Want Some Cheese with the W(h)ine?

Tyler is going through a VERY fussy and whiny stage right now.  Of course, like any toddler, he hates to be told no and he has an EPIC meltdown if you do have to tell him no.  I'm trying very hard right now to not just tell him no and to redirect him to something else, but it's not always easy to redirect him when I'm cooking dinner and he's at my feet trying to touch the hot burner.  He also melts down when he doesn't get what he wants right away.  He thinks that if he doesn't get it right now that he's not going to get it at all.  Like last night when he wanted ice, I had to get a cup for him and then get some crushed ice out of the dispenser.  Then I asked him to follow me to the living room to sit on the couch and he dropped to the floor and started bawling.  I just left him in the kitchen to cry and then when he was done he walked over to me and asked for "more please" (he signed it).

I'm really working on his vocabulary and his sign language.  I really think that all his frustration stems from his communication skills.  He understands us, but he has trouble communicating his wants.  When he wants something, he usually just signs "more please".  It's a guessing game as to what he wants more of, especially when he hasn't had anything yet.  Kaitlyn had A LOT of words when she was his age so we didn't have the same difficulties as we do with Tyler.  I try to give him lots of words, but it's not working.  He has a handful of words, mamma, dadda, more, dog, duck, nut (Peanut), ball, all done, and no.  He can also sign more, please, thank you, and all done.  I really need to step up the sign language with him because I think he'll be more successful with it now that he's really taken off with his motor skills.  He WANTS to communicate with us but he just doesn't know enough words to do it.

I think I'm going to print up a bunch of signs for all kinds of objects in our house and also make a poster of some common signs and put them up everywhere.  This will be more of a reminder for me on what particular sign goes with what.  It may even help Kaitlyn learn to read since I'm going to put the written word on them too.  Hopefully this will stop the whining and crying and me totally losing my shit.