mission accomplished!

claire has been incredibly anxious to learn how to do a back hip circle on the bar at gymnastics. she would moan "i'm never going to learn how." it got frustrating because there was a girl in her class who was extremely talented and could already do one. (and many other things claire has yet to do)

then last week, much to claire's (and my) surprise, she did one! she was so excited and i was happy for her. i had promised her that these things take time and one day it would come. then last week the kids were practicing their routine for the mini olympics and her coach said, "claire, i want you to put a back hip circle in your routine."

claire looked at me with angst in her face. i could tell she did not want to because she didn't think she would get it. she pulled over, posted, casted and the next thing we knew she had done one! i'm not sure who was cheering louder, claire or me. she was so excited and so proud. i was so happy for her. she was suddenly renewed with a love for gymnastics instead of discouragement.

i promised i would post a video of her doing one so here it is. it is not her best one, but it is the best one i could get with a very grumpy 3 year old running everywhere where he's not supposed to be at a gymnastics class, like out onto the floor!

normally on a back hip circle you should come right around, claire has to push her body up to get there, but like i said, it's all i could get, and i still think it's great. it's not something i could do. admittedly i wish i had gotten the one on the high bar with her coach next to her in case she fell, it was very cute and well done, but for now, this will do. i'll upload one like that later if i ever get one.

i'm glad for claire. like i mentioned earlier it has just given her a lift in her gymnastics. she also learned to do a round off off of the balance beam, and can now do 2 chin-ups on the bar. 2 months ago she could barely do 1/2 of a chin-up. yesterday her coach used her as an example to the other students. she said, "did you all see claire do 2 chin-ups today? well 2 months ago she couldn't do any. but she kept trying and practicing and now she can do one. i want all of you to keep trying and practicing. it will take a long time, but just like claire learned to do it, all of you will learn too if you don't give up trying."

i am hoping that these experiences will help claire remember that learning something takes time and work, but that one day it will come. not everything in life comes easy. it sure has been fun to watch.

my new concern is now claire has taken a liking to try and practice her pull overs/back hip circles on the bars at school. when i found out i made her promise she would never do back hip circles on the bars, especially the high ones. i just hope she keeps her promise. she usually does, but still, with kids, there's always that chance.

anyway, enjoy the clip. claire is the one next to girl in the pink leo.