Ellie absolutely loves to draw, color, paint, etc.  Each morning she always asks to do at least one of those activities whether it’s simply coloring in one of her coloring books or (as is happening a lot lately) tracing the sheets of dotted ABC’s I’ve printed for her.  I wanted to start working on reading and writing with her at an early age not because I wanted to force her to read and write early but because I wanted to introduce it and let her go at her own pace.  My mom had me reading and writing simple words by 3, so I know she can do it if she’s interested.  If not, we won’t push it, but she has been very excited about learning to write her ABC’s…until this morning.

We were sitting in the floor in the playroom working on her worksheets at her desk when Ellie suddenly realized Mommy doesn’t use the same hand for writing.  I’m a lefty, and even though we believed Ellie would be a lefty, too, (months ago she preferred her left hand) she is now showing major dominance with her right hand when eating, coloring, etc.  If she picks up a crayon or pencil with the left hand she automatically switches it to the right hand to scribble.  Apparently she has noticed that this is not the way Mommy does things, and she didn’t like it.  I would pick up a crayon and write a letter with my left hand.  Ellie would immediately get frustrated, jerk the crayon from my left hand, and she would attempt to force it into my right hand.  She would put my hand on the paper and say “No, like dis, Mommy.”  She can’t stand the fact that I write with the opposite hand!

I tried to explain as simply as possible in words a two year old would understand that some people use their left hand and some people use their right hand.  It doesn’t matter what hand you use as long as it’s what you want.  If she’s comfortable with her right hand, she should use it, but Mommy uses her left.  Of course it was pretty much useless incomprehensible information to a 2 year old, so she continued to become frustrated. 

Getting nowhere with convincing me I must use my right hand she decided to try tracing the lines with her left.  That only frustrated her more because she couldn’t do it.  She eventually became so frustrated we put the paper and crayons away and moved on to another activity.

I admit I’ve been afraid this would happen, and I secretly hoped she would be a lefty like me.  As a child I had a hard time learning to do certain activities because of my left handedness and having two right handed parents.  My Dad wasn’t truly right handed.  He was a lefty who was forced to learn to be right handed from an early age.  My parents knew that wasn’t right and never tried to force me to do certain things with my right hand.  I adjusted like most south paws do when it came to using scissors and such because left handed scissors and notebooks weren’t very available back then, but I became frustrated over other activities.  It took a long time to learn to tie my shoes because I couldn’t grasp the concept when my right handed mom showed me what to do.  I had the same problem in school when it was time to learn cursive writing.  I watched hand movements, but everything was backwards to me, and that made it difficult to follow.  My teacher was getting just as frustrated, and she finally suggested my parents find someone left handed to help me.

It just so happened my Sunday School teacher, Beth, was a lefty and studying to be an elementary school teacher.  She offered to spend some time with me each week to help me learn the things I was finding difficult, and I quickly grasped the concepts by watching another lefty.  Beth became an important part of my life helping me all throughout my childhood with learning tasks that my right handed parents had trouble teaching me.  When she passed away a few years ago from cancer I felt like I lost an important member of my family because Beth really was a part of our family, someone so important in teaching me the day to day activities I needed to know.

Now I wonder if I’m going to have the same difficulties teaching Ellie the things she needs to learn because of our opposite handedness.  Thankfully I don’t see learning for her to be as difficult because Ben is right handed and can teach her things I can’t.  Still it breaks my heart to see her getting so frustrated because she can’t follow along with the way I do things.  It just doesn’t seem right to her, and I completely understand.  As a stay at home mom I feel it is my job to teach her these things, and if she’s constantly frustrated it’s not something that will be easy to do.

Are you a righty with a left handed child or vice versa?  Has it made it difficult for your child to learn certain tasks from you?  I’d love to hear how other parents have dealt with this type of situation.  Feel free to leave a comment with your story!

Why is it when Little Sister wants to be creative all of her personal creations get hung on the wall, but when I’m in the mood to be creative Mom throws mine in the trash?

Like today Little Sister wanted to paint, so Mom let her paint some pictures.  I decided I wanted to paint, too, so I stepped in Little Sister’s paint and walked all over the newspaper spread out on the table.  I did an awesome job with my paw prints picture if I do say so myself.  I was so proud!

Then Mom said it was time to clean up.  Little Sister’s paintings went on the fridge, so I thought Mom might hand mine up, too.  Nope, she rolled up all that newspaper and threw it in that trash!  How dare she?  I’m heartbroken!

Jitter Buffer, on Flickr

We just finished up Sunday Sushi Night, and boy am I stuffed.  A couple years ago, before we dealt with what seemed like the never ending cycle of job loss, Ben and I would head out to our favorite sushi bar each Friday night for a quiet meal together.

During the period he was laid off from work we couldn’t enjoy a night out every week.  We decided we would have to start making our own nights in, so we learned to make some of our favorite meals we had never considered making before.  Ben really isn’t into raw sushi, so it’s been very easy for us to make our own meals at home.  As we went through job changes and time constraints Sunday became our night to sit down for a nice sushi dinner together at our own kitchen table.  

