Gymnastics!

And so it begins...I have been very much looking forward to and fearing McKenzie's first experience in a structured sport.  We have participated in several fun activities together, but this is the first time that I will have to turn her over to a coach/teacher and watch as she walks into another room (as I watch from a distance) and take instruction from a complete stranger.  This is a true test.  Will she be scared?  Will she be stubborn?  Will she be shy?  Will she be polite?  Will she be outgoing, energetic and enthusiastic?  Will she pee her pants?  (no seriously...please don't do it!!!) who knows...we are about to find out!  Will she be as skilled in the art of tumbling as her momma?  Back in my glory days I was not too shabby.  I must say.  I was quite fearless and was known to flip around all over the place and off of just about anything.  My best friend Erin and I spent many a summer days choreographing beam routines, floor exercises and vaults in our backyards.  We would OFTEN, OVER & OVER AGAIN, re-enact the infamous Kerri Strugg moment...you know the one.  It still brings tears to my eyes to this day...it was the 1996 Summer Olypmic games in Atlanta.  The Gold Medal is in her hands.  She sprains her ankle, but must perfrom one last vault...she runs...performs the vault perfectly landing on one foot...crawls off the mat as her coach (Bela Karoli) carries her off the floor.  "A 9.712 SHE HAS DONE IT...SHE WINS THE GOLD! for her team for her country for herself"
Kerri Strug moment

anyways - back to McKenzie...
If ever she was going to be ready...it is now.  Our baby girl is growing up SOO fast.  She has matured light years since Macy was born.  Like a beautiful butterfly she has transitioned from a shy little baby girl into an outgoing and bubbly BIG girl.  She speaks so clearly and is super inquisitive.  She goes pee on the big girl potty all by herself.  She has a very creative spirit, loves to draw, trace shapes and color.  Loves to make up adventures and "read" bedtime stories to mommy before bed.  She is a little teacher during Macy's therapy sessions, doing what ever the teachers ask of her.  what a big helper!   She's become quite the negotiator, we've got to be careful how we, as parents, respond to her these days as to not put ourselves into a position we can't explain our way out of.  She starts pre-school in a couple weeks!!  oh my goodness...

Soo...We enrolled her in this gymnastics class a few weeks ago.  She has been talking about it non-stop!  Trying on her various, hand-me-down leotards from her cousins, Ash, Autumn & Danielle (thanks guys!!).  We even DVR'd some "real" gymnastics and she has been watching and mimicking as best she can.  take a look at the videos below...too funny!! We will have to look back at the end of the season to see how much she improved - before & after - I sure hope we see significant improvement, she's certainly got a long ways to go - but she can only get better from here  :-)

This first one is hilarious and super cute - at the end...she says after a long tumbling pass "I can't do that like her, but when I'm big I can do that"   :-)   YOU GO GIRL

And here's another...Kenzie being just like the girl on TV...good form...kinda...hehe

Last one...she attempts a very tricky, high-level-of-difficulty-leg-twirl.  tu-dah!

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So here are some pics from her first official gymnastics class!!
well...before that, let's rewind to cousin Erika dropping off Anna.  We will be taking Anna to class with Kenzie due to the fact that Erika will be moving into college TODAY!  oh my goodness...my niece is going to college!  Can you imagine how surreal this moment must be for my big sister?  Shipping her first-born off to college?  Talk about a day to remember and real TRUE test!  She will do great...Here is a pic of Erika and Macy doing some baby gymnastics skills  :-)

Erika is soo sweet, she had to be sure to get some quality Macy time in before making the trip down to the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

*****
Sooo...Anna and McKenzie have one last potty-break before slipping into their special gymnastics leotards, we hop in the car and are OFF.  The girls were laughing and screaming in their carseats just ecstatic about their first class.  I was really getting them hyped up "you getta go be REAL gymnasts now, aren't you so excited"?  YEAH!! they respond  :-)

Here the look down at the "BIG PERSON" gymnastics arena.  WOW, they're good.  I enjoyed watching McKenzie and Anna watch admiringly.

I wanted to get a photo of the two of them smiling, but McKenzie would NOT cooperate, she was WAAY to busy taking notes of the big kid moves...thanks Anna, at least you entertained me  :-)

McKenzie, Anna and their friend Lyla pick out cubbies to put their shoes into.

Let's start with some stretching and touching of the toes...good job Anna!  nice face Kenzie  :(  hehe  McKenzie was shy and did not participate for the first few minutes...she just sat in the corner with her legs crossed, but decided to join in after seeing that the other girls were having fun  :-)  I wanted to go in there so bad and say "Come on McKenzie"  "You can do it, just give it a try"...but I'm glad I didn't she worked it out all on her own!

 

going circles on different "jump" apparatus...I'm pretty sure Anna just took her eyes off the target area and said HI to McKenzie, she got yelled at and was told to turn around.  She handles criticism very well...I'd say she's very "coachable"

McKenzie's turn on the big trampoline...Lyla waits her turn while jumping on the small one.

YES, as you can imagine, I was a crazy momma snapping lots of pics from outside the room...but hey I had to take pics for Anna's mommy, since she was unable to be there in person.  so there...

plus, Lyla's mom Lindsey was taking some pics too, so I wasn't the only one.    hehe

Balance beam time...McKenzie is NOT too graceful...luckily she and Anna are now a co-owner of a real, regulation sized balance beam, so she can get some extra practice in.  Thanks Grandma Lee!   :-)

Anna on the rings!

McKenzie doing just as the teacher instructed her to do...I'm a proud momma!

Anna and McKenzie working hard on their bar skills

uh oh Anna...focus, don't let the teacher know you were looking out the window to your crazy Aunt Sherri.  Pay no attention the mommy's and daddy's behind the glass.

That's Lyla behind Anna & McKenzie...way to go Lyla, GREAT FORM!

McKenzie on the high bar, Anna in the "vault pit", Lyla on the rings.  Lyla told the teacher at the end of class that her favorite part was the rings.

Good job girls!

The girls listening intently as each gymnastics shares their favorite parts of the class...Anna said she like the High bar the best.

McKenzie tells the instructor that her favorite part was the trampoline!

ooh, wow...each girl got their hand stamped on their way out the door.  they for sure want to go back next week!!!

oh...and I'm happy to report, there were no tears and NO accidents during this first Gymnastics class experience!