More Gymnastics Pictures

When I got home from work yesterday, Julia was waiting with bated breath to show me the picture she had drawn for me.  Holding it out proudly for me to see, she waited while I attempted, with some confusion, to read what was written on it.  Aquarium?  Aquaman?  It wasn't until I looked around at the various gymnasts to realize it said "Aly Raisman":

She had copied the typed letters at the bottom of her souvenir picture of Aly, which she received at our town-wide party honoring the Olympian from Needham.  I like Julia's message of reach-for-the-stars woman power here.  So what if women's gymnastics competitors don't yet perform on rings?  Someday they just might have that opportunity.  And when they do, they're going to STAND IN THE AIR above the rings and DEFY GRAVITY like super-humans!

Madeleine had quietly colored her own gymnastics picture, which she showed to me after I had ackmired Julia's:

Frankenstein gymnastics!  Go, Frankie!

I decided to ask her about her picture to give her a chance to describe what she'd drawn.

ME: Madeleine, what is this a picture of?
MADELEINE: That's the Aly Raisman one!
ME: (pointing to the big green rectangle) And what's that?
MADELEINE: Uh...that's Rapunzel's LONG HAIR.

Good thing I asked instead of assuming.  I had thought it was a balance beam.  I had no idea Rapunzel was in the middle of the gymnastics stadium.

Madeleine has since added to her picture, decorating the empty spaces with Angelina Ballerina stickers, which she newly acquired in a book we picked up at Julia's school book fair.  Parents were invited to visit the school during the time their child's class would be browsing the book fair, and boy, was Madeleine excited to get to participate.  In fact, when I announced it was time to go to Julia's school, Madeleine dashed off towards the back staircase to get a move on towards the car.

MADELEINE: Mommy, is it okay if I go get my shoes on and go down the stairs?  (going into the back entryway, them immediately scampering back inside.)
ME: Did you get your shoes?
MADELEINE: uh...no...I was just going to check if I could put my shoes on, but then a scary DINOSAUR was going to get me.

Those scary dinosaurs in our back  hallway.  Always trying to eat our children.

Once we got to Julia's school, Madeleine was delighted to pick out her very own book (the aforementioned Angelina Ballerina one.)  Julia picked out two easy readers for herself, which she opted to keep at school for the rest of the day and bring home in her backpack.  Madeleine, thinking herself to be a kindergartener now that she had been allowed to briefly join Julia's class, sat down with the rest of the kindergarten kids at the end of their book fair visit.  I was able to coax her back out of the school building by promising to read her new book to her once we got home, although it turns out the new book wasn't the only thing she wanted to bring with us.  "I just want to bring JULIAAAA!" she wailed sorrowfully as we climbed into the car. 

Thankfully, once home, she was quickly absorbed in her new book and in the exciting ballet stickers inside.  And that's not the only artwork she has done today.  She also kept herself busy working in her coloring books, singing songs, as usual, while she colored away:



Rock out while you work, Madeleine!