Leotards and Ponytails

J. is ecstatic! She broke the exciting news to her Papa (who is visiting in town) and to Big D about 8 times in a span of 4 hours: " I am signed up for gymnastics!! It starts September 3rd at 4:40 and I need a leotard and have to wear my hair in a ponytail."

This has been a dream of hers for about a year, which for an 8 years old is an extremely long time. She went with a little friend to a free session and was raved over by the coach. And we have been hearing about it since. We thought time would help this phase to pass along into history. It has not. We signed her up for basketball, which was fine, but certainly not gymnastics. And so now she gets her very own gymnastics session until January 3rd.

Watch out Olympics 2012!!

I did some gymnastics as a kid. Maybe a year, maybe two. But I loved it and continued to practice even without lessons. For many years of my childhood I entertained the entire watching world with my ability to somersault faultlessly and cartwheel perfectly and best of all, do back bends, back walk-overs and back handsprings in the imaginary Olympics of my own mind. (Oddly, I never could get the front ones down for some reason. ) Anyways, I gave myself a 10 every time!! Except for that one balance beam routine on the tailgate of the old truck in the pasture next door. That earned me a sad 9.4 and a painful trip to the emergency room with a broken arm. Oh, there was also the unfortunate "see how many back hand springs in a row" episode. That too earned me a trip to the emergency room with a broken wrist and worst of all, another low score.

For anyone who is wondering, my gymnastic routines are now only on exhibition for close family and mainly take place on a diving board or on a trampoline. But I am thrilled that soon J. will be taking over my old role and I can live vicariously through her.

Maybe I can become her coach and travel with her to London! Someone has to wash her leotard and scrape her hair back in the tight little ponytail!