Perhaps she is ambivalently ambidextrous.

As I have mentioned before, we were worried that as SS approached age four, she still did not have a clear hand preference. A few months ago an adoptive mother posted on the forums we frequent about the same concern. I was surprised by the amount of 3-4 year olds that did not have a hand preference. Also, there where quite a few posts about ambidextrous children. Since SS is now fully four we have been watching her closely, but still do not have answers. The paranoid in me is getting anxious again. Since with JJ his lack of hand preference was a predecessor to some language difficulties. So we have been reading a bit about this, and have learned a few things.

First, some terminology:
Q. What is the difference in meaning between these groups of words?
* Hand dominance, handedness, and hand preference
A. Hand dominance means that one hand has the most influence or control. Handedness means that one hand is more reliable for use across a range of skillful acts. Hand preference means that one hand is preferred or chosen.

Then on to the BIG question:
Q. When does hand dominance emerge in normal development?
A. According to Dr. Arnold Gesell, the developmental progression in the first year begins with use of one hand, then the other, then alternating hands, and then using both hands together, first symmetrically (about 4 months), then one assisting the other (about 1 year). Tasks requiring each hand to perform different skilled movements develop during the preschool years and beyond. A majority of children show a preference by age 3 and most by school age, but Dr. Gesell wrote that hand dominance doesn't become well integrated in some normal children until eight or nine years of age (Gesell & Ames, 1947). It is also true that some adults demonstrate skillful ambidexterity, especially in sports.

But wait, there's more:
Q. How do left-handers compare with right-handers in functional performance, and why should we be knowledgeable about the differences?
A. A large number of research studies have found that the number of left-handers is greater in persons with learning disabilities. Even studies of individuals without disabilities show that right-handers do better than left-handers academically, but those differences are not apparent until adolescence. However, in young children, handedness is seldom found to be related to learning or problem-solving abilities (Coren, 1992). Elementary age right-handers and left-handers performed equally well on the Southern California Motor Accuracy Test (Smith, 1983). We should understand the problems experienced by normal left-handers in a primarily right-handed society (writing from left to right, using scissors, operating zippers, etc.), since so many children with disabilities have less involvement on the left side (due to greater incidence of left hemisphere damage). In other words, some of their functional problems may be due to the use of the left hand, rather than the disability.

Oh well, we have no choice but to wait this out until SS is darn well and ready.

Last evening P had a surprise for me when I came home from school. Things are slow at work, so he decided to take a day off. I was able to sleep in late (7 a.m.), and P made us a yummy breakfast with bacon, scrambled eggs and hash browns. We then sat outside for a while to settled our very full tummies. The forecast was for a high of 90. Summer is coming and we can't wait.

While we lazy parents sat around, SS got her Spring cleaning groove on, and went to work.









SS is loving her scooter and I am afraid she is going to break something she might need later.

The girl was on a roll, even cleaning her slide.

Thanking Baba for the yummy breakfast and day at home with us.

It's so cute that they both have ET toes. :)

Then I remembered that SS had another Easter basket still in the van.

Frisbee action shot.

All those toys were fun, but it is all about the candy.

SS calls them MM's, forget about the &.

Post #28 of Spring Fling peoples (an SSism).

Pillow talk.

Kind of disappointed that our AHA SS moment was so anti-climatic. It's who we are, boring old us.

Tonight I had my last class and will write about that later. It's been eight long weeks of drastically changing our routine and turning SS's world upside down. And that is only what, the fourth time in her short life? The three of us learned a lot during those weeks, but I think I took the biggest hit. I felt I was neglecting my child. P was freaking amazing, even when I was a royal witch because of the guilt. I spent five evenings away from my child, and it was coupled with P taking over school dropping off (sometimes) and picking up (always).

But let's move on to something positive. About two weeks ago I arrived home from class, and just wanted to crash next to P and SS. P was out but SS was very much awake. Again I felt guilty and tried to keep awake for my baby. I asked the same questions I have been asking since she started school last October. But this time SS surprised me when I got to "what did you eat at school?" SS said "Ms. T made soup with peas, carrots, noo noos (noodles), and chicken. It was very good Mama." I had been at school when Ms. T made that soup and SS could (or would not) tell me anything about it. Baby step, another welcome baby step.

We know we won't be posting videos of SS's intellectual prowess and command of three languages. It's the approach we chose, and we are aware that she is behind her peers. But we are so proud of her progress.

Post #27 of Spring Fling, I can see clearly now the rain is gone...

Victoria, British Columbia.

We had a great time in BC, and we are sure it would not have been so much fun had we not settled the baby issue. Back then Baby S was known as Child 2, since JJ was Child 1. We actually spent well over a year referring to our daughter as Child 2. We are such creative types. Being in Vancouver really made us miss the diversity of Southern California. The area where we lived then was devoid of color,and we knew that we would not be able to raise our daughter there. After Vancouver we took the ferry to Victoria and did more sightseeing and camping, while talking about Child 2.

































This may come across as mean today, but he was alive (and fair game) in 2004.

Post #26 of Spring Fling, we are almost there.

She was conceived WHERE!?

The title is a text message I received from a friend after she read this post. We planned to post about this pivotal moment in our journey to SS during the winter Olympics. But we are horrible procrastinators and here we are today. In late July 2004 we drove to British Columbia for a camping trip. Little did we know that we would reach a milestone during our time there.

There, on camping space #21 is where SS was conceived. That first morning in Vancouver we were able to bare our souls and be honest. I thought P needed/wanted a biological child. P thought the same about me. And there SS, in a very unromantic setting, we were able to open up and discuss what we wanted. What we wanted was YOU, we had/loved/raised/cherished JJ, but we wanted a daughter. We did not contemplate for a second playing biological roulette. We wanted you, and once we were honest about out aspirations, it did not take long for us to know what we knew and had yet to disclose. Our daughter was waiting in China. SS we know we are incredibly lucky to have you. We plan to return to Vancouver and (sort of ) recreate that camping trip with you. So yeah, you were conceived in Vancouver, British Columbia.







SS, we took this picture right after we made our feelings clear about you. Look at Baba's face, completely beaming about you. I know you can't see my face, but you can tell I am smiling.

Vancouver Lookout

I know it's silly, but this is my favorite picture from the trip.

I felt like an Ewok, and not ashamed to admit that it was fun.

Post #25 of Spring Fling.