Front Hip Circle

Claire got her front hip circle tonight at gymnastics!!!!!!!

Ok, it's not going to work. I was just going to write that and be done because whatever else I write will sound like boasting, but since I started this blog as a journal for my thoughts you'll have to take any boasting I do about my kids.

I guess I'm so happy for her because Claire has worked and struggled these past 5 months in gymnastics as she flew below the coach's radar. Recently she has been making big strides and has been consistently grouped with the "advanced" girls.

Last week, which I may have blogged about, Claire nailed her head on the bar trying to get her front hip circle. She recovered and almost got it. Today she was excited to try it again because she KNEW she was going to get it. I wasn't so sure, it is a hard skill and none of the other girls had gotten it, but I wasn't bursting Claire's bubble either.

At her last rotation on bars she got to practice the front hip circle's again with the coach's daughter. At one point coach Julie said, "Claire is kills me that you're soooo close. I just want you to get it!" And the next turn, Claire got it. I shouted ya-hoos in the stand and her coach did as well. All heads to the left of me turned and stared at me but I didn't even care. I just clapped away for Claire.

Claire was the 2nd person on her team (out of 20 girls) to get the front hip circle. The only other girl to get it was Molly, the coach's daughter and she just got it on Saturday (2 days ago). So for Claire to get this skill right after Molly and before some of the others was a huge thing for Claire because, well, it never happens. At least not until now. Claire was absolutely thrilled.

Coach Julie came up to me and said, "Did you see her face? Claire was so proud." I was just as proud. Then Julie told me that the front hip circle was a big milestone in bars and that Claire should be proud. I was very happy for her.

Not only that, but because she got a front hip circle, Claire earned a sticker for each girl working the bars. Julie posed the challenge to the girls that if anyone got their front hip circle she would earn a sticker for all the girls on the bars. So of course all the girls were like, "THANK YOU CLAIRE!" Claire ate it up.

Now, the important thing in this is that Claire learned a new skill. Not that she was #2 to get it. The other girls I'm sure will shortly follow suit. Usually when a couple of girls get a skill within the month the other girls get it. But for Claire this was huge because she has never been top dog. Always the under dog. She has shed tears when she can't get a skill. She has wished to be with the advanced girls. No one has ever expected her to get new skills first so today was a very rewarding day for Claire and I was thrilled for her.

Even after class coach Julie asked Claire and Molly to show their front hip circles to coach Monica, which is a big thing for the girls to do. Claire was thrilled to do it and was so hyped that not only did she make it around but she over shot it and about went flying off the bar but thankfully caught herself.

On the way home Claire was wondering about dinner. I asked, "If you could have any dinner besides going out to eat, what would you choose?" She thought for a long time and said, "Pizza." I already knew Stuart was making his homemade pizza for her. Claire said, "But that won't happen, it's too late for Daddy to make it." So I said, "Well let's find a star and wish on it." We drove and thought we'd never find a star on the cloudy night, but we finally did and shouted out our "star light" wish rhyme. Upon arriving home as soon as Claire came in she could smell the pizza and started screaming, "It worked, it worked! We're having pizza!" We both ran into the kitchen and screamed gleefully. It was for a second, a magical moment. A true perfect ending to her great night.