So about a year ago, Maxwell found out his little buddy Alex was doing gymnastics. He REALLY wanted to do it. Due to time issues, primarily, it took a while to coordinate. I also figured this was just a cling-on activity. Having said that, he had this burning desire to stand on his head. He also loved doing summersaults and stuff like that. Ok… sure.
Sarah signed Max up for a weekly gymnastics class and said he was having fun. I thought cool, that’s great. Max started asking me to come see him. I have a fairly important conflict on Tuesday nights, but I thought I should. Wow…
I got there and Max came to life like I have never seen him. He knew the routine, he put his shoes away and sat with me. He couldn’t sit still in excitement. He was so into this! I was kind of excited actually. As he got called back, Max fell into formation. He was about the smallest person out there, but he tried to do everything in the warm up. He did look a little like a drunken sailor, but he was out there in a group of much older kids doing his thing. I thought that was cute and so brave. No friends, just Max doing what he wanted to do – because he wanted to do it.
Next … the broke into age appropriate groups and Max was grouped with 2 twins. They were smaller and newer to this whole thing so Max was the “expert”. To see that kid try so hard and enjoy so much, things I couldn’t do if my life depended on it was an incredible moment in my life. I was nearly in tears I was so happy for the midget! He fearlessly did flips off a high bar, flips on the trampoline… nothing seemed to scare him. To see him run and jump for a bar that was 3′ above him over a foam pit, get one hand on it but fall … only to try again – ALL with a huge smile on his face!
It’s not on my night, it’s not convenient, but if given the opportunity to go back and watch Max do his thing, I certainly would! He picked it. He does it. He loves it!