Decisions Decisions

Alysse is asleep so I need to get this out as fast as I can before she wakes up.  I never have time to write anything down!

So this past week has been very stressful for me to make decisions for the big girls.  Mostly for Avery b/c of her age, but both were presented with new opportunities.  I thought I had to decide before Saturday b/c of all the registrations so I was getting worried about what to do.  I think I figured it all out though and now have a solution!!!!

The girls have been in gymnastics since they were able to walk.  They have loved it from day one.  I have always wanted them to try other things as well (despite what everyone thinks - I HAVE put them in other things besides gym).  My only rule was that they could only do one activity at a time b/c I just couldn't tote them around town to different things that they may or may not like.  I have always worked so it's been hard for me to do it all.  Neither wanted to quit gym b/c they love it so much so I offered camps during the summer. If they liked the "sport" enough to quit gym, then we would enroll them in that.  The only problem with that, is that there are age requirements for most sports so they have been limited (softball, volleyball, basketball were for much older girls).

They both tried dance and both HATED it.  I have offered soccer and neither one wanted to do it b/c it's too much running and too hot.  Avery tried tennis camp and although likes tennis, said it was too hot.  She didn't like it enough to quit gym. Avery has wanted to try softball but not enough to quit gym to try it.  Now that I am not working and not pregnant and Alysse is old enough to tote around everywhere, I have given the girls the option of doing more than one activity this fall.  I have recently learned by hearsay that age 7 is where they start to get too "old" for things (more on this rant later).  I've resisted the "more than once a week" practices long enough.  I think we are the only family in Katy who only has one practice a week.  Football and baseball are 3-4 times a week at this age.  If we had boys we would have already started the "more than 1x" practices.  Softball and cheerleading is the same, so if either do that, there goes our weeks!  Looks like our fall is going to be VERY busy!!!

Addy wants to try cheerleading.  EEK.  I have NOT wanted to start her this young for many reasons I won't go into.  But they all have to do with me being a cheerleader for so long.  However her BFF Presley is cheering on the Katy Youth Football team for her 4th grade brother.  She wanted Addy to do it with her.  Since it is not competitive cheer like I always did, I didn't think it would be too bad for her (but after receiving her first email on it I've realized it is still pretty overwhelming).  While I am pretty sure Addy will get burned out and end up quitting (b/c they practice 2x a week and game every Saturday), I want her to have her OWN thing... that Avery doesn't do.  Avery has NO desire to cheer b/c she doesn't like being in front of big crowds like that.  So this is perfect for Addy.  I watch the girl and see natural cheerleading genes, not taught by me b/c I don't show them motions, jumps or cheers.  It's only a matter of time before she does it for good. This squad is only for the fall so even if she only makes it a couple months, at least she did something different.  My only concern is that she and Presley are the youngest since the squad goes up to 6th grade!    She's excited though so I am going to make the  best of it.  Mark isn't on board and thinks it's crazy, but I think it's important for them to have activities they enjoy to keep them off the couch watching tv or playing video games.  And I must admit she looked pretty darn cute in her new cheer shoes!

So for now, Addy will stay in gym once a week b/c she loves it so much (and she's getting really good - more on that later too).  She will have cheer practice twice a week and football games every Saturday.  So basically her Tues, Thurs and Fridays are practices and Saturdays are games.  I'm exhausted just typing it.  I give it to September then she will probably want to quit cheer.  It's so hot and Addy HATES to be hot.

