An his middle name is....

LEE!!!!

That's right, Katherine finally learned Mr. Tarry's middle name, and it was definitely worth the wait. (For anyone who doesn't remember, Katherine desperately wanted to know Tarry's middle name, and he told her that he wouldn't tell her until she did her pullover on the bars. She couldn't have ANY help -- none from him, no mats underneath her, nothing for her to push off on.... She had to stand on the ground and do it all by herself).

She's been close before.... There have been times that I really thought she could do it, but just couldn't. She'd be almost on the bar, but her little arms would give out and her hips couldn't make it around. So, in addition to her regular gymnastics workout, Tarry had been having her do additional arm strengthening exercises. Tarry kept telling me that one day, she'd realize that she could do it and it'd just come. Well today it did!

I was in the gym for her lesson so I could get some more pictures, and he and I were talking about her joining team. All of sudden, she chalked up her hands, stood below the bar, and did the dang pullover. I about fell over!!! After she realized that she could actually do one, she did 6 in a row! Woo-Hoo for my little princess!! I was so proud of her!! And, she was on top of the world!! ... and her arms were about to fall off!! LOL!!

So Tarry called Miss Rachel (one of the other team coaches) into the gym so that Katherine could show off! Oh, how she loved that!! After the pullovers, he then had her doing back handsprings, and said she's really REALLY close. She's whipping her body around really quickly and he's only lightly spotting her. She doesn't always land perfectly, it's not always pretty, but she's close, and in her 5 year old world, that's all I can ask for!

He then put her on the beam and had her doing cartwheels on both sides (right side first then left side first). They started off with panel mats touching the beam so that if she fell, she wouldn't get hurt, but then quickly removed them. Evidently landing cartwheels on the beam is a level 5 skill (she's starting at level 1), and that's the immediate goal... When she gets to level 5 again, Tarry will be her coach. He thinks she'll be there by the end of the school year (so in like a year).

But for now, we've got a lot to celebrate.... My little 5 year 2 month baby girl can do a pullover, and she's the only one that young in the gym that can! So she's on top of the world.

We're off to Chuck E Cheese with a friend of mine and her two little girls. Matt and her hubby are golfing this afternoon (weather permitting), so we're taking off now for some lunch and to let to the kiddos play!! Gotta wear off some steam -- especially in this weather!