Gymnastics...The Good...The Bad...& Yes, There Was Even The Ugly!

So...I was ALLLLLLLLLLL excited last weekend to come straight home from C's first gymnastics class and post TONS of wonderful pictures and stories of how fun it was and how much she loved it. Mmm...yeah...not so much! SO I decided to wait until THIS week to post hoping that she'd have a better time. :)

We'll start with last week though. This was her expression going in...and coming out!

Her First Look at Her Gymnastics Class...

The Good:

• There is a water fountain.
• Lynn had left a bag of popcorn in the car moments before we left that she enjoyed snacking on while on the way to church.
• She learned her first gymnastics position..."tuck" - you just bring your knees up and hold them close to your chest while sitting...if you think C is cute when she does it, you should see D try. I think he's adorable...not so much flexible but adorable nonetheless. :)
• She also learned the bear crawl.
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She liked the balance beam...although apparently has a little bit of stubborn in her and was trying desparately not to smile on her first try! Notice the 'fish' face...she's sucking in her cheeks to avoid letting us know she was enjoying it.

She enjoyed the trampoline when it was just her...mostly. It still concerned her a bit.

She loved hanging on the bar & did very well. Ta-Da! That's her cute friend Rebekah in the background watching. :)

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• She always enjoys a chance to jump!

At the end you get stamps on your hand! This is her cute friend Luke. She plays with him in the nursery every Sunday. Literally every Sunday when we ask her who she played with or what she did she replies, "I play with toys. I play with my friends Luke & Abby." :) It's pretty sweet. Even though she was getting a stamp, she was still not in the best mood. :)

The Bad:

• The water fountain is not in the gymnastics area.
• She had a short nap that we woke her up from...and was still hungry when we got to church b/c she hadn't eaten very well at lunch...& we had to put the popcorn down and go inside with a tired and hungry 2 1/2 year old.
• She HATED the trampoline popcorn game (kids sit next to each other while leader bounces them all around) as she toppled into several other 2 year olds while trying to maintain her "tuck" position.


• You apparently have to stay with your group and only get a couple of chances to walk the balance beam and hang from the bar. (Although, she's doing well in this picture, it's pretty much the only time she actually sat and listened.)

The Ugly:

• I went inside with them but wasn't planning on staying-was only there to get a few pictures. She saw me on the sideline and wanted to be with me...had a minor meltdown until I sat with her and D on the carpet squares.
• She warmed up after getting to walk the balance beam & I backed away to take pictures but next was the group-trampoline game and as she sat there trying to hold her "tuck" position and getting all worried she looked up and saw me again...and had a major meltdown.


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• D picked her up, and tried to carry her away to talk to her but she kicked and screamed and cried and cried. We brought her out to the hall and I had a little talk with her and then ah...the water fountain. :) It made it all better.
• We went back in expecting our typically obedient girl to stay with her group and listen to the teacher but instead I sat on the side while D chased her around the room and tried to get her to do something besides the balance beam & hanging from the bar all the while trying to avoid another meltdown.

All of this being said we still got some cute pictures and some not so cute. Yes, I took pictures of the second meltdown...I wasn't like looking into the camera telling her to smile or anything...just snapping pics as they walked out into the hall. :) I thought they'd best sum up how our day had gone plus, it's not often you can capture a picture of your child crying b/c typically they're hurt so yeah, I sure did, I took a few pics. She also loved the parachute at the end...notice who didn't quite get all the way under. :) He tried, for real, he's just not a flexible guy!

What we learned: it is clear that #1. She HAS to have time to get in her full nap AND eat a good lunch. #2. We'll give her a snack on the way there that she can finish & not have to leave behind. #3. I can not be in the vicinity if I'm not going to be right there with them...which was ok b/c we have planned on it being a daddy/daughter thing anyway...I just wanted a few pictures of her first time!!! Note to self: Next time I'll take pictures of her LAST gymnastics class. It was all just a bit overwhelming and a lot to take in last week.

THIS WEEK! Well THIS WEEK she did GREAT! "AMAZING" her dadda said when he called me on the way home. YEA!!! She loved it, she sat on the carpet and listened and followed her group and stayed dry and everything!

She came home to tell me all about it and I was laying on the bed...umm yeah, I threw my back out this morning. Well, I was in the midst of some VERY strenuous activity...ok, ok, I yawned! That's it!! I YAWNED and threw it all out of whack! So she climbed up and snuggled with me and told me she'd been to "Gymnast-six" and that she "rolled and did somersaults!"

Then she laid there a few minutes all snuggly and said, "My back hurts too momma." :) Such a cutie! SOOO glad she's going to love it. D loves the time with her. I will love the little break once I'm not laid up and she loves being with her friends and playing.