I can't feel it at all! Mine is fairly wide, 7 or 8 mm, I think
I can address your first 2 concerns,
1st--my eldest son didn't talk much at all until he was between 2 1/2-3 years old. I was not concerned because he could understand everything we were saying and he used sign language to communicate also(Signing Time DVDs are awesome and can be checked out at most libraries). Our 2nd child didn't talk much until she was 2 but again, she used sign language and could understand us, so there was nothing to be worried about. 15 months old is still very young so you should not be concerned that he is not talking. Children develop at different rates and when he is ready to talk he will. Just encourage him, use baby sign language, and let him develop at his own pace.
2nd--I don't like rings primarily because I don't like the way they feel on my fingers. So I don't wear my wedding ring much either. I never wear it around the house but I do try to put it on when we go to church or on other special occasions. I really don't think it's a big deal. No one has ever asked me about it, but if they did, I would just say what I did to you. Or if you like, get a nice chain, and wear the ring around your neck instead.
Hope this helps.
Hi, K..
I'm going to give you a different answer. If you are worried about your son's not talking, schedule an evaluation with a Speech Language Pathologist. There are specific time frames where children can make various sounds, and an SLP will know the answer. My first child spoke "late," my 2nd way early, my 3rd could only be understood by me, and my 4th didn't speak (like yours). I took my 3rd child in for a speech assessment, and while we were there she asked to screen the baby. He turned out to be farther behind (adjusted age) than his older sibling! Follow your gut. If you question, get if checked out. Speech for babies is super fun--they play games with puzzles or little farm animals, etc., and practice sounds, etc., then eventually put them together. What a difference.
As for your ring, I have a friend who wears her wedding ring on a gold chain around her neck (kind of up high). Everyone can see her ring, and she doesn't have to have it on her hand.
Good luck!
A.
www.breastandbottlefeeding.com
1. Fine, normal, especially for boys. My oldest 2 kids (boys) were early speakers. They spoke sentences before they were 18 months. Other boys in our neighborhood their same age didn't speak much until age 3 or 4. I expected my daughter to be an early talker too. She babbles a lot, but doesn't say nearly as many words as I expected from her at 14 1/2 months. I mentioned it to my mom and she said that I did the same thing, then at 18 months my vocabulary exploded. Don't worry about it. Just keep naming things for him, especially those that have the sounds that he likes right now. For example, my daughter says "k" a lot so I name things like "car" and "cup" when we see them.
2. Can you wear the ring on a necklace? My husband doesn't like to wear rings either and it bothers me. For one, I really think girls would flirt with him less if he had a ring on. But I also want him to think often of me and the promises we made to eachother and I know a ring can be a nice reminder for that purpose. So if it matters to your husband, try some other ways to keep it close or visible.
3. Have you tried Freecycle.com?
Hi K. - every state has a version of a program called "Child Find" that helps kids, from birth to 3 yrs old with speech and other developmental delays and provides testing and therapies at no cost. I identified a concern with my son's speech as early as 15 months like you did but allowed my doctor and others to convince me he would just come around and that there are different levels of "normal". My son was smart, interactive and resourceful but he had a hard time expressing himself with words. I'm not saying that your son won't spontaneously start talking, he just might. I just encourage you to follow your mother's instinct on this one. The testing is free so there isnt much to lose by pursuing it.
I finally got my son tested just before his 2nd birthday. They identified a significant cognitive delay and an expressive speech delay. A speech therapist did a 1 hour home visit once a week until he turned 3. He was tested again at 3 and is now attending preschool at our local elementary school that is being paid for by the Child Find program. We also have him in private speech therapy 1x a week and the combination is working wonders.
Here is a link for resources in Utah - it looks like the program is called "Baby Watch"
Just wanted to chime in on the dog issue. I would strongly suggest contacting the Dumb Friends League or a local beagle rescue organization. They will take the dog and work hard to find him a good home. They do quite a bit of screening to find the right family as well, so you won't have that burden either. Good luck!
My son is 20 and half months and although he started saying a few words really early that was it and he even stopped saying some of them. Then around 17 1/2 - 18 months he started saying all kinds of words followed by combining more and more. Sometimes he still gets stubborn, but we are working on reminding him to use his words. Patience seems to be the key with talking...especially with boys.
