Dalen and Shellie: Ashtyn's Gymnastics Olympics

Ashtyn has been doing gymnastics at Madison Gymnastics for the past 12 weeks. I signed her up through our city recreation program. She absolutely loves it. She is always a little shy and timid when she first starts each session. She is very clingy and wants me out there while they do their warm ups and stretching but then once they start moving around and doing different activities she participates and enjoys herself. This class is for 3-5 year olds and since Ashtyn isn’t 3 yet I was a little nervous but she listens just about as good as the other little kids. And she is adorable when they do the circuit where they jump and do forward rolls and other little activities. The last few weeks of the program Ashtyn just runs right out there and participates without holding on to me and whining. She loves it and laughs and has so much fun. At the end of the program they had their Gymnastics Olympics which was like a recital on August 24. I invited Dalen's family and Grandma and Grandpa. Since Ashtyn doesn't let me fix her hair I took her down to Dalen's parents house and Tara fixed her hair.

At the Olympics they have to wait their turn to go. Ashtyn was very good while waiting her turn.

Ashtyn's coach is named Mallory. She is very good with the kids and very patient. We love Coach Mallory! They always start each performance with a TaDa!

Jump up onto the platform

Then jum down and when you land from a jump you must do a TaDa!

Crawl through the tunnel

Jump out, in, out, in

Run to the platform and TaDa!

Start the balance beam with a TaDa!

High kicks. Ashtyn still hasn't quite mastered her balancing on the beam. But she sure loves trying.

Forward roll on the beam.

Tip toes. Heights kind of scares her. Can you tell?

Land

TaDa!

Swing back and forth.

Strong arms

Forward roll on the bar. She hasn't quite mastered this either. At practice last Thursday she kept doing face plants into the mat. But that didn't scare her, she got right back up and tried again.