Ally & Gymnastics...

Ally has been going to Syd's for gymnastics here in town since the beginning of the school year. She really loves it there.  She has been in a class with two other classmates from Queens... and it works so nicely.  I have really seen her grow over the year too. She has perfected lots of tumbling... she can do a mean cartwheel and roundoff.  :-)  Yesterday I went to watch her (not something I do each week) and she pretty munch landed her roundoff - back handspring with very little assistance.  I love the look on her face when she accomplishes something like that. She is so proud. I love the look of determination when she messes it up the first time and her coach tells her to go right back and do it again and she lands it.  It is awesome to see.

At the beginning of the year... she hated vault... now, she loves it.  She can also land a cartwheel on the beam and her progress on bars has been amazing. Their coach class her class "her bars girls" because they all excel at bars. Their class time is at the same time as the "big girls" on the team... so sometimes they use the little girls to demonstrate something on bars... the littler girls have no fear... so Ally's handstand was recently used to demonstrate form. You should see how she beamed at that. :-)

Yesterday after class, her coach informs me that she would like to put Ally at level four next year and put her on the team.  Ally could barely contain herself... she was ever so slightly jumping up and down next to me while Marcie and I talked.  Another classmate (from Queens) of hers is at that level and she looked at me and said "I never EVER thought I would catch up to Cara, Mom!!!"  She was just so excited........ 

It was a good day for the little gymnast in her.  She went on and on about how much she loves Syd's and the girls there.  The "big" girls had just won a meet the previous weekend, so they got to have a "fun day" with the little girls.  You could not see happier little eight year olds... as they were being helped and supported by the high school age girls.  I am constantly impressed with the girls' patience and genuine happiness to help the little girls. They cheer them on... and are just their biggest fans.  It's adorable to watch.

So, on we go...... gymnastics camps this summer... and the start of competition next year....  I hope her excitement level stays where it is and it continues to be something she has FUN at...... I'm all about the fun in it......  ;-)

Of course, her Daddy's sigh was audible when I gave him the news.......  :-))))))))))))))))