Take for instance Cheer Camp. The Varsity Cheerleaders at our local high school held a mini cheer camp for elementary and middle schoolers last Saturday. They sent home a flyer from school advertising this event earlier in the week. Normally, I would just toss it in the trash but Ava had seen it and wrote in big letters at the top, "Please?" So, I discussed it with Jason and we decided she could go. She is, after all, our little spirit girl.
So, Saturday afternoon arrived and Ava entered the gym to 30 or so other little girls and a handful of the varsity cheerleaders.
Now, if this had been me at her age, I would have turned around running out the door never gone in the first place (and neither would Jason - if he had been a girl)! Ava saw a few of her friends, but was content to just enter the circle next to some strangers, grab their hands and join in on the fun. They were taking turns going into the middle of the circle to do cartwheels, round-offs, back flips, etc. Ava doesn't really know how to do any of these (now, she could do a plie, rond de jambe, or grand battement to beat the band thanks to 4 years of ballet!) but this was different. Still, our little cheerleader did what she could and had a ball! And oh yes, it helped that they were selling used cheerleading outfits out front and Mom caved and bought her one!
Later on, they broke into smaller groups to learn some cheers and routines. You could hear Ava's gasp of excitement when they pulled out the pom poms! And she was over the moon when she learned they got to keep them!!
They are going to perform during the Homecoming Football game and Ava will be there with bells on (and a few pom poms and a color-coordinated hair bow).
What can I say? She is not like her homebody parents but I do envy her zest for life and unabashedly friendly personality. This girl is unafraid and has never met a stranger. And we are blessed to call her our daughter!
 "Pin It")
Hi! Followed your link from Sunday Snapshot...
ReplyDeleteLooks like your daughter had the time of her life at cheer camp! What a smile on her little face! Don't you just love watching them experience new things? Especially when it turns out to be such a positive experience. Hope shs has a blast at homecoming!
Reminds me of our oldest daughter! What fun she is (and was) to watch take in life. Enjoy the ride! :)
ReplyDeleteSharon
www.ourfamilyourstory.com
That is such a familiar scene you described. LeighAnna would have reacted the same way. No wonder they got along so well together. We were just remembering your pool this morning. It's really cold here today!
ReplyDeleteI love it when kids are so confident and march forward without hesitation. I'm like you.....I would never have gone! I'm glad my girls are more adventurous than I am!
ReplyDeleteI could never figure out how my oldest got into dance & cheerleading b/c I was into sports?? But she loved it all through school & is now a cheer coach while attending college. They just had their little girls' camp a few weeks ago & she took her little sister along. Fun stuff!
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolute doll!!
ReplyDeleteShe is definitely a cheerleader in the making....
Watch world!
:)
UNLIKE you??? Aren't you the one who would coordinate fully choreographed Amy Grant songs to perform in front of people at our house??? I'll never forget the time you fired me as a backup dancer because I wanted to go shopping instead of practice. Poor Cody...he had a lot of pressure as the sole backup dancer...
ReplyDeleteCherie - yes, I do have those tendencies but the scene you described (while embarrassing) was also done in front of very few people in the security of my own home; nary a stranger in sight. Ava relishes, no I think she craves, the new experience. The unknown. She has no fear! I remember being so scared to go to a new Sunday School class when we'd visit family, Ava though waltzes in and says 'hello' and joins in whatever is going on. That is how she's different from me and her father!
ReplyDelete