Funny Bugs

Since Ava turned 3, she got to move up to the "big kid" gymnastics class, called The Funny Bugs.  Last week was her first week, and unfortunately I didn't get to go because of a work dinner.  But thankfully tonight I was able to go cheer her on.

Funny Bugs is a big change for her, because in the class she has been taking for the past 1 1/2 years, the parents come into the class with the kids.  It is generally chaos, with only about 25% of the kids paying attention and following instructions at any given time. :)  In her new class, parents don't come in with the kids, and they have a much higher expectation to listen and follow directions.

When I asked Ava how gymnastics went last week, she said she didn't like it because "she didn't know what to do".  Jake said she was pretty timid during the class and could tell she was having a difficult time adjusting.  This week when I picked her up from school and asked her if she wanted to go to gymnastics, she said she did, but that she wanted to go to the "little kid" gymnastics, not the "big kid" gymnastics.  I told her I was certain she would learn what to do, and that it was ok if it took her a little time to become comfortable in a new situation.

When we arrived (after she downed 1.5 sushi rolls all on her own for dinner), she was pretty nervous at the beginning of class, but was happy to see that our neighbor Katelyn was also in the class.  After about 5 minutes, she warmed up and had a great time.  She was smiling and laughing throughout the class, and I was so impressed that she listened and followed directions so well.  She walked across the balance beam all by herself and did a flip on the bar with some help.  Afterwards, I told her she did a great job, and she replied, "See, I told ya!"  She was also excited that her teacher called her "Ava Tinkerbell" (she was wearing a Tinkerbell shirt) for class, and she said "now she can run fast enough to fly."

Since she did such a good job, we had to stop by Ted Drewes on the way home for some ice cream.  OK, fine, it was really me that wanted the ice cream but at least gymnastics was a good excuse. :)