What about wearing a simple chain around your neck with your rings on it? Then if you wanted to wear them sometimes you could.
Sorry about the dog. Good luck!
for your son: I have read that boys often learn "sound effects" sooner than they will converse. If you really feel concerned have him tested. i have a student whose sister can hear and understand absolutely fine, but for some reason the part of her brain for speaking didn't develop properly (this is how its been explained to me anyway). She does speech therapy and will eventually catch up but other parts of her brain have to develop and take over. If this was your sons issue you might recognize it though. She tried to speak but its not very understandable (at least to a non family member). It is getting to be much more so.
I also have a niece who had too much fluid in her ears and this was stalling her speech progress.
He's probably fine but if you are worried just some things to consider.
Wedding ring: Do you like necklaces? You might try wearing it on a chain. or as a charm.
My husband hates wearing his ring too.
My son is almost 15 months, and he only just started trying to say words 3-4 weeks ago. He uderstands a lot of what you tell him, but up until recently he was very silent (didn't babble very much, and never really tried to say much) He does a few hand signs and one day he just said "ALL DONE!" instead of doing the sign for it. Something just kinda clicked in his head and around halloween he started actually trying to say things we would tell him (like trick-or-treat, lol). It came out as a gurgle at first but we would still give him a little treat when he tried to say it. Now he tries to say lots of words. he says Bear, Hot Dog, Itchy, Da for Drink, all done, MaMa, DaDa ect. But anyways, in your case I woudln't worry at all... I think it will just "click" one day and he will get it and start trying to actually talk back. Its obvious that your son is very smart since he can already understand so much of what you say to him, so don't worry about him talking back to you yet. My older sister has 5 kids (all young, the oldest is 7) and she told me that he doesn't really work with the kids on learning to talk much until they are about 18 mos, at which time she insists that they atleast try to say the word for what they are asking before they get it. Maybe just try that approach. Don't push him too fast or it might make him take longer to start talking. If it happens before then that would be great, but let him go at his own pace. Good luck!
Also, about the wedding ring thing: not quite sure what your actual question is about it, but it sees like maybe you fell guilty for not wearing it. If you keep it on your finger longer than a week and stop taking it off for every little thing (so it doesn't get lost), you will soon find that you feel weird when you are NOT wearing it instead of the other way around, because you will be so used to having it on your finger. I love my wedding and engagement rings and have worn them non-stop ever since my hubby proposed to me and we got married. Its okay to wear them in the shower, when you are washing your hands, doing the dishes... all that stuff will not hurt the diamond or the metal the ring is made of, and as long as it fits your finger snuggly, it wont fall off an get lost when your hands are wet. the only thing that will happen is your diamond will get a little dull from the soap ect, but you can bring it into basically any jewelry story and they will clean it for you for free anytime you want. I only take my ring off for things like making meatballs/hamburger patties with raw meat since I dont want it getting all stuck in my ring around the diamonds. Our ring is fully insured for life if I loose a diamond, but if I loose the whole ring they don't cover it, so you can bet I am keeping it right on my finger where it wont get lost as much as I possibley can! I am so used to wearing it now that it really does bug me when I don't have it on... like every once in a while when we send it out to get redipped and my finger is naked for like a whole week straight, it drives me crazy and I miss it a lot. I say, if you are happy in your marriage why not show it off to everyone and wear your ring! Your hubby will love that you are happy to be married to him and want everyone to know!
On son not talking you need to make him. So what if he screams. If he wants a glass of juice he has to verbally ask for that glass of juice. You say "juice please" and then point to him if he does not say it go sit back down. Do not get it for him. Now he does not have to say it perfectly and it doesnt have to be with juice at 15 months it is pretty normal not to be saying much. But if your worried its best to find out sooner rather than later if he has speech problems or is just being lazy because everyone talks for him. I had a nephew who was being lazy because nobody made him talk they just did all the talking for him. I told his mom same as you and he started talking like a champ in no time.
I want to quickly comment on your non-verbal son. Many are telling you not to worry? Please use your gut instinct. If you have posed the question - you know inside something might not be right. I knew something wasn't right with our 2nd son & all the doctors, etc... kept telling me not to worry too.
The longer it goes on... the more frustrated he/you may become with not being able to communicate & temper tantrums will happen, acting out, melt downs, etc... due to their frustrations.
