flipadoodle!
she sure is pretty cute when she's flipping!
Addie Marie Flipadoodle Wamsted!
Showing posts with label gymnastics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gymnastics. Show all posts
Thursday, March 29
Flipadoodle
As I wrote in her birthday post, Addie has turned into a bit of a...
flipadoodle!
but as long as she's not flipping her legs in the air as you're walking behind her or accidentally kicking her sisters or completely destroying the couch...
she sure is pretty cute when she's flipping!
hence her new nickname:
Addie Marie Flipadoodle Wamsted!
flipadoodle!
she sure is pretty cute when she's flipping!
Addie Marie Flipadoodle Wamsted!
Thursday, June 17
Gymnastics!
When Addie got old enough to participate in activities, I decided we should stick to the one activity rule. We've pretty much done that. Fall and spring were Kindermusik. But they don't have weekly Kindermusik classes during the summer (just random theme ones, which we are doing). So, Mandy and I started talking a few months ago about putting the girls in gymnastics. They are both so active and love to run, jump, twirl, dance, and all around move!
And gymnastics is CHEAP compared to some of the other things our girls will probably end up participating in through their childhood years. So last Tuesday, Addie and Cady had their 1st gymnastics class. Addie's friend from school, Lily Kate, was also there!
I will admit, I had high expectations for Tuesday. I just KNEW Addie would LOVE swinging and jumping and sliding and doing all those fun gymnastics things. The wild card: unlike anything we've ever done except MMO: it's a class for the girls, not the girls and their Mommies!
Addie initially RAN out onto the floor. She stood in the circle for all of 2.5 seconds and then took off across the room (because clearly those high beams and uneven bars were far more intriguing!). One of the teachers of course pulled her back in. All of a sudden she BURST into tears. I don't mean teared up. I mean BURST into tears. Why? Because she couldn't do what she wanted to do when she wanted to do it. Theme of the afternoon! By that time, Cady was crying too as well as another little boy in the class. We finally got it out of the teachers that a lot of 2 year old's mommy's come WITH them for the first few classes and it was OK!
I mean seriously people. Had we known that, we could have avoided SEVERAL melt downs! I mean full fledged, crying, sobbing, clinging to Mommy, panicked melt downs! After refusing to swing, slide, walk on the balance beam, flip, do a somersault, and especially sit on the mat and wait her turn, the class was almost over and I left with her. By that time, Cady had settled down a little but the other little boy was just a freaked out as Addie.
I was ready to cry. What had I just done to my child? Had I damaged her for life? Would she hate gymnastics now? Had I tried to start her too early? Serious Mommy guilt.
She cried all the way home. She sat in my arms in the chair still hyperventilating and fell asleep. I held her and held her and finally put her in the bed. And I decided that it was ok, and that we would return on Thursday with more realistic expectations (because now at least I knew the expectations!) as well as LOTS of prep work on our part. I. was. not. giving. up. that. easily!
So for the next 48 hours, we played games and TOOK TURNS. We talked about waiting our turn. We talked about gymnastics and Mr. Brandon and Miss Roxanne and swinging, sliding and walking on the beam. We talked about that Mommy would not leave her.
And this was last Thursday. I was right there on the "side lines". She did a few stretches but mostly jumped around. That's ok. She was 1.) with the group and not running off, 2.) participating in a 2 year old fashion, and 3.) NOT FREAKING OUT!
Cady was ready to stretch before we even started! I love her little smile in this picture!
This was the BIGGEST step. First of all, I was behind the little barrier/wall and not in the area with her directly. Second of all, she sat on the red mat and waited her turn!!!!
Addie swinging!
...and walking on the balance beam!
This is Lily Kate flipping over the bar, something Addie still hasn't done (but that's ok!). I LOVE her face here! (I know these are noisy/grainy, but the lighting wasn't great and I had my ISO hiked up!)
And this is Cady flipping over the bar! Check out that form and those adorable pig tails! ;)
This is Lily Kate going upside down on the ring swing, something else Addie has decided she will wait to do.
But she sure does love to slide!!!
And we actually made it to the end. No major tears. No meltdowns. No freaking out. Actually participating in some activities. And most importantly, doing a pretty good job of waiting her turn!
And at the end of each class, they get these huge stamps (too big for their hands) on their feet or legs.
And she proudly got two. I think we'll go back! :)
Update: This Tuesday was even better! I started out with her on the mat; but after they moved to the next station, I just stood where she could see me. And then part way through that, I SAT DOWN ON THE BLEACHERS!!!! She waved to me several time but never cried! She didn't swing but she did wait her turn and walk on the beam all 3 times! Whoohoo!
And gymnastics is CHEAP compared to some of the other things our girls will probably end up participating in through their childhood years. So last Tuesday, Addie and Cady had their 1st gymnastics class. Addie's friend from school, Lily Kate, was also there!
I will admit, I had high expectations for Tuesday. I just KNEW Addie would LOVE swinging and jumping and sliding and doing all those fun gymnastics things. The wild card: unlike anything we've ever done except MMO: it's a class for the girls, not the girls and their Mommies!
Addie initially RAN out onto the floor. She stood in the circle for all of 2.5 seconds and then took off across the room (because clearly those high beams and uneven bars were far more intriguing!). One of the teachers of course pulled her back in. All of a sudden she BURST into tears. I don't mean teared up. I mean BURST into tears. Why? Because she couldn't do what she wanted to do when she wanted to do it. Theme of the afternoon! By that time, Cady was crying too as well as another little boy in the class. We finally got it out of the teachers that a lot of 2 year old's mommy's come WITH them for the first few classes and it was OK!
I mean seriously people. Had we known that, we could have avoided SEVERAL melt downs! I mean full fledged, crying, sobbing, clinging to Mommy, panicked melt downs! After refusing to swing, slide, walk on the balance beam, flip, do a somersault, and especially sit on the mat and wait her turn, the class was almost over and I left with her. By that time, Cady had settled down a little but the other little boy was just a freaked out as Addie.
I was ready to cry. What had I just done to my child? Had I damaged her for life? Would she hate gymnastics now? Had I tried to start her too early? Serious Mommy guilt.
She cried all the way home. She sat in my arms in the chair still hyperventilating and fell asleep. I held her and held her and finally put her in the bed. And I decided that it was ok, and that we would return on Thursday with more realistic expectations (because now at least I knew the expectations!) as well as LOTS of prep work on our part. I. was. not. giving. up. that. easily!
So for the next 48 hours, we played games and TOOK TURNS. We talked about waiting our turn. We talked about gymnastics and Mr. Brandon and Miss Roxanne and swinging, sliding and walking on the beam. We talked about that Mommy would not leave her.
And this was last Thursday. I was right there on the "side lines". She did a few stretches but mostly jumped around. That's ok. She was 1.) with the group and not running off, 2.) participating in a 2 year old fashion, and 3.) NOT FREAKING OUT!
And at the end of each class, they get these huge stamps (too big for their hands) on their feet or legs.
And she proudly got two. I think we'll go back! :)
Update: This Tuesday was even better! I started out with her on the mat; but after they moved to the next station, I just stood where she could see me. And then part way through that, I SAT DOWN ON THE BLEACHERS!!!! She waved to me several time but never cried! She didn't swing but she did wait her turn and walk on the beam all 3 times! Whoohoo!
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