Jadyn's Gymnastics Debut

I still haven't stopped laughing. Jadyn started gymnastics today. She has been wanting something to call her own for a while. We settled on gymnastics. I thought the stretching beforehand was going to be the end of her. She is not really flexible or coordinated. But she looked darn cute in her leotard with rhinestones. She is my diva! Anywho....the next thing they did was a front roll (somersault to you and me) down an inclined wedge - start at the big end and roll to the small end. Well, my sweet Jadyn could NOT do it straight. She rolled off the edge of the wedge every time. So she moved on. The next feat of gymnastics prowess was a front roll on a flat mat. Oh joy! Now remember that this is gymnastics and form is everything. So as we mount up to start our somer...er...I mean front roll....we have to have our hands in the air with our arms touching our ears. So Jadyn is standing on the flat mat, arms stretched above her head, ready to roll, when all of a sudden she just jumps. Jumps? She ended up doing a face-smacking belly flop onto the mat. Oh my word. If I wasn't laughing so hard (on the inside, of course, what kind of mother do you think I am?), I would have been embarrassed. But she was awesome. She just got up, brushed herself off, looked at me (and saw me cheering her on) and tried again. Man, I love her. She is one truly amazing kid. She just kept going. Next station - handstand. Yeah right.They had to put their hands on the floor and crawl their feet up the wall, then stay there - straight - for 10 seconds. Sure, it looked easy, but when my sweetie pie got up there, it was a bit of a challenge. She was everywhere on the wall but straight up. Her feet were mostly spread eagle and never pointed. And, at one glorious moment, she even slid down the wall, sort of worm-like. Again, like a trooper, she got up, looked at me again, and carried on. The class finished on the balance beam. It was tough enough for my girl to do it frontward, but when the coach said they were going to do it backward, I had visions of a broken arm for sure. But she did it. What a girl!!! She made me laugh so stinking hard tonight. BUT...as I type this, she is teaching me a lesson. She did not give up. She did not cry or quit or pout. Things certainly did not go her way. But she kept picking herself up and kept on trying. I love that my kids can make me laugh. I love even more that they can teach me invaluable lessons.

The minute we walked in the door from gymnastics, Grant has all his clothes off, save for his underwear. Next thing I see? He is fighting with Jadyn, trying to pull the stinking Hannah Montana leotard with the rhinestone belt off her. Oh.....I forgot that I didn't tell you that he dressed himself yesterday. He came downstairs ready to start the day, in the very same aforementioned leotard (complete with rhinestones) on top of Jacob's baseball protective cup. I thought I would pee! I wish I would have been less shocked so that I would have taken a picture. That could have been worth some money.