Yes, if you are o.k. with just sign language for now - that will help, but not cure the problem if there is something underlying.
I finally listened to many friends & had my son evaluated at our local Child Developmental Center - where there were so many red flags of things he wasn't doing & due to the lack of proper speech development - he was falling behind in many, many other areas too! He tested in the 13 - 18 month age range in many development areas when he was being tested at 3 yrs old & my docs. were still telling me he was o.k.?
When they (C.D.C.) couldn't figure it out all the way - besides he wasn't being able to take in big enough breaths to make sounds - they got us into a genetic pediatrician where they started blood tests & we found out of a specific syndrome our son has & from that we were able to learn more about why he was doing what he was & how to help him & get him in the therapy & extra special classes to help him. One of the first things they did was teach him sign language to help him till we could build up his lung capacity so he could say 1 word, with in 4-5 months he was saying 2 words, at about a year saying 4-5 word sentences. It was a long process - but he is now 12 & speaks normally, has many difficulties with reading & comprehension due to the late language development. Most all other subjects in school & social development are just now catching up the past 2 years.
If you have a gut feeling you should do more - then DO MORE... if you are fine with his behavior, how he socially interacts, & is developing - then there probably isn't a need to worry to much... Just follow your mothering intuition!!
Good luck - if there are problems you discover, know that there are many support groups available & it can be a long road, but with help & knowing what it is - is so much easier than doing it all blind & unknowing! :) ~ J.
Definately get testing done just to make sure. If there is a problem (probably not) the younger they are the easier it is to catch them up to where they should be. Does not wearing your ring bother your husband? If not don't worry. The dog - put It on KSL.com classifieds. Lots of people will be wanting to adopt a housetrained dog over a puppy for Christmas. Write a good ad with a cute pic and he's sure to find a nice home. Happy holidays!
I will reiterate other responses regarding your dog. Post for free on Craigslist and KSL. The more information, the better. Pictures, what your dog is trained to do, what his personality is like, does he like to play fetch, how is he around kids, strangers, etc. These were all things I was interested when I was looking for my dog. I eventually found him on KSL.
I just want to read some responses. Some kids don't talk until they are in their two's, so I wouldn't worry about that so much. Are you allergic to rings; do they make your finger break out? Try just a plain gold band and see if you can tolerate that.
K., first thing I want to say about your son is PLEASE QUIT WORRYING!
Do you know that Einstein did not say a word until he turned FIVE years old?! Historical fact!
I also personally know the guy who went on ALL STRAIGHT "A"s in all the subjects in the University, he graduated with the degrees with highest honors, majoring in History and Philosophy, and he started talking only when he was 3 years old. I also talked to his parents, and they confirmed the fact.
Now, just remember that everybody has their own pace and own STYLE of growing into this world.
You have ways of communicating with your son, he understands you, you have this sign language developing, and he seems to like you talking to him, so do what is pleasant for him, and keep introducing him the world, and words, but do not worry and do not speed him up. He WILL talk when he will decide he needs to do that!
I believe what is important is for him to feel love, security, care, and safe happy family: provide him with this "must have" ingredients, and enjoy his presence in your life! All the rest will occur when the time is ripe for HIM :).
Myself, I was a weird kid: i didn't almost ever SMILE, until I was about 20 years old. I was not sad, I was contemplating a lot. I was thinking about many things. I also did not speak more than it would be absolutely necessary, like to pass me the salt, and to thank you for he present. I listened, but did not feel like talking. I also had a situation when my mom was concerned. Here is the story:
I lived with my Granny till i was 5, and she is Estonian, like my dad is. Now, my mom is Russian (she knew both languages), and at my age of 5 my parents too me into their home to live there permanently: mom started teaching me Russian. I listened, and nevdr responded, whereas my brother (3 years older) spoke both Estonian and Russian words often in the same sentence, mixing it all up into incomprehensible salad of words. As I did not respond, my mom got frustrated that i will never learn her Russian language, but the fact was that i didn't much speak Estonian either, i was just on thr receiving mode :). I LISTENED very carefully what mom said in russian, and then I silently pronounced her senrtences in my head. I remember it, i wanted to hear these words inside my head as clearly as i heard it from my mom, so i kept practicing them over in my head, but mom didn't know it as my lips didn't even move. Then, it might have been a day or too later, i went to mom, pulled on her skirt, and pronounced the whole sentence in Russian with a very clear Russian accent, and all, just perfect! and then, I was silent for several days again, practicing in my head some new expressions, or a short verse that my mom tried to introduce me with.
