Nailed It

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this whole "returning to normal" thing we've got going on, but I spent my Saturday at a cheer competition. So. It turns out I don't like cheer competitions more now than I did before a global pandemic. Guess you never know until you try!

ANYWAY.

Both girls have stumbled their way through this crazy year participating in competitive cheer. There have been weeks of practice via Zoom, lots of hand sanitizer and masks, and an overall cloud of caution hovering over every aspect of the adventure. And yet, they persevered.

One of the rules of the year that was intended to help keep everyone safe was that no parents were allowed inside the practice facility ever. Which, HUZZAH! Let's keep that rule! While I missed taking a peak here and there to see how the girls were doing, it was genuinely nice having clarity around what I should do during those practices. And what I should do is not stay there, but rather go run errands or really anything that wasn't standing around surrounded by other cheer parents.

Much productivity was had.

But, really, I had noooo idea how things were going.

For what it's worth, expectations are super high whenever Alexis is involved. She's that kid who is good at all of the things and I expect her to be good at all of the things because she can handle those types of expectations. So I knew she would nail her part of the performance and ... she did. She was flawless and amazing and all of those things. (Is that a mom brag? Yes, it is. DEAL WITH IT.)

But, Mila. Mila goes through life setting expectations as low as possible. Every week she replied to, "What did you learn in practice?" with "I don't know. I talked to my friends." And I believe her. I fully believe the child spent as much time as possible visiting with everyone and chatting and not paying any attention. She is a social butterfly and her whole reason for participating in any sort of activity is to spend time with lots of people.

She really likes ALL of the people.

AND YET. That child! That tiny little comet was flawless and amazing and all of those things! (Another mom brag? YES. Why have a mom blog if you don't brag about your kids from time-to-time?) She truly is pocket-sized, so she's a flyer. I watched as that kid managed straight extensions and strong form and generally did really well on every single one of the stunts. Which, if she didn't spend so much time lowering expectations, that's exactly what I would expect. Her big sister has been making her be a flyer in stunts since the moment she was big enough to stand.

Still, I'm pretty proud of both of them. Or, at least I was until it came time for awards. It was during the traditional waiting for awards dance party that I learned something very critical to my opinions regarding both of those girls. It turns out that at some point in time, Alexis taught Mila the dance to Cotton-Eyed Joe. And now I'm disappointed in both of them because THAT is a dance that was better off left at weddings.