Thursday, July 23, 2015

Loving Level 2

I guess it's about time for a gymnastics update as they wrap up the summer schedule. 

First of all, she did her mill circle today for the first time which is HUGE! She has been working on it since May and today she did it by herself! It's part of her bars routine for the fall and she has been so determined to get it by herself. I love that she is learning to work hard on something -- sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months -- and keep trying until she succeeds. She is learning that to achieve something important to her, she will have to work hard and that's a HUGE life skill in my book. 

Charlotte is still loving gymnastics which has made the summer schedule much easier. They practice 3 days a week for 2 hours, in the morning. Tuesdays are easy since it's from 10-12, but Wednesdays & Thursdays are from 8-10, which means we are leaving our house by 7:15 on those days. I'm thinking it's good practice for school this fall, because Charlotte is my late sleeper. :) If she is up before 8am, that's early! But, on gym mornings she pops right up and get dressed -- she is so excited to get there! We haven't been late yet. :) I often walk back to her room to wake her up, only to find her already in her leo which tells me she must love it!!

She also pretty much adores her coach too. She talks about Coach Katie at home a lot. :) I think that's one of the reasons she works so hard -- she has such desire to please her coach. She has learned so much! It's amazing to me what they have accomplished in just 3 months. She is starting to look like a tiny version of a gymnast out there. :) 

After every class, they line up and Coach Katie talks to them. I'm not exactly sure what she says, since all my info is secondhand from what Charlotte tells me. :) 
Then they get together and break with "WE ROCK" which is awesome!
I've taken a few random pics. Here she is on beam (back beam, on the right). They are on the high beams and she isn't scared a bit. I love my fearless girl!

These girls are coming together to be a team and it has been so neat to watch. Here they are working to move a mat to set up on floor one day. 

 And, they are still little, so there are some silly moments, like this. I love that their coach seems to be able to fine a great balance between work and fun and encouragement and discipline. I know that's a hard balance to find some days and her coach seems to have an endless supply of patience with these girls!
 I hoped that Charlotte would get to know the girls on her team, but I have been surprised, and very thrilled, that she's made a couple of really great friends already! This is her cutie friend Sophia. They had to match one day and had us moms texting the day before so they could be Twinsies. :) Charlotte just loves Sophia and usually gets in line/shares a beam/rotations with her if she can. They work really well together.
I have been surprised by several things with gymnastics -- one of the best being that I have made several friends from the moms on the team. We spend a LOT of hours (and this is probably just the start of it all) together watching our girls. I am thankful that all the moms seems to cheer on all the girls and there isn't any competition between us. And, with all those hours we talk about a lot more than just gymnastics too! :) I enjoy being up there and getting in some "girl talk" which she practices.

I'm hoping the transition to school schedule goes ok. She will still practice the same amount, but just after school. Her school (and Harrison's & Madeleine's) has been so great to work with us so we can get her to gym on time. With us living so far away, and her not getting out of school until after 3 every day, there was no way I could pick up all 3 kids, from 2 different school, with dismissals after 3pm, and get all the way to springdale and have her changed and ready to go by 3:30 -- best case it was going to be almost 4. So, they are letting me check all 3 kids out early to get here there on time. One of the perks of a small district, I guess. :) I know it will be a challenge and she will be tired those first few weeks, but after sitting still so much of the day, I think the exercise will be so good for her. She has so much energy and it needs a good channel. Ha!

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