Learning "up" and "down"

Nonna has been watching Blueberry while I do work at the house so she doesn't miss me too much. Blueberry was watching Mommy go up and down the ladder so we told her "Mommy is going up the ladder" and "Mommy is going down the ladder" with signs for "up" and "down". She would say "uhh" and do a sign for "up" and say "daa" with the sign for "down". The sings really help us interpret what she is trying to say.