Bring it on, Gym Moms. Bring it on!

The girls are in the preschool level class at gymnastics. This is the first non-mommy & me level class offered and you need to be at least three years old to participate. The next level up is for kindergarteners, who are (at least) five years old.

There is a kindergarten gymnastics class occurring at the same time as the girls' preschool level class. Grammy has warned me of the clique of "gym moms" who hang out together in the parent/waiting area. They usually sit at a table together and lunch and gossip and talk about people even if those people can clearly hear what they are saying.

"Oh my GAWD. Triplets. Can YOU imagine?"

"Patterns? No one sews anymore." (As Grammy is sitting there looking at patterns.)

I was able to bring the girls to their gymnastics class during my week at home. They had brought home a note the week before stating that they would be putting on a special short performance for their "fans." Because of this, there were more parents, grandparents, etc. in the parent/waiting area than usual.

Much to my delight, the curtains to the windows looking into the gym were pulled up. You better believe that I had packed my camera bag for this too. In an attempt to remain as inconspicuous as possible, I stayed seated on the bench in the parent/waiting area and held my camera over the lowest part of the window, just above the sill.

Oddly enough, they had combined both the preschool and kindergarten classes. My, oh my, some of those kids were so disruptive. My girls looked over at the window a few times to see if I was watching them but I was clearly not distracting them. I was proud at how well behaved they were. I hadn't really been paying much attention to all of the adults in the waiting area. There was a grandmother, a mom and a dad sitting and standing next to me who were watching one little girl so we chatted here and there.

Do you know how you can tune out a room full of people talking but, suddenly, a few words will catch your attention? I realized that the clique of moms sitting at their table were talking about me. I wish I could remember exactly what they said but I think it was something to do with my camera because it caused me to immediately turn around and stare at them. One of them (who Grammy tells me is the meanest) was saying, "...do you really think it is necessary during practice...." She stopped when she saw me staring at her and said, "I'll tell you later."

So you were talking about me! (From what I could piece together, she was ridiculing me for taking pictures of the pracice. Probably because we were going to be able to go into the gym at the end of practice for the show.)

Here's the thing: mean people don't scare me and I have a big mouth. I laughed and laughed.

So the "show" was simply all of the kids sitting in a circle, taking turns doing a stunt in the center of the circle. I really need to sharpen up my gymnastics photography skills because I wasn't able to take a good picture of Anna's donkey kick or Emily's attempt at a cartwheel. Allie turned a cartwheel too.

After the stunts, each student received a certificate with a chance to pose on the podium.

It would have been cute if I had been able to snap off some photos of the girls together on the podium after class but the gym moms made sure that their kids monopolized that photo spot. I think these pictures are hysterical because Allie is making pouty faces because she was mad that I wouldn't allow her to jump on the big trampoline. Class was over and the kids aren't supposed to play on the equipment but some parents didn't seem to understand that.