12 January 2010

photo 64

The Saga of the Cartwheel

Addi had the hardest time learning to cartwheel. She started gymnastics at the end of last school-year and worked diligently all summer on her cartwheeling skills. At one point, she even had my mom over here working with her since Grammy used to be a gymnast in high school.

I could show her my cartwheels and explain to her what I was doing, trying to slow down my movements, but I couldn't do it for her. Her "coach" said one day it just clicks and a girl goes from attempting cartwheels to cartwheeling across the backyard. It finally clicked for Addi. She's been cartwheeling around our living room for months now. :)

She did about 30 in a row for me. I could not capture even 1 good shot. The above picture is would have been great if Levi could have stayed out of the way. (Pay no attention to the way my children are dressed. Our living room is an arctic tundra...could be the openess, could be the extremely high ceilings, OR it could be that huge vent to the outside world masquerading as a fireplace!) (And, yes, those are leg warmers (Listen, I didn't discover BabyLegs when I had baby girls, so my son had to wear them with his cute little chubby thighs all last winter. He'll be fine. Probably won't even remember it. I hope.) on Levi's arms. All his long-sleeved pajama shirts were in the wash!)

But, the point is, she did it. She worked hard and it paid off. Things come easily for Addison, but when something is the least bit challenging, she tends to want to quit. She didn't quit and I hope the cartwheel saga will be a good reminder when one of those great big ol' challenges pops up in her life.

How much cuter could those pictures have been had I:

  1. gotten some decent shots.
  2. locked my other kids in their rooms, so they wouldn't keep appearing. (I didn't post the ones of Libby begging me to take her picture doing a handstand!)
  3. shut the tv cabinet doors.

The idea was so cute in my head. :)
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