Today was “Show Day” at the Little Gym. We’ve been going as a foursome every Saturday morning since late August, and today was the last day of the “fall semester.” Since next Saturday we start the “spring semester” (God knows, we cannot stop now- the boys would despise us forever if we quit Little Gym now!), today was not the end of anything, rather — just a marker in time, a sort of graduation if you will. On “Show Day” everybody is encouraged to bring their extended family to take photos and cheer as the toddlers are all awarded red ribbons that say “I’m a STAR at the LITTLE GYM!” on them. Since we have no family around, we went just the four of us as usual. But Braydon took plenty of photos to make up for it. And Braydon & I clapped and cheered louder for our kids than any of the other parents-gradparents-aunts-uncles-and-cousins-combined did for their kids when each toddler stood on the “stand” with their ribbon proudly raised high above their head. And the highlight of the day for everyone (including K & O) was when Owen stood on the stand with his ribbon over his head and I yelled very loudly above all the clapping — “Yay Owen! YOUR MAMA LOVES YOU!!!” The adults all laughed, the toddlers all squealed with delight, and our Teacher “Miss Jackie” told me later that she “can’t imagine what I’ll do at their college graduation” (neither can I people, neither can I!)… but for my boys it was a proud, proud moment. They brought it up several times during the rest of the day as they re-enacted the scene at home — climbing up on chairs, raising their red ribbons, and directing me to “Say it! Mama! Say it!” —- I’d yell it at the top of my lungs each and every time they’d relive the moment: “Yay Kyle and Owen! Your Mama Loves You!!!” Kyle and Owen loved “Show Day.” Of course it goes without saying that everyday is Show Day for these two…