As for Avery - this is what stressed me out.  Avery has been on the Nova level 3 team which is Westwood gymnastics' "competitive" program.  Their meets are fun meets only within the gym.  I thought this would be perfect for Avery to help her with confidence and performing in front of people.  The only problem with it is that she isn't getting better very fast.  She only had 2 coaches that actually worked on her form, hands, toes, etc.  Courtney left in the Spring to go to Champion which is a highly competitive gym.  Lorin was still there so I decided to keep Avery in Nova... but they rarely worked on floor or tumbling.  I was doing private lessons (which were $1 a minute - do the math for an hour lesson once a week that she really needed  but I didn't do).  Then Lorin left to be a teacher.  So now what?  I talked to Lorin and her other coach that did privates with her and they said to move her to Champion.  They have practice twice a week and she would transfer over to their "team" which competes with other gyms (more pressure than Nova but Avery said she wanted to do it).  She would get much better a lot faster and really start excelling, especially b/c of her age.  So I went to Champion to find out about their program and the receptionist was so rude and arrogant... to sum it up told me my girls were not good enough to be on team (without seeing them) and Avery was too old for her level and basically missed the boat.  I felt like a horrible mom b/c she could have been on it had I tried months ago to move her or had her in twice a week like everyone else was doing apparently.  She told me Addy was too young to be in the girls' classes that she needed to be in preschool.  I told her to forget it, we weren't going there b/c Addy hasn't been in preschool in over a year and I wasn't moving her down.  She changed her tone and said she would have her evaluated for advanced, which fed into their "team".    I understand that a lot of moms probably walk in there demanding their daughter be on team, only to find out they can't do a cartwheel.  But she could have been a little more open to evaluating my daughters to see where to place them before making assumptions.  I talked to Lauren and coach John O. who talked to Courtney.  Apparently the receptionist is very rude and turns away "business" all the time so they must have had a talk with her (b/c when we did the eval her tone completely changed).

She also wants to try softball this fall with her friend Jorie who's dad is the coach.  Well she can't do it all and registration for softball is this Saturday so I needed to decide fast what to put her in.  While I am leaving it up to her, I have to be realistic with it.  She is very good at gym and loves it.  She wants to try softball just to try it.  She may love it or may hate it.  I don't want to pull her out of gym just to try something she may hate.  I will however pull her out (sniff sniff) if she tries softball and loves it enough to quit gym. 

So we went to their evals at Champion. The coach said that Addy was too advanced to be in preschool so he put her at a Level 1 Girls Rec (not competing yet b/c she has to be 6 to compete).  I just smiled at the receptionist when I gave her the slip.  He said she is young b/c it starts at 6, but she would be bored in preschool.  She will be at level 1 for a while since she is starting it younger than normal but they will move her to Level 2 when she masters all the skills.  I was so proud. 

The same coach first evaluated Avery at a Girls Rec Level 2 - Advanced b/c he said her form wasn't tight enough for Level 3.  Then he and Courtney argued back and forth a bit and he admitted after a couple of weeks she would have it good enough for Level 3.  The problem is that Level 3 is full so he put her in level 2 advanced until a spot opens at level 3.  Courtney said she really wants Avery on her Level 1 Team (that competes).  But the girls on Level 1 Team are 6 years old and it is full, so they wouldn't have room for her.  Courtney said she wanted to talk to the owner of the gym to see if she can just put Avery on the Team but not have her compete.  Avery JUST turned 7 last month so it's not like she would be that much older.  After she talks to the owner she would let me know.  For some reason I don't have a good feeling that the owner will say yes.

Courtney said for us to go ahead and put in our 30 day notice at Westwood.  She would call me after she talks to the owner.  If the owner says yes, Avery will be on Level 1 Team but just not compete.  This would actually be GREAT for Avery b/c she can get all the practice of Team and probably move up to Level 2 much faster, without having to compete.  Then they will move her up when she is ready.  If the owner says no, which I have a feeling will happen, Courtney wants her to stay at Westwood for one practice a week just to continue with Nova Team.  That way she is still in the mindset of competing, just on a lower scale.  Then to enroll her once a week at Champion so they can work really hard with her so she can make Level 2 Team. 

So my plan is this - if Courtney calls and says she can get on Level 1 Team now, softball will just have to wait.  The good thing is that Aunt Lori coaches for Pearland and they have an awesome softball team.  Avery can get lots of coaching and go to games and practice whenever she wants to learn more about softball.  Who knows - Avery might go to the first day of team practice and HATE it! 

If Courtney calls and says no to Level 1 Team, I will keep Avery at Westwood and put her once a week at Champion like Courtney said.  Then in October when softball starts, Avery can try fall ball for 5 weeks.  I will probably keep her at Champion once a week but take her out of Westwood during the time.  They have a meet in October so it will be a perfect time to pull her out after that.  Now it's time to sit and wait....