Holding Family Blog: Ice Skating Adventures

Here at the Holding House, we tend to get Olympics fever. By "we" I, of course am referring to myself and Alexis. Paul is mildly interested, but he just wants to know the outcome, not watch the full event. Emma is a toss-up, as always - sometimes she'll watch, sometimes she could not care less.

Lexi and I have been INVOLVED with these Olympics. After watching the opening ceremony, she made her own American flag and taped it to a pole so she could also be a flag bearer. She understands the process and the medal count (I was even awarded a gold medal for 'treadmill' one night!)

From the very beginning of the opening ceremonies she was hooked: the ski jumping, downhill everything, skeleton, bobsled, and most importantly the skating. Oh the skating! Lexi was enthralled! She could quote scores the next day.

I have been letting her stay up until 8:20 every night (such rebels, we are!) to watch. It has been so entertaining listening to her gasp and say "Oh my!" during the performances. My favorite has been when she yelled, "Are you kidding me?" when one of the skaters fell after a jump - she told me "This is the Olympics - you aren't supposed to fall during the Olympics. Save that for practice!"

Well after a few moments of watching figure skating, Lexi asked me if she could grow up to be a figure skater. I told her she could, but she would have to learn how to ice skate. Turns out, you can do that here! I ended up signing BOTH girls up for lessons and we had our first session yesterday.

I was apprehensive about how they would adapt. Paul couldn't come, so my parents accompanied us and dutifully played photographers while Emma and I attended the Parent and Tot class and Lexi took her first steps onto the ice (her future home, if you ask her).

I fully anticipated that both girls would spend more time on their hineys than on their feet, and tears were definitely a possibility from both. I can say I was pleasantly surprised. Lexi did amazing for her first time in skates ever - she fell a few times, but overall she picked things up very quickly!

Emma surprised me as well. I figured I was in for more ice wrestling than ice skating; I didn't think she would be able to stand up, let alone skate. Turns out that girl can move pretty well in skates for not even being 3! Her poor instructor wanted the class (of 2 students) to spend the lesson practicing standing and getting up. Emma wanted to SKATE! She could go 7 or 8 feet before losing her balance, but she was right back up almost every time.