Recently, Zach talked me into taking the kids skating with him. I'm so glad he did!
Hannah, who wears a full prosthetic leg, had an understandably difficult time, especially at first.
Brianna, who hasn't been skating in years, did really well. I was surprised to see her doing big and small circles and jumps. Part of me would love to see her in lessons.
Brayden, in the stripes, also surprised me with how well he does. He's 3, and he was out there for a good chunk of the 2 hour session. When he asked why I wasn't skating, I told him, "Nai Nai doesn't roller skate; I only ice skate." Now I'm thinking we need an ice skating date!
This was Jack's first time on skates, so he fell several times, but he kept trying.
This is Jack in the blue camo shirt.
The girls started out thinking that it was not very fun. The building was hot, and they kept falling.
That's Eli on the left. This was his second time skating, and he did well!
After a while, the girls decided to stand on a carpeted platform so they could watch. I took each of them around the rink once, and even with me walking in street shoes, Hannah almost knocked me down. Katie did better, and I think with practice, she could get the hang of it.
Katie and Brayden are so cute together. She always asks, "Brayden coming o-fer today?" She loves having him here to play with, but she's not great about sharing, so there's usually some screaming on her part.
I missed the smile. Hannah really did have more fun than it looks like from this picture. By the end of the evening, she could walk back and forth along the carpeted wall, and more importantly, she'd learned how to get her "real" foot/leg under her first, and balance as she straightened up, to pick herself up from a fall.
Brianna and Eli both want to go skating again soon. In fact, Brianna wants to bring The Boy next time. I'm pretty sure she won't let me get any pictures of that.
Rollerskating is like riding a bike, it comes right back! After not skating for over 20 years, I hopped right back in the rink and did great. Sadly, dd doesn't like it, so we don't go very often. I need a skating buddy!
ReplyDeleteCan you believe I never learned how to ride a bike or roller skate? I was "that kid" in school. Always picked last in PE. But I can propel myself forward on ice skates.
DeleteThen we ought to ice skate some time. We have a season pass for the outdoor holiday rink here. It's open from Nov. to Jan. It's our home away from home during winter.
ReplyDeleteOh, that sounds fun! :)
DeleteI used to love roller skating when I was a kid. I should really take the kids to the rink more often.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how fast the years fly by. I always think, "We should..." but it took Zach saying, "Let's go NOW" for me to actually try it. I was nervous about the little girls, but it was a positive experience overall.
DeleteI met my husband on roller skates a little over 31 years ago. It is great exercise for everyone. When our daughter was little she fell often but everyone just kept reminding her to keep her knees bent. Now she is 21 and dances on her skates. My husband skates still occasionally but I just watch because I can't afford a fall. I bet if you give your daughters another chance they will gain some confidence, start skating better and smile.
ReplyDeleteOh that's sweet! :) The kids are all talking about going again, but I think next time we'll try ice skating so I can get out there, too.
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