Undecidedly ambidextrous

During story time this evening we also read Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings, a touchy-feely book. To be honest we read that book twice because the girls were having issues taking turns feeling the pages. But I'm not here to talk about grumpy children anymore. I already did that. Instead I'm going to talk about undecidedly ambidextrous ones because Miriam is just too cute with this book.

For the longest time I was positive she was going to be left-handed. She mastered the pincher grasp soon after we moved back to the States, but only with her left hand. Whenever she picked up anything with her right hand it was an awkward full-fisted effort. Her left hand, however, was beautifully coordinated and she could pick up any small bits of food between her thumb and forefinger and make it to her mouth with ease.

Now, though, she can do the pincher grasp with either hand and even seems to be favouring the right hand a little.

I'm not sure if this is because she's simply going to be right-handed or if I've somehow influenced her.

She really enjoys Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings (and Fuzzy, Fuzzy, Fuzzy, another touchy-feely book), see, so we read it a lot. When we first started reading it I would help her to know to feel the pictures by taking her hand and placing it on the different things to feel. Since I'm right handed I naturally grabbed her right hand every time but noticed that she was always fighting me. Then, when she got the hang of how the books worked, her left hand would fly out voluntarily and she'd stroke the page on her own accord.

Tonight when we were reading and I invited her to feel the page she stuck both her hands in front of her with her index fingers pointing out and looked at them for a minute. Then she reached out her left finger and stroked the page. We turned the page and I invited her, again, to feel the picture. She did the same thing--held her hands, pointer fingers poised, in front of her, while she decided. This time she felt the page with her right hand. She randomly alternated between hands for the rest of the story.

My poor, little confused child.

Eventually she'll decide which is her dominant side, I suppose, but until then I'll continue to relish the cute pensive look her face gets every time she needs to use only one hand to do something.