The whole point of going to Chicago for a few days was to attend a cheer competition, so I suppose it makes sense that I should mention said cheer competition. Except, it was a CHEER COMPETITION. If there is a place on this earth where I probably don't belong, that's it.
I mean ... cheerleaders. Hundreds and hundreds of cheerleaders. They have big hair and they dip themselves in glitter and ... wow. It's not my thing.
It is so very much Alexis' thing, though. I mean, look at the kid. She was born for the sparkle and pep.
Terrible photo, I know, but SHE IS SO HAPPY.
Except, welp, they didn't place at Nationals this year. Last year they walked away the champions, but this year, despite putting on a great performance, they walked away empty-handed.
You can't win them all.
But there's an important thing that comes of all things cheer. Alexis loves to tumble. She especially loves back tucks, in part because she does this freakish thing where she gets REAL high and she hangs upside down for a very long second. No joke. It's a thing that every coach she's ever had has commented on and a few have tried to break her of doing. It doesn't work, though. The kid just hangs upside-down. And she LOVES it because she knows it drives me crazy.
She's upside-down long enough to stop and drink a cup of tea. While she's there, she could probably solve world hunger. Mila has three birthdays faster than Alexis returns to her feet. The kid hangs upside-down FOREVER.
Laughing the whole time.
Because she knows I'm bugging out.
Which, really, why else do kids exist if not to push our buttons and find creative ways to make parents freak out?