HANDS UP! STANDS UP!

Often I will find myself upstairs and I will hear a THUMP, pause, then THUMP, pause, then THUMP, pause, then THUMP. It continues on and on and I don't have to worry about us having a burglar or a large elephant in the home because I know it is Stella practicing her handstands. She has never taken any task quite this seriously. It is a daily discipline with her hand standing and flipping away in our living room. Her epic stands improve each week and I am becoming used to the constant thumps.

A few days ago when I picked up Stella from school some girls were doing handstands in the front of the school. I thought it might be Stella and a friend, but it wasn't. When I asked Stella about it she told me that yes, her and her friends have been doing handstands at recess (which I knew), and that now other girls in other grades were starting to do it too (which I did not know). I was kind of impressed--my daughter, the little trendsetter. Her friends have made it a game. The person that is "it" calls out "Hands up, stands up!" and then gives everyone one of the handstand choices. They are: Splits, Genie, Licorice, Ballerina, Fashion Up (you end the handstand with a sassy pose of your choice on the ground), and finally Mystery Box where you choose which type of handstand you want to do. Whoever does the best handstand becomes "it" and the game continues.

She told me that girls in fourth and even sixth grade are playing this game. Who knows, maybe one day all little girls will be playing "Hands Up Stands Up" and not realizing that a little second grader in Salt Lake City started it all in her living room.

I made her show me her moves and also snagged some pictures of her looking like the beautiful sweetheart she is.

Splits:

Genie:

Ballerina:

Licorice:

Fashion Up: