Melissa and Megan have started gymnastics. They both absolutely love it. Megan's whole countenance shines when she's learns it's gymnastics day, and Melissa gets almost as excited (I think the excitement level for anything decreases with age).
The coolest part about gymnastics this summer is that after only the girls' second lesson, the gym announced that they would do BOGO lessons all summer. So the girls get to go to two lessons a week for the price of one. (This means we're at the gym three times a week because their classes don't always coincide, but they love it, so it's worth it.)
A few weeks ago, they had their Barefoot Olympics. This was the kids' chance to perform for the parents and the parents' chance to go into the gym and get pictures. (This was also Lacie's chance to run around the gym--to her mother's great embarrassment--chanting, "Yacie's turn, Yacie's turn!!!" while she tried to climb on everything, jump on the trampoline, etc.
It was really fun to watch the girls, but most of my video and pictures are blurry because I was trying to keep Lacie out of trouble. Megan's class was first for the final awards, but for some reason they pushed Melissa's class (which should have been next) to the very end. I think it was just to torture me and all the poor parents who had to endure Lacie running through their pictures and videos. I think the phrase "just kill me now" went through my head more than once!
By the time the event was over, I was dripping in sweat and felt like I had just completed a workout. I spent the entire time running back and forth between Melissa and Megan's events and chasing/juggling Megan. My video was taken with my regular camera--no zooming once you start filming, so sorry the stuff if far away. Here's a video I tried to take of Melissa. Make sure to turn on your sound so that you can hear me in the background:
Sorry I couldn't get better video Melissa!
Here's Lacie deciding that it was her turn on one of the "spots" Megan's class uses in their routine:
Each day of lessons had one combined Olympics, so the girls got to do this twice. The first day, I didn't know what to expect, so I had no snacks and no entertainment for Lacie. I was going to skip the second time, but Steve thought he might be able to get off work to come, so I tried to plan better and hope for the best. I put Lacie in the hiking backpack, brought her a snack, and tried to control my disappointment when Steve called five minutes into the event to say he wouldn't make it. The snacks were gone before the first five minutes were up, and my shoulders were on fire by about the three minute mark.
This time I spent the whole time bouncing up and down to keep Lacie from crawling out of the backpack while running from event to event. It was just as tiring as before, but much less embarrassing! Lacie still got away once or twice when I let her out to rest my shoulders and to stretch her legs, but things went so much better than the previous day that the sore shoulders were well worth it!
Here's an attempt to entertain Lacie while she was on my shoulders. I started snapping pictures of her. (Notice the corner of Megan's pink skirt in the top of the frame. While I was entertaining Lacie, I was missing Megan performing on the rings. Good thing I flipped the camera to check the picture and was able to quick catch the rest of her routine!)
Sorry--turning the camera sideways to get the video wasn't my most brilliant moment!
At the end of this event, they moved Melissa up to level 2. Way to go, Melissa!
*I was typing a response to my sister's comment, and thought I'd add this for journaling sake:
I remember taking gymnastics as a child. I remember being able to do a flip on the trampoline, but never mastering the cartwheel. I still can't do one. Melissa has been working on it for a long time, but she's just about got it. Her legs still bend a little. (She's had to rely on Daddy to do the demonstrating. Good thing someone in the family can do one!)
I'm just so happy to be able to see Melissa progress. It was really fun to see her learn to do a handstand during her first class of Level 2 (I still can't do one. It scares me. I don't like the feeling of having to fall to the ground and catch myself with my hands.) I can't wait to see these girls, and eventually Lacie, learn new tricks!
3 comments:
It sounds like you've found a great gymnasics program down there. I wish we had something like that here. And I so hear you about chasing girl #3 everywhere and how exhausting it can become. (I've been keeping Lindsay out of the pool at swimming lessons all week.) You are a trooper and a great mom.
How awesome. We'll have to talk about the gymnastics thing. I've been wanting to get Letty into something and I think that would be great for her. Although, I think Jacyn will be our little gymnast. She climbs and hangs on everything, she's so strong.
I love that they are in gymnastics. We were too, but I was never any good. I never could get that backwards summersault down or the cartwheel for that matter! They are so cute. How soon before Lacie can be enrolled? Looks like she REALLY wants to try!
Post a Comment