Cameron's First Ice Skating Adventure

This past weekend the Borsts came to visit us. We had a ton of fun and most of the pictures will be coming in a separate post. One of the main things we did though was go ice skating! It was Cameron's very first time going, using his new skates that he got for Christmas. It was only the second time Jack had ever been, and Ella was excited to practice the skating she had learned a few years ago.

Everyone really did a great job. We were so impressed by Ella, who was just about ready to join the Olympics with how she was whizzing around the ice. I was just waiting for her to start doing some spins and jumps! Jack did so well too, especially once he got ahold of PVC pipe walker (see photos below) - once he had that in his hands, he was flying around the ice.

And Mr. Cameron, my little two year old skating champion, did SO WELL. We started off with two spins around the ice, and he was not liking it. He didn't like how shaky he was and he didn't like how his feet were slipping. He wanted off the ice!! We took a break, sitting outside the rink, and talked about how it was hard but he just had to try again. We tried to entice him on the ice with chasing Ella and Jack, skating with Daddy, skating with Poppa, etc. Nothing would budge him, until we thought of one of Cameron's important parts of playing hockey at home. He likes to "take a break and sit on the bench" while he is playing at home, so we pointed out that if he got back on the ice, he could sit on an ACTUAL HOCKEY BENCH. Well, if that didn't get his feet moving!!!

Back onto the ice we went, skating around to the first bench, taking a break, skating to the second bench, sitting and taking another break, and then continuing around the rink to the first bench again. I think we did this for close to another hour. It was slow going, but Cam got better with every turn around the rink. By the end he was able to move his feet and propel himself forward ever so slightly. He had much better balance and was able to skate just holding on to one person's hand. He really improved and we were so proud.

He has been talking about it ever since - how he went skating, that he had so much fun, how he is going to go again. So I think it made a good impression on him, and hopefully we can go skating again soon and keep up his practice. It was a great first ice skate though!!

Cameron, ready to get on the ice.
Whoa, this is slippery!!
Poppa and Daddy take Cameron for a spin.
View from the ice
The Borst family make their way around the ice.
Concentration. Or exhaustion.
Poppa and Nana work with Cam.
Jeff and Ella showing off their skills.
Borst Family photo. Jack was not in the mood for a nice family photo though. :-P
Jack and Cam taking a break on the hockey bench.
It's Mama and Daddy's turn to skate with Cameron!
Now it is Ella and Cameron's turn for a break.
Kim and Jack with the PVC pipe walker that was a great skating aid.
Jack was a speed demon with this thing!
Now it is Cameron's turn. He couldn't move it by himself, so Poppa had to help.
I am working very hard, please do not disturb me.
Cam and Mama - skating with just one hand to hold!
And trying to stand all on his own.
Cameron did so well, we were sooooo proud of our boy!!!