See?!
it's kind of strange, but I want to tell you, narrating the tale from my life, that everybody is unique! My brother blurted out everything, and slowly learned to say the words right, and I first practiced, and then presented the word as perfect as possible... we do not KNOW how the mind process of your son works, but there is obviously a hard work going on there. I'd suggest you just support his process of growing HIS OWN WAY by wrapping him into love and care, and please do not show any signs of worry, do not confuse him without reason, give him his time, just be his very bestest friend, and one day, you will know how imperative it is!
Wishing you to be patient, and extremely happy! All the best!
:)
M.
Normal language progression is first understanding words and then single words, then putting two together, and then stringing several together in short phrases or sentances. "Average" for 15 months is a vocabulary of maybe 10-15, and often pronounced incorrectly. He may be saying words you just aren't catching them yet (unless he doesn't say anthing at all). But not all kids follow the "average" - only about 70%. Some kids spend a lot more time listening, and when they do start talking it's sometimes all at once and they are right up with kids their age soon after. So he may be a listener. Also, kids who sign do start using vocal words a bit later because signing is easier, but they are still acquiring language.
I don't see how you could "make" a child talk. If he's just not ready you are only going to frustrate both of you and it could affect his confidence in being able to communicate (which could be long lasting). If he is "ready" but just not willing it will just turn into a battle of wills, and kids tend to win these. I would suggest being patient, and when he communicates what he wants, respond as if he had said something. You can keep giving him words "Oh, you want more juice" for example. It's all being processed.
When you take him in for his 18 month check up, mention it to the doctor. He can determine if you need to do anything else yet (and check for physical issues like tounge tied) and give you more suggestion. But, by 18 months he may be talking more.
Have you checked to see if he is tongue tied? Underneath his tongue there is a little piece of skin (for lack of a better description) that holds the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. If it is up close near the front of his tongue then that could be your biggest problem. All that needs to happen is to have it clipped and he would start talking again. My brother was tongue tied, my 1st son was born tongue tied, and my cousin's son was born tongue tied. My son wouldn't nurse and so we caught it right away and had it clipped in the hospital before we came home. My cousin's son wasn't talking and she didn't find out until he was 2 or 3 that he was tongue tied. As soon as she had his tongue clipped he started talking and talking like crazy.
About your wedding ring....maybe you could wear it around your neck as a necklace. There are times that I cannot wear my wedding ring, but it is because I have an allergic reaction to my ring and so my finger breaks out in blisters. I take it off, let my finger heal up and put it back on again.
First, K., rehoming your dog ... Depending on where you live try putting an ad and nice picture on Craigs List. And follow up carefully to make sure he gets a good home. I found my lovely purebred dog and a Siamese kitten on this list. It is a great local marketplace for many things.
There were lots of articles re. when kids begin to talk after a similar question so you may want to look back on this site. As long as your little one is communicating and healthy then try to give him time. It is hard not to compare your children's development but remember how each person is completely different from the very beginning. Good luck with things, CP (Denver)
My friend was just talking about how she thought something was wrong with her second some because he didn't start speaking when his older brother did, which was before he was a year old. And nothing was wrong. Your oldest son started speaking at a very early age...and 15 months is still early. My daughter is just a few months older and has recently started saying words. Relax. He'll come around. He is doing really well for being able to recognize colors even if he doesn't speak the color. Good luck. Oh, and my friends second boy developed normally and is a happy little boy now....
Hi K.,
Have you asked your pediatrician about your son? I'm not sure at what age they start to worry... You said that he signs for "more"...do you do any other signing with him? While it is not spoken language, signing is for sure communicating...could help all of you! As for your wedding ring, I have the same type of issues...lotion, washing hands, etc. What I do is wear just a band all the time...I never take it off because there is really no reason to. I just wear my diamond rings when I go out or for special occasions. Doggie...I can't help with :-) sorry!
Good luck! A.
Hey K.!
About your ring - my hubby doesn't wear his wedding ring often. It doesn't bother me. He made a decision not to wear it because of where he works - dangerous machinery involved. He wears it on business trips and out to dinner.
