And then he would look at you expectantly.

That's a bad game. Especially with poison ivy.

All of my best parenting tricks involved exhorting Emmett to run up the steps to the slide (repeatedly, and exhaust himself) while I sat at the bottom of the slide to catch him.

Talk about a sport that must feel like gymnastic's red-headed stepsister.

That would be rhythmic gymnastics.

When I first started as a gymnast, I did acro-gymnastics (which had trampoline, double mini trampoline, tumbling and team/paired acro tumbling) which was fabulously fun and the competitions were so much faster! I was much better at that (went to Regionals and Nationals for my age division which was really young... like I was 6 or 7) than artistic gymnastics, which I got into when I was 10 or so.

Emmett to run up the steps to the slide (repeatedly, and exhaust himself) while I sat at the bottom of the slide to catch him.

Noah digs the slide. But it's really more mom goes up the slide, then slides down with him. But that's a good tip I'll have to remember for later.

At least he'll sleep well?

The tramp is reminding me why I quit gymnastics at 4. Once while all trussed up, I landed on the springs. No injury, I was just freaked and mom couldn't make me walk in there again.

Sort of like how I was ok with swimming lessons until the day I discovered the water was deeper than I was high. I think I was 3. Couldn't get me back in that pool for love or money. I had serious trust issues, I guess. I re-started lessons when I was 6 or so and did fine...until an instructor tried to get me to dive by sweeping my feet out from under me (without asking me) when I was 12 or 13. I wouldn't dive after that. That was all that was between me and lifeguarding cert. Well, and age.

I still can't dive.

That would be rhythmic gymnastics.

Ah, good point.

I am excited for rhythmic gymnastics!

In other gymnastics news, what the hell is Bela Karolyi on, and is it available in a black market convenient to me?

That's a bad game.

This is what I told him. But did he listen? No. Because he's a dog.

I can't dive either, and I have no childhood trauma about it. Other than screaming and wailing and not wanting to take swimming lessons.

Heh. Summer swimming lessons were an excuse to ride over on bikes, with my friends. At first, it was the only reason we could cross Alameda. And after lessons, we could han around until the pool opened! And after all that, there was all the junk food our allowances could buy at the Circle-K!

In my gym, we had all the tools for rhythmic but no one knew shit about using it. So we just played with it usually when we did summer training, or camp, or overnights (yes, sleepovers!) at the gym.

I LOVED summer swim lessons. I love them enough that I love mommy and me with N 3 times a week! So fun.

Except in Ohio, it was always COLD for lessons.

Hee! My gymnastics team!Though obviously, I should say that was my gym. Funny to see Bridget and Joe are still coaching.

Noah on the slide. Mom looking fat.