Super Skater!

I know I'm relatively new to this parenting gig, but here's one thing I've learned in my 4 years, 8 months, and 24 days on the job: there's not much better than your child doing something that leaves you in total awe. 


Enter an inauspicious trip to the skating rink. FEAT, a local group to support and provide resources for families of children with autism, was hosting an event at Skate Town in our neighborhood exclusive to families of kids with ASDs. When I got the email, I forwarded it to Jeremy. My "What do you think?" was answered with his "Why not?" All they wanted was a $10 donation per family, and there's a comfort in attending these functions with families that are in the same boat. If everything goes to hell, you're among company that understands.

So Sunday night arrived. Since he had spent the day of the event working like a maniac to get our backyard ready for company the next day*, Jeremy already designated me the skater and him the Kate-watcher. Cool. 

*Why yes, we DID decide to have people over for a cookout on Memorial Day... not quite a week after Kate's surgery. And the day before I went back to work after maternity leave. We might be lunatics. :D

So Luke and I got our skates, put them on, and headed out to the floor. 

First reaction: OH. MY. GOD is it hard to skate when you've taken an approximately 20 year hiatus, AND you're 7.5 weeks post-partum, AND you're skating while simultaneously supporting your four year old who is skating for the first time in his life. So, if any of you is reading this and have yet to take your kid skating for the first time: see if you can stay in your normal, wheel-less shoes as you support your beginning skater on the slick rink floor. I was sweating like a hooker in church, y'all, and my body hurt in ways I've never experienced. Making about an eighth of the semi-circle of the rink seemed to take hours. I then saw Jeremy, about half the circumference of the rink away, with one of the little PVC-pipe support things for Luke, and y'all? I got tears in my eyes. Seriously. Because all I could think of was, "Oh my GOD, it will be Tuesday before we reach that thing. I'm going to die out here." Luckily, my friend Kerri was there with her kid, swooped over to him like Michelle Kwan, and zipped it over to me. Thank the LORD!!!! 

The support rail** helped a lot, but Luke wanted off the rink floor. Smart kid. 

**I don't know what to call this thing.

I removed my skates, so I was much better equipped to help Luke. Once we hit the carpet, Luke really got moving with his support rail:

AMAZING! 

Before too much longer, he ditched the support completely and was rocking out on his own.

Let me be clear about one thing: neither Jeremy nor I were naturals at skating. I don't think you could even say we were ever good at it, so where Luke's relative ease at skating comes from is totally beyond us! And I'm certainly not saying that Luke is some skating prodigy either. But what we totally thought would be "well, at least we tried" endeavor turned out to be totally delightful. It is always a treat being tickled by what cool things your babies are capable of. :)

So, in conclusion: Luke and parenthood are awesome.