After weeks of jumping off any platform available yelling, “cannonball!” we decided gymnastics was in order for Alaire. And, I admit, I am living vicariously through my little energetic monkey! I was 8 years old in 1984 when Mary Lou Retton performed her perfect 10 vault. I can still see the performance in my head and feel goosebumps thinking about it! Remember??? She stuck that landing, everyone knew she won the gold, her coached hugged her and sent her back out for a second glory round. That moment triggered my love affair with gymnastics (along with every other American girl my age). After that, I checked out every library book on gymnastics that I could find in our grade school library and set up homemade vaults in our front yard. I still have a goose egg on my left shin from trying to vault a picnic bench. Okay, enough about me…kids activities are all about the kids right!? Riiiight.

Anyway, her first gymnastics class was a hit. I am actually amazed at how much actual gymnastics they do with these little space cadette three year olds! In her first session, they did the balance beam, rings, and floor exercises.

And, Alaire loved her first class so much, she cried the entire walk to the car (about 5 blocks), “I want more gymnastics!”

While we may not have the next Mary Lou (sorry baby girl, your parents did not bless you with the best coordination), I love that she’s loving it! Saturday gymnastics is now a beloved family affair!