Upside Down

If you live with a daughter in gymnastics, you know what I'm talking about...you often see her upside down.  Madolyn has been in gymnastics since she was about three years old.  Because none of our friends had kids at the time and she didn't attend daycare or preschool, we thought she needed some social interaction.  I took some gymnastics lessons when I was younger and, like usual in hindsight, wish I would have tried a little harder. 

Our living room has been the scene of several gymnastics events, tumbles, crashes, experiments, etc.  Thankfully the carpet is padded!  One Christmas Santa brought Madolyn her own gymnastics mat and she could use it in the basement.  That was helpful.  Right now I think it's in the barn (good place for it...you know, in case the animals want to try something).

I didn't realize it, but handstands are very important in gymnastics/tumbling.  I cannot tell you how many times this girl has practiced handstands in the living room...or wherever she happens to be.  (My grandma often tells the story of 'someone' doing cartwheels all the way up to the doors of the Hutsonville gym on the way into a high school basketball game one time;)  You can be trying to carry on a conversation and walk into the room and she'll be upside down saying "Count how long I can hold it."  Funny girl. 

But for one year of dance classes, which didn't seem to be her thing (thank goodness), she has been in gymnastics/tumbling classes ever since she was three years old.  I am thrilled to say that after almost nine years of training, she is actually starting to use some of her skills in cheerleading.  She is becoming more and more confident and starting to do some tumbling in the gym.  She hasn't done it during a game yet, but she's done them before and after the games when fewer people could see her.  Baby steps...I'm okay with it.  I would be a nervous wreck too!

That's Madolyn with her mouth open.  Ha.

A few weeks ago, she was warming up in the living room and I took these pictures.

Splits in the air.

And I have no idea what this is called.
 

I love my little gymnast even if I have to talk to her upside down...