Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Burning some energy

We've been looking for ways to burn some energy around here...Boden is practically bouncing off the walls and needs to RUN!

The second day we were here in VA we joined the YMCA.  We are so excited about all the fun programs they have, especially for Boden.  Two mornings and two evenings each week they offer a GEKO (Group Exercise for Kids Only) class for 3-5yr olds that is 30 min long and he can go to while I work out.  We drop them off in the Stay & Play area and then the teacher takes them to and from the class and I just pick him back up when I'm done.  We've taken him a few times and he loves it....well, except for the sit-ups part, I was watching last night and they were doing 10 sit-ups....Boden did like 3 and then told the teacher "this is hard!"...and then proceeded to watch the rest of the kids finish their sit-ups. ha.  We had a talk later about perserverence and how sometimes things are hard, but you have to keep doing them to get good at it.  He pretty much just stared at me and then said "but....sit-ups are hard, mom." Yes, honey, I know, I know.
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One day I saw them playing a game where they scattered things all over the gym and then pretended to "pick up the trash" and had to run around and put the things one at a time in a hula hoop, another day they were doing relay races across the gym (yay for wearing my kid out!), and today I saw them playing on little stilt things (you know, the plastic cups attached to strings? what are those called anyway?),
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and my favorite is probably watching them do jumping jacks....ever watch a group of 3-5 yr olds try to do jumping jacks? it's pretty entertaining.  Boden just jumps up and down and flails his arms all around. so cute.
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They also have a parents night out on Sat night that you can sign up for once a month - they will watch your kids from 6-9:30 and you can go out, at no extra cost (its included with a family membership).  That's exciting to us, since we don't yet have babysitters here.  And twice a month they have a parents morning out that Boden can go to for 3 hrs and do "preschool" stuff.  I think he will love that!  They have an awesome outdoor pool and splash park as well as a nice indoor pool.  I'm excited about getting the kids in swimming lessons next month.  I had wondered how I would be able to do a mommy & me class with Claire while having Boden with us - but since it's at the Y, he can go to stay and play while Claire and I swim.  Perfect!

I think the YMCA is going to be great for us - after just 5 visits Claire finally quit crying through the whole thing and yesterday she actually went right into her class on her own. It's a great break for me during the day to get a chance to workout without children under my feet and what mom can complain about getting to take a shower while someone else entertains your kids?  That in itself is worth the cost of the membership!

**Pics are a little fuzzy, I know - they were taken on my phone