Our Budding Gymnast

Evie has been a budding gymnast for years, and yes, she is only three years old.  In fact, I even blogged about Uncle Sam saying she would be one when she was 6 months old .  She is flexible and enjoys hanging on things, like the kitchen table and door handles.  Despite her pint size arms, she is a strong little thing.

So for Christmas, we bought her a trampoline.

If that doesn't just scream "future gymnast"

We've been waiting for her to turn three, since that seems to be the age most gymnastic programs begin.  Conveniently a local mom posted a flyer for a class very close to our house with a Spring/Summer session.  I signed her up and was excited to already know most of the moms/kids in the class.

Evie and I will go to gymnastics every Friday afternoon for the next 10 weeks.  After Daddy's success stories in swim class, I was eager to begin.  I want this to be our special Mommy/Daughter time together.

Week one was HORRIBLE.  Evie did not participate in any of the activities of the hour long class.  She either stood still sucking her thumb while twirling her hair, begged for me to hold her, or was having complete meltdowns.  I was so frustrated and embarrassed by her behavior as the other kids got along and tried every skill.  I want to blame that wretched time on zero nap and no snack.

After crying to Jason after week one, I decided to come more prepared for week two.  Jason, Braylen, and Evie practiced animal movements across the living room floor all week; she laughed and did every single one.  G also bought her a leotard.  Maybe if she dressed the part, she would act the part.

Positive- she was excited to put on her leotard.

Week two started off the same way.  I wanted to march her right back to the car and ask for a refund.  But I am the adult here and her cheerleader.  So after she refused to do animal moves across the mats, I brought on my A game.  She wouldn't do rolls down the elevated mat, but she would jump on the little trampoline and hang on the parallel bars after some major coaxing.   Things were looking up.

Evie attempted most of the skills if I was standing with her.  I figured out she was uncomfortable around the instructors, mostly the male one.  The teachers are the grandparents of one of the kids in the class and that age group tends to intimidate Evie.  Luckily the instructors picked up on this and Mr. Roger gave her some space.  Once we figured out the issue and removed some of that fear, Evie could shine.  She practically ran across the low beam and cracked a smile on the rope swing!  I was so relieved.  I gladly let her eat a lollipop on the way home, even if we were heading home for dinner.

Today was week three.  Evie refused to do stretches and animal crawls.  Instead she thought she would show off her mad skills of sucking her thumb while putting her pointer finger in her nose AND twirling her hair.  Sigh.  My mother will tell you I sucked my thumb and twirled my hair for years!  I still twirl my hair...

Once that trampoline came out and Mr. Roger backed away, she was good as gold.  Evie allowed the female instructor to help her with a backward roll.  She finished the routine by going through the tunnel, jumping on the trampoline, then hanging on the parallel bars.

The next station is climbing and jumping over different sized and shaped mats.  When the instructors weren't looking, Evie scaled the big rectangular one (you can see it in the background in the next photo).  They were surprised to find her at the top.  Then they move to the low balance beam, a piece of equipment that is easy for Evie.  This girl would rather walk the stone walls at the playground than go down slides.

Evie had a lot of fun on the rings this week.  She is getting the hang of (no pun intended) running on the mats then swinging with her legs bent.  Once again, she wanted me to be her spotter.  I tricked her by telling her I wanted to take a picture of her, so she needed the instructors to help her.  

She's smiling!

The last station is the rope swing.  She requests to go "higher!"  She has no problem butting in line for this activity!

I am grateful it only took two weeks to get Evie to participate.  I hope by week 10 there will be no thumb sucking/nose picking/hair twirling for the first 15 minutes.  Don't all Olympic athletes start out that way?