When in Doubt, Flex!

Ahh, the Muscle Flex. Miss started doing this particular move a few months ago. At first it was hard to get her to do it on command, particularly when her Daddy had the video camera out to capture the move. So initially any time she did it, my hubby and I clapped wildly and cheered to encourage her to do it more. As a result, she turned the Flex into a two-part move, where the first step is the muscle flex, followed by hand clapping. Then she added another component, the fist pump (or to those with a cheerleading background, the "Fight Motion"). So for a while it always went like this, Muscle Flex, hand clapping, fist pump. Over time she decided the applause wasn't necessary, and she has streamlined the move to be just a Muscle Flex and then a fist pump. I crack up every time she does this. The facial expression that accompanies the Flex is the best. Unfortunately, she is much more willing to do it when the camera is not around (of course) so I don't have many good photos of the Flex move, and none of the fist pump. But here are a few I do have, in various stages of the Flex:

That last one is my favorite! Anyway, her new thing is to do the Flex at very unexpected times. Like when we're checking out at a store or a stranger comes up to speak to her when we're out somewhere. I'll say something like "Can you wave Hello?" or "Say Hi!" Miss will have the shy, bury-her-head-in-my-shoulder thing going on for a second. Then our of nowhere, Flex!!! Fist pump!! And it looks so odd, I'm sure, to someone who doesn't know what she's doing, that I always have to explain that she's flexing her muscles. Of course this always gets a laugh, even if it is sometimes an uncomfortable chuckle as the stranger shuffles away, but I always give Miss props for her flexing. I love it, and find it so funny that it's now her go-to move when she's feeling shy. What better way to say, "I'm confident!" and "Don't mess with me!" ???

Finally, the last few photos are just an add-on while we're on the topic of muscles. Here are Miss's first attempts at a medicine ball dead lift.

That's my girl!!