I don't know about you, but I am obesessed with the Olympics - especially the Winter Olympics. I have been watching them since they started last week the day before opening ceremonies. I love watching the figure skating the most, because I figure skated competitively in my youth. However, once I start watching, I get caught up in all of the sports. I am loving the snowboarding events so far, and even cross country skiing and biathlon. I know there is a lot of controversy with the location of these Olympics in Sochi, Russia, but that certainly would not stop me from watching. These athletes have spent their entire lives getting to this moment, and I am not going to take that away from them.
On Wednesday night, I also watched the NBC special about raising an Olympian, and don't worry, I was taking notes haha! One thing I did notice is that many of the parents spoke about how focused their children were, and they would continue to do the same thing over and over until they did it perfectly. Right now, my little Avery is definitely focused, and will repeat the same activity over and over until she gets it right. Now, I obviously know that she's only 1, so that's pretty normal, but I can still dream!
On Saturday morning, we were invited to Little Gym with Avery's friend Gia (and my friend Marissa.) They can occasionally bring a guest, so I knew it would be a great opportunity to see how Avery would do in a large group of toddlers, without having to pay for anything yet. Travis wanted to come too so he could see how she would do. I was a little nervous about how it would go - considering we still can't get into the room at the library without a meltdown. However, what I wasn't expecting is just how great it would be!
We arrived just as they were doing introductions, and we quickly joined the group of about 30-40 people or so. She started out kind of in a daze of "what are we doing," and "where are we?" We started doing some different exercises in a circle, and also walking/running around in the circle in a series of movements and games. Avery kind of participated and mostly watched all of the other kids her age. At one point they handed out hula hoops and had the kids set them down and hop in and out of them. Avery really started to enjoy the class at that point, and was definitely warming up to the idea of being in the gym with everybody.
We then had free time where you could take your child on any of the apparatuses. We started on the lowest beam (on the floor) and quickly progressed to the regular low beam. They had handle bars set up on either side, so she could learn to walk on the beam while holding on. Then as she got to either end, she would let go of the bars and run into Travis's arms. I was amazed at how well she did, and this is where I saw her focus really coming into play. Whereas many of the kids were going from one thing to the next, she stayed on the beam for a good 15 minutes or so. Then we finally persuaded her across the gym to the high beam. We did that once or twice (while holding her hand) and she was ready for something new.
Then we tried the rings.
This is where it became amazing! They had a mat underneath, and a mat she could step on to get up there to hang on. As soon as we helped her grab the rings, she lifted herself up on her own, and held on for several seconds before letting go and falling on the mat. Then she did it again. Then, the gym instructor came over and used Avery as an example of what to do on the rings! He even helped lift her up and moved her hands to the rings, and she didn't get upset at at all! And everyone was watching her!! It was an amazing moment for me. She held on like a champ!! After that, we went to a low bar that was set up similarly to the rings, and she did the same thing for another 10 minutes or so. We couldn't get her off the bar, even when the intructor broke out bubbles and all the kids ran over...Avery was working on the bar.
We finished up in the group circle again, and the kids were kind of roaming, and Avery actually left our side and went across the gym, through other kids and parents, to a ramp-like mat that she was walking up and running down. It was one of the first times we've been in a large group like that and she wasn't terrified and showed very little stranger anxiety. Travis and I were sooo proud of her, and now we're thinking of signing her up for classes there as a 2nd birthday present.
In just a few years we may have an athlete on our hands!
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