Gymnastics

Two years next month Sophia will be a two year gymnast! I remember her crying in my lap because she was so shy while we sat and watched her gymnastics class go on without her participating. All the other babies ran, jumped and rolled with their proud mommies by their side. I sat desperately in the sidelines with my, attached to the hip, little girl in tears. This went on for 6 weeks. I was getting ready to give up on the sport for her until she was a little older and could really decide for herself. Then one day we walked into the gym at the Kadena CDC in Okinawa and she was so excited and ready to play! I was ecstatic!

Now my little gymnast is a amazing level 3 pre-team competitor! Actually I take that back, she is a level 2 competitor simply because she is to young to compete as a level 3. But in practice she works out with her level 3 friends and is training level 3 skills. I admit, she is pretty kick ass for a 4 year old :)

In March 2011 (3 years old) she accomplished her pullover on bars and had/has beautiful casts.
Between then and now she has gotten her bridge kick over on floor, beautiful handstands and cartwheels, round off, back bend, backward rolls and she is very close to getting her backhandpsring. (Im patiently waiting for her to grow out of the "Under 5 year old, big head syndrome"

Its not a actual medical term or problem, just something I like to say to sound smart. But in reality it is somewhat real and  everyone has had "big head syndrome" in their life's.
Basically children under 5 yeras old have a very small head vs body size ratio. Childrens heads are 30% of their body weight and size until they reach 5 years old. As you can see in the picture, if the toddlers arms were raised above its head, there would be very little room from the top of the head to the hands. On a adult or child there arms are typically 2/3 longer  when raised up above the head. So in my defence, its much harder for toddlers/under 5 to hold their balance and do certain skills (i.e. back walkovers, handstands, back hand springs...)

Sophia also is vaulting beautifully, is working on handstands, jumps and 1/2 cartwheel to HS dismount on beam. She has recently gotten her backhip circle on bars and her sole circle dismount!
Im a proud mommy!

This week we switched gyms. She and I will be working and practicing at Gym Starz gymnastics academe. They are taking her gymnastics more serious and not treating her like she is in the way or just there because im a employee. I am really enjoying the new people im working with.
A great change for us!

We cant wait for the next few weeks to fly by. We are training hard at learning routines for Sophia's first competition!

New adventures in the life of our new life!

LONG story short...
We sadly left Okinawa, Japan. Our family got orders to Dover AFB, De.
We're here, trying our hardest to enjoy it.
This new blog will follow us threw our house hunting adventures, funny pet stories, adorable kid news and pictures, sports and whatever other family trials and tribulations come our way.