Even Ellie gets in on the action these days.  I let her go through the fridge and pick out any veggies, fruit, and meats she wants.  She gets her own sushi roll with her ingredients, and more often than not she finishes the whole roll.  Her favorite seems to be imitation crab with bacon and grapes or cantalope.  It doesn’t sound very good to me, but she loves it. 

Tonight we were all sitting around the kitchen table making sushi together, and Ben mentioned that we should invite some people over one night and have a sushi party.  My sister and I have talked about doing it before.  She invited us over one night to make a sushi dinner, but I realized how hard that would be in her tiny kitchen.  Their little family of three live in one of those smaller manufactured homes, so there isn’t a lot of kitchen space.  I had forgotten about her inviting us over to do that because it’s been over a year, but when Ben said that I thought maybe we should invite my sis, my brother-in-law, and my little nephew over next weekend on our sushi night.  We can make sushi while the kids enjoy playing together, and it should be a great night for all.

You may have noticed I haven’t participated in my usual memes in the last couple of weeks.  Between all the sickness we’ve been dealing with, work, real life, and just feeling generally depressed I haven’t felt like doing much of anything online much less any memes.  That’s why as I try to get back into some of my old routines with the Sunday Stealing meme this week you’ll notice I missed all but the last part of the current meme.  I’m going to go post date a post with the rest of the meme because I want to complete it, but I don’t want you to have to look through all 99 questions at once.  Can we say overwhelmed?  Yeah, I don’t want to do that.

So, let’s get to the last part of the meme, and when I finished with the first part I’ll update this post to include a link to that as well.

Today we ripped off a blogger named  Kyogres from the blogHero of the BlueFlames. It’s long so we will do it in parts. It was stolen fromNerdish. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft’s thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player’s posts. It’s a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The 99′er Meme: Final Part 

76) In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?

Love, trust, honesty, and respect at all times

77) How did/could someone win your heart?

I can’t say my husband had to win me over.  We got to know each other and we both knew it was right.  He gave me everything I listed in #76 from day 1, and I just knew we were meant to be.

78) In your world, what brings on more creativity?

Taking time to myself.  I can’t be creative if I feel overwhelmed by the world around me.

79) What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

To start a family.  I can’t imagine life without my daughter.

80) Why did you break up with your last ex?

Yes.

81) What would you want to be written on your tombstone?

Wow, you really want me to do some thinking right now don’t cha?  I guess I would like it to say that I enjoyed life to the fullest through all the ups and downs and left this world with no regrets.

82) What is your favorite word?

love

83) Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word: delusional.

My mother…I know it sounds bad, but I’m just being honest.

84) What is a saying you use a lot?

I know, right?

85) Are you watching Idol this season? If yes, how do you like it?

No.  I caught the first episode, but I lost interest a few seasons ago.

86) Were you surprised that House got canceled?

Not really.  It used to be one of my favorite shows, but it was beginning to fizzle.

87) What is your current desktop picture?

A photo of my daughter at Christmas.  I really should update it to a newer photo.

88) If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?

It has to be just one?

89) What would be a question where you’d not tell the truth?

This one.  I’m can’t tell you what I’d lie about!

90) One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by WEEPING ANGELS. The Weeping Angles aren’t really doing anything, they’re just standing around your bed. What would you do?

As much as I’d like to say I’d be in awe I’d probably freak the heck out.

91) You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?

Hmmm…I live 10 miles from the power plant, so I’m sure I’ve eaten radioactive veggies at one point or another.  None of them have graced me with super powers, though.  Boo.  Anywho, super power….hmm…I think I’d like the ability to fix any heartache, suffering, or illness with the blink of an eye.  I’m not asking for much!

92) You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

I would like to experience the half hour after my daughter was born, but only if I could do it by her side instead of knocked out in a recovery room.  Unfortunately I don’t remember much from the day my daughter was born thanks to an emergency c-section and being put to sleep.

93) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

The thing I would want to erase is a bit too painful and personal to discuss, but that’s exactly why I would make it disappear.  I didn’t deserve it, and I didn’t deserve to be blamed for a situation that was out of my control because I ended up in the wrong place with the wrong person at the wrong time.

94) You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. (let’s say that you are both single and available) Who might it be?

Music celebrity?  I really can’t think of one.  Maybe you should’ve asked me that about 15 years ago when I was caught up on those boy bands.

95) You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

Italy

96) Do you have any relatives or friends in jail?

Yes unfortunately

97) Who’s winning the U.S. Republican presidential nomination? Why? 

Ugh…I wish it were none of them because they’re all a bunch of losers.

98) Who’s winning the next U.S. Presidential election?

I honestly have no idea at this point.

99) If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

W-T-F has happened to this planet?

Why do I feel like lil sister has decided to make it her job to torture me when I try to take a nap?  Yesterday she wants to dress me up in scarves as soon as I curled up on my blanket.  Today she started banging around on all her music instruments making as much noise as she could!

Papa Clyde bought her a real drum when he went to Cherokee. MomMom got her a tambourine for Christmas. Then Mommy and Daddy had the bright idea to get her a recorder.  I’m telling ya, Mommy, that wasn’t so bright.  It’s down right annoying when I’m almost asleep and lil sister comes up behind me and blows that thing in my ear!  Buy me some ear muffs or noise canceling headphones please!