"I'm Gonna Ring That Bell, Mom."

Tonight Luke started his very first gymnastics class. Yes, I know, it sounds girlie, but if you've been watching the Olympics, you know it's not! Anyway, we enrolled Luke in gymnastics because he is always doing somersaults and cartwheels, and more than anything... the child loves to stand on his head. He can stand on his head longer than I've ever seen anybody do it. He can even move around without falling (as in he can move his hands, then his entire body all around the room).

So, the first class was awesome! Luke was a little shy at first, but quickly warmed up and LOVED it! First they warmed up, then his class (him and 2 other boys) worked on the bar for a little while doing flips forwards and backwards on it. Next, they moved on to the trampoline, then they practiced running up to the vault ramp and flipping and jumping onto a big mat. After that, they did somersaults all across the mats and after that they went to the rope. Luke has never attempted to climb a rope before and has even been pretty aftraid of heights (this is a very tall gym ceiling), but he rocked it! He almost made it to the top to ring the bell and then came down. Neither of the other boys made it nearly as far. Then they finished off by doing headstands. Luke, of course, had no problems, and since he never fell on his own, the teacher finally pushed him over to get him down!

When we left, Luke said he had a great time, but next time, "I'm gonna ring that bell, Mom." It was so much fun to watch him enjoying himself and doing so well at something new. Fun times!