Little Gymnast

Maybe I can't actually call her a gymnast yet.  She does love to somersault, though.
Mim and I did mom and tot gymnastics at the Legacy Center this month.  The first time we went it was pretty challenging for me, trying to explain turns and waiting to my little 2 year old that has had no siblings to learn it with yet.  Also, Mim just wanted to run around and jump on the springy floor and mats.  She got better at following directions and waiting the next few times, and then last time they had their "exhibition." 

I was kind of apprehensive about it because the moms weren't going to be right next to their tots and there were going to be people and things were going to be different.  I was anticipating Mim freaking out or something, but I wasn't really worried, since she's two and who cares?  She did have a few moments of running to me and taking off when they were supposed to be waiting, but she wasn't the only one.  It was actually pretty cute and funny, watching the teachers try to wrangle all the little ones.  My dad likened it to herding cats when he first found out I was signing her up. 

Now for pictures!

{They wore little cowgirl hats when they paraded in; the whole exhibition had a western theme.}

{They all lined up and then had their hats taken away.  The little girl next to Mim objected pretty strongly to that.}

{The vault.  They ran down the run up, jumped from the spring board onto the mat and then put their hands up and said "Ta-da!"}

{Before I just decided to let the teachers handle it, this was a breakdown caused by me telling her it wasn't her turn to do something.}

{The bar.  Mim pretty much refused to do this one, even though she loved swinging on it in practices.  Her teacher held her up to the bar to grab it, but as soon as she let go, Mim would let go of the bar.}

{The beam.  Mim normally liked this one in practice as well, but looked super grumpy doing it here.}

 

This was her little floor routine.  When she stops and is looking at the ground, it's because she's trying to line up her feet with the footprints on the mat- it was a cartwheel mat.

{Getting her little award.  All the little ones were lined up and waiting for their names to be called, but Mim and two other little girls from her class ran in circles around everyone until they got caught.}

{Doing her "Ta-da!" with her treat bag over her head. }

So, the whole thing was super cute, once I relaxed and decided to just let the teachers handle it when things got crazy.  I did step in one more time at the end, when they were waiting in the line for their medals, because Mim had stolen one from the little girl next to her and no one seemed to notice.

I think I'll sign her up again for next month, just for the whole social skills aspect of it.  And because it's adorable.