This girl has come so far. Last year, during kindergarten, Allianna was incredibly anxious about going to P.E. She'd start fretting about it for days before and become upset as the hour approached. She started attending art class 3 days a week instead, since she was overwhelmed by the whistles and yelling teachers in P.E. We hoped in another year she'd outgrow it.
This year she was willing to try P.E., with some trepidation. In the fall we started hearing about hula hoops and she asked for one for her December birthday. She was always hooping, around the house and in the yard; she can run, go down on her knees, and jump while keeping the hoop up. Then in April, Field Day finally arrived. She was stoic the night before, having already qualified as one of two representatives for the Hula Hoop competition from her class. Her school is pretty large, 5 classes per grade.
I just hoped she wouldn't have some bobble in the first few seconds (you know, elbow interference) and miss a chance to really show her stuff.
Notice the two tall(er than Allianna!) girls to her left (in orange and red); they figure in the end.
At this point our camera froze up and missed the final minute. I alternately couldn't watch and resisted cheering because I didn't want to crack her focus. After the teacher made them all walk around, and then kneel for over a minute and THEN stand back up, she directed the four remaining(!) girls to draw in close and it became Hula Hoop BATTLE!!!??!! To go from "Yikes, don't let your hoops touch!" to "Does she know how to put her hoop at hyper speed and battle??!!!" was a real nail-biter!
But then they were three, and those two bigger reigning-champ girls' hoops dropped at the same time, and Alli powered on in her tight little hula,
and she was the 1st grade champion!!!!!
There's nothing better than watching your child experience something that they've really hoped for.
