Gymnastics

This year for Riann's birthday we asked her grandparents to put a little money towards some Gymnastic classes for Riann. Each kindly helped us and we were able to put Riann into a class for a couple of months. She really seemed to enjoy it. I'm a little bummed that her class was so small but that's how the summers work around here with the track system up on campus. If we can afford it we might put her back in this winter when more kinds are out here and doing classes. I don't think a HUGE class will be good for her but one with more than one or two students would be fun.

We really liked the Madison Gymnastic Center. Their coaches are great and really energetic. Riann's coach was pregnant and made me feel guilty for all of the things I couldn't do. She was pretty awesome!! Riann loved the cheers before each station and she especially loved the bars and the foam pit. On her first day out everyone was so impressed at how strong she was and how she was able to hang and swing all on her own. She also jumped straight over to the rock wall on the other side of the foam pit in her very first class and all of her coaches loved that. She was great at almost all of the things she tried. I think she's got a good personality for stuff like this because she's never afraid to try. She's one of those kids who's more shy the second time around than she is the first.

It was a lot of fun getting out and playing with her. I liked the parent-tot class style and being out on the floor with her. We planned her classes so that the first month or so I would be able to go with her and the last set of classes Paul would be able to go with her, once Paul was done with classes. It was fun having her come home from classes with me and want to show Paul everything she was doing. Paul loved "practicing" with her letting her show him all of her "moves". Once he finally got to go to a few classes it was even better because he knew what she was doing and had a good time helping.

We got to bring in our camera a few times to class and take pictures of her during class. They aren't the best pictures because so much movement is involved but I've picked out some of the best we were able to take. Amie even came to a class to take a few pictures for us. We were lucky to have Amie around for as long as we did!!!

My little circus performer in action.

She had fun on this task but I don't think it was one of her favorites because it took a lot of work and she had to do most of it by herself.

One of her favorite activities, at gymnastics and at home...

Getting instructions on how to do the station from her coach.

Trying to apply the instructions. Sometimes we had to do extra work to keep her from cheating.

Look at that focus and determination...

Here she had to dip her foot each time she got to a foot print. It was SO cute watching her do this one. Out of all of the beam exercises this was her best. It didn't matter which beam she was on (they played around on 3 of them) she would always stop and dip regardless of what the instructions were.

One of the days Paul got to come in and help. I think Riann loved having him there.

Before starting each station they did a little cheer. Riann liked to ask them to say, "Let's go play!!!"

They were supposed to toss the hoops on the cones but Riann liked to walk up and lay them down on them.

We worked hard on this. At the end of each task they were supposed to "stick" their landing and say "Ta-Da". Most of the time Riann forgot and had to go back to the end to add it. Now when we play at home she does a good job adding it after a somersault.

She loved sitting on the edge of the foam pit and "building".

After a little building she would get brave and dive right in... This was actually a rare occasion that Amie just happened to catch. Normally it took her some coaxing to get her to jump like this. She loved to somersault in or fall in backwards but I think she was showing off for Amie.

Hanging out for the go-a-head on climbing the wall.

At the end of every class they sang a goodbye song. Riann never got into the hand motions but loved singing it with everyone.

Each of the kids got a stamp at the end of class. They could have it on their foot or hand. Riann always asked for the seahorse and to have it on her foot. It was one of her favorite things to show dad when we visited him up on campus after classes.