I have recently stopped wearing mine as well. I, like you, take it off to wash dishes, bathe the kids, do laundry, yardwork...so I pretty much don't wear it at all around the house. When I forget it when I go out - even to the grocery store, I sometimes feel self conscious, but I know inside I have a strong marriage and a good family and don't need a ring on my finger to show it.
I think if it doesn't bother you and doesn't bother your hubby, who cares?
Hi K.,
My son didn't talk until he was about 23 months. His pediatrician was a little concerned at his 18 mo appt, but I could see that he understood everything that we talked to him about. He went from nothing (not even Mommy and Daddy) to 3-word sentences. He was just soaking it in! Your son is most likely doing the same. 15 months isn't time to start worrying yet.
I haven't worn my ring for 4-5 years now. It started out that it wouldn't fit with pregnancy water retention, then, I didn't want to hurt the baby with diaper changes, and now it costs $125 to have it re-sized. I do like not wearing jewlery most of the time. But I would like to wear a ring when going out of the house... I understand! :)
Do not worry about your son. He will be fine. My middle boy did not say a word until he was well after 2, then came out saying sentences. My doc told us that you start to look at language and speaking problems at around 3 to 5 years old. Some kids just do not need to talk earlier, especially the second born.
As far as the wedding ring, I have a hard time wearing mine since I had kids, my finger breaks out within an hour or two of putting it on. I finally got a very thin .925 silver band that I wear and have not had a single problem. Maybe that will work for you.
Last but not least, for your dog, maybe you want to try Craig's List, talk to the Dumb Friends League, or the Beagle Rescue. I am sure there will be someone out there that will want him.
Good luck.
My son is 19 months old, and 6 weeks ago (almost 18 months) the words just started coming out. This weekend, he used his first real 2 word phrase (ba ba, da da or bye bye daddy). Your little guy has comprehension and that is great! Keep reading to him, also.
I'm sorry about the dog- this is tough. Is there a local rescue society that will take him. Also, ask a local vet if you can post your signs there.
Don't wear a ring if it's not comfortable. Plenty of men don't wear rings, it is just presumed that women like jewelry and want to wear rings. Try putting it on a silk cord around your neck. I know that may not be practical with the baby, but you can try it!
Hi K.,
Your son should be using single words, and starting to combine simple 2 word phrases. Having said that, there is a lot of variation among children and not all are going to follow that pattern. Some kids just develop language later than others.
His reaction to your attempts to make him talk may be due to the fact that he simply does not have the vocabulary to respond. Using signs paired with words is good. You can help him expand his vocabulary by modeling the sign and pairing it with the word, then taking your hand and physically showing him how to use the sign. Once you've done that, reward him. For example, if you want him to say please, but he doesn't know the sign, model it for him (make sure to pair it with the word please), take his hand and show him how to make the sign, then praise him. Continue assisting him until he does it independently. Once he learns he will be rewarded, he'll probably start doing it independently. I would stick to basic signs first...ie yes, no, more, please, thank you, help, etc. If you're really concerned about his language, have his language development evaluated. You can do that through your school district, and it's free.
Here's a chart of developmental milestones.
I don't know about the talking... sorry! Could it be that he doesn't feel the need to talk because everyone does it for him? My nephew refused to walk or talk because he had 4 older sisters to move him around & talk for him-he was 18 mos before he took a step just because he didn't want to before that. Is the doc worried? If you haven't, bring it up to the doc.
Wedding ring-how does hubby feel about it? If it doesn't bother him (really doesn't, not just him saying it doesn't but attitude saying otherwise), don't let it bother you either. If it does bother him, how about a tattoo? You could get a pretty design or both of your initials so the world can see that you're taken but you're not having to wear something that bothers you. I wear my wedding ring & mother's ring but I don't wear any other jewelry so I can see where you're coming from-to me it's a hassle to keep track of it-braclets snagging on stuff, necklaces getting caught in my hair..
Beagle-have you put him on www.craigslist.org yet? I've never gotten rid of a pet but I have sold several things on there & I've only had 1 or 2 that didn't sell for me. Can you put an ad up at the local pound? They're trying to avoid you dumping the dog, or surrendering him to them, so I don't see why they wouldn't let you post an ad for him.
