A photo a week of my kids... Week 29

So.
It is no secret that Ryan wanted another boy when we were pregnant with Sienna.
But now.
Girlfriend has her daddy wrapped.
We are talking, melty smooshy, lovey, dovey, drooly, kissy obsession kind of wrapped.

It's cute.

But sometimes..
When Daddy is shopping at Savers for toys and dress ups
Daddy forgets that girls like pink, frilly, princessy, ruffley dress ups.
Whatever.
At least he was thinking of her.

Last week, after Jack had poured out all of the cereal in the pantry, dumped out my jewelery drawer, and covered himself in lotion from head to toe twice.. All before 9 am..I figured I may want to invest a little of my own time to try and entertain the poor kid..  So we hit up some pinterest and tried out this baking soda, vinegar, food coloring project.  It was quick, but it was a success.
Mostly for me.
I totally felt like the best mom after this.
That's why I'm posting this particular picture.
So Jack knows I am a good mom.
(back pats)

What is it about your parents bed?
Even still when I go home I love to nap in my moms bed.
Somehow her sheets are softer, her pillows are better, and her mattress is just right.
What is that about?
Same deal at our house.
Jack and Tatum both love to sleep in our bed.
And ya know, we would really love to sleep with them too (every now and then)
to snuggle their warm little selves, and smell their freshly cleaned hair, and just generally enjoy them in their very best state.. comatose.
The thing is.. At what age do you become a tolerable sleeping partner?
Respectable adults do not sleep the way kids sleep.
Lunatics.
Flailing, snorting, talking, moving, rolling, up, down, fluffing, smoothing, pulling, kicking..
And laughing?.. Lunatics.
It really is unbearable.
Our bed is a king sized bed.
Look at this sprawled out beauty.
She makes it look like a twin.

Speaking of my sprawling beauty.

Can I just talk about her for a minute? and teach you other parents a little lesson while I am at it?

Okay then.

For years Tatum has wanted to do gymnastics.

Namely tumbling.

Her cousin Courtney has always been an amazing gymnast, watching her tumble was Tatum's favorite.

And for years I have discouraged it.

Because.

When was the last time you saw a gymnast that was 5'8?  

Because that's how tall my 11 year old currently is.

I just didn't want to set her up for failure. 

I didn't want her to do things that her genetic make up would work hard against her accomplishing. 

It seemed like I was being a good parent by steering her in other directions.

So. 

I encouraged her to do things that she would do excel at.

That tall girls excel at..

Basketball

Dancing

Volleyball

Piano

And while she was pretty good at most of these things. Except for maybe cough-basketball-cough..

She did not have any passion towards any of that. Her heart was never there. So she never excelled.

When we moved up to SLC, All star cheer was all the rage.. 

My Stephanie has her little Lettie in cheer, and insisted that I get Tatum in it..

I figured that was okay.  Tall girls can cheer lead.. That's not gymnastics. 

Even if she never tumbles,  like some of the girls, she can still have fun and be a part of something that excites her. 

Plus.

Girlfriend's got legs.  legs+cheer skirts=cute (sorry grandma peg!) 

This past spring she made an all star cheer team at Elite Academy

This tall drink of water has worked her heineken off.

This summer she often spent 8-10 hours a week at the gym. 

And I am proud to report..

She can now do the most beautiful cart wheel you have ever seen.

And

a round off.

and

front and back walk overs.

and

a back handspring

and

a back handspring-back walk over,

and

is working on her round off-back handspring-back handspring, and then on to back tucks.

In a million years I would not have guessed she was capable of such things.

The first time I saw her do a back walk over, I cried.  

Mostly because I was so so proud of my little big girl. 

Partly because I doubted her for so long, that now, as an 11 year old, I have made her have to work so much harder to accomplish these things that she has yearned to do for so long. 

She's really only been working on these things since March.  

In a little over 6 months she went from (barely) being able to do a cartwheel, to starting to work on a back tuck.

It's been incredible.

Had I just listened to her as a little child, and encouraged her to follow her dreams, and supported her with my faith in her, who knows what she could be accomplishing at this point. 

Tatum has alway really trusted me, and looked to me for direction, and reassurance.

I mean, I am her mom and all.. 

I could have helped her so much.

I feel awful. 

She has amazed me with her dedication and passion.

It has been so fun to watch. For all of us to watch.  

I am so looking forward to this competition season, and all that she will be able to do from this point forward.  

She is an amazing girl.

With a (very) strong will and personality.

She's going to do big things, this one.

And I suspect, that tumbling is going to just the tip of her fantastic iceberg.

And I will NEVER doubt her again!