The Little Gym

I've been meaning to post about this for some time, but life has just been so crazy that I haven't had a whole lot of time for posting...

Anyhow, when my mom has Maddy every Friday, she takes her to a class at The Little Gym. Every once in a while, she gets to take a make-up class or a re-scheduled class in the evening, and when she does, Jerry and I like to go to watch. Last night was one of those re-scheduled classes.

Watching Maddy in this environment gives such insight into her little personality. It absolutely fascinates me, especially because the more I see her, the more I see exactly how much she is just like her mama.

Maddy gets irritated if things are moving too slowly or if other kids are taking too long with things. When this happens, she walks away from the circle/activity and goes to do her own thing, usually something a little more advanced or challenging than what the group is doing. For example, instead of sitting and singing a song, Maddy is off on the side hanging from the parallel bars or walking across the balance beam. I love the way The Little Gym handles these things, they encourage you to just let the kids wander, but the adults always stick to the class activity, because eventually they will come back. She knows the whole routine of the class, and is the first one at the teacher's side to start the next activity and/or to help clean-up. She loves her teacher, and she is very eager to please her. Maddy likes to interact with other kids, but she hesitates a little at first, but once she's over the initial shyness, she is laughing and playing. She has friends in her class, Shelby and Jules. She always tells me about them, so it was cute to see them in person. I really think that Maddy will enjoy the classes as she gets older too, and she's on her own without my mom or us there. She's already so independent. Totally cracks me up.

After gym class last night, we went out to dinner with my parents and then Maddy went home with them. Madeline could not wait for that check to come. She was telling my mom to "huryup" because she wanted to go home. She knew grandma had a "prwize" for her. "C'mon guys, huryup, home, prwize." So funny. She looked right at Jerry and I and said, "bye. tomorrow" and blew us kisses across the table. She was totally ready for her time at grandma's house. I am really glad that she's like that - she enjoys her time away from us, and she looks at things with excitement, rather than with fear or hesitation.

We have her 2nd birthday party on Sunday. I cannot believe she is going to be 2 years old already! Time really does fly by. She is very excited about her Elmo party, and she knows that she is going to get presents and that people are going to sing happy birthday to her. I think she is the most excited that "Oscar" is coming to her party, which is my MIL's dog :) Maddy adores that little guy, and he's old and lazy and it's not a big deal to have him there, so MIL agreed to bring him when Maddy told her to. Maddy is totally going to get spoiled rotten by everyone, but she's so good about her "tankew" and she generally does appreciate things. She will be running around giving out hugs and kisses, because that is just how she is.

On a really annoying note, Jenna's birthday party is scheduled for the day I am supposed to come home from the hospital. I definitely will not be attending. Jerry might go with Maddy, and my mom will probably stay with me and the baby.

I'm already getting bothered by scenarios I can see happening while I'm in the hospital. There are certain members of Jerry's family that I absolutely DO NOT WANT to come and visit. They didn't visit with Maddy, but I have this odd feeling they may this time, and I will be really unhappy if they do. I'm also going to be annoyed if certain people in my family bring all of their children to see us. They did last time, and one of them had muddy boots on and got dirt all over the hospital room floor, which ultimately ended up on my feet and in my bed. Ugh. This time around I feel so different about everything, because this is not the first grandchild for anyone, and I just want things to be low-key and a lot less stressful then they were with Maddy. With both of us having big families, things quickly get out of hand, and since this one is scheduled they have had too much time to plan their visiting... it makes me nervous.