Dear Holly: Your Gymnastics Lesson of a Birthday Party

3 years.

Dear Holly,

For your official 3rd birthday party, we booked you a gymnastics lesson at the rec center right around the corner from our house.

You loved being able to get an idea of what gymnastics is like; alongside your party friends.

The lesson actually took place while the parents socialized in the room down the hall. Then, when it was time, we all came in to see you and your party friends individually trek through the obstacle course.

I’m glad we chose this for your birthday party. It was so appropriate for a 3 year-old little girl!



Dear Holly: Yes, You Do Your Own Stunts!

2 years, 3 months.

Dear Holly,

After Nonna and Papa had spent the weekend at our house while Mommy and I went to see Kenny Chesney in Nashville and then painted the back porch the next day, it was time for them to head back Sunday afternoon.

So I announced to you, “Holly, it’s time to say goodbye to Nonna and Papa…”

You immediately ran over to them, smiled, then ran the other way- towards the sofa.

All weekend, you had been showing off your furniture climbing skills. As if to give them one more little talent show before they left, you climbed right up the arm of the couch, then rolled yourself over onto the cushion.

From there, you hopped down, ran towards Nonna and Papa, then continued to repeat the sofa climb.

After several cycles through, Papa finally grabbed you for the official goodbye hug.

Otherwise, I think you could have easily gone another 30 minutes through your self-imposed obstacle course in the living room.

It’s clear to me that right now, one of the things that is definitely a part of your identity is your fearlessness. You demonstrated this to Nonna and Papa all weekend.

If you could climb it, you did. If you could jump from it, you did.

And never once did you fall or get hurt. Papa even witnessed you teach yourself how to do a somersault, as you were running so fast across the living room floor that you stumbled, fell forward, then instinctively pushed yourself up after your legs had already flipped over your head.

I can’t help but think how this ends up translating to your interests and activities as you get a little older.

Gymnastics? Yeah, that’s a given.

But I’m even thinking indoor rock climbing. That may be the thing that’s actually challenging enough for you!



Why Enroll A 3 Year-Old Boy In A Gymnastics Class?

February 17, 2014 at 11:11 pm , by 

3 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

I will admit, when Mommy told me she bought you a 5 week gymnastics course, after finding a really good Groupon deal, I was a little skeptical.

Not because I think it’s weird for a boy to be in a gymnastics class, but because you are only 3 years old.

What would be the point in a little 3 year-old little boy enrolling in a gymnastics class?

Well, now that I’ve seen you in action, I’m glad Mommy did what she did.

We took you for your 1st class on Saturday. As you can see from these cool action shots, you burned a lot of stored up winter energy.

While you were a bit reserved and skeptical at first, once you realized you could jump off what you perceived as the equivalent of living room furniture, and not get in trouble for it, or get hurt, you were eager to explore the facility.

In addition to Coach Casey, there was one other kid in the class, a girl named Caroline, who in my eyes, served as a complete contrast to your presence there in the class.

While she gracefully performed forward rolls on the ramp and gentle bounces on the trampoline, you were like a baby caveman or the Tasmanian Devil.

If it were possible to break anything there, you would have done it.

My doubts have been officially resolved now.

Basically, for 45 minutes, you got to run around in a padded room, jump off padded stairs, roll into a padded bin, and bounce on a padded trampoline.

That’s ideal for a cold and rainy Saturday morning!

You even ran over to the pull-up bar, without the direction of Coach Casey, and hung there for a few seconds as if only to prove to yourself you could do it.

I need to give you an American Gladiator name, like Crasher, or something circa 1992 like that.

So yeah… a three year-old boy in a gymnastics class is actually a pretty clever idea. Hooray for Groupon!