Ski progress...

Happy to report that Natalie has become quite a little skier! Only 2 lessons in, on top of 3 evenings of skiing - she is doing so great. Just last night, she was beating me to the bottom of the mountain run after run! I think that not only is she learning some skills, but also has increased confidence, and along with some healthy peer competition it has really helped her out. She is so proud of herself... as she should be! I love that she is having fun with it and that we are getting out and doing something fun in the midst of the "winter that never ends" that we live here in the Northeast!

A so fun, but not so fun, story to share about a trip to West Mountain...

A couple weeks ago - I think at our 2nd trip to West, Natalie wanted to take the bigger chairlift to the summit. I had been on that lift and trail before and I knew that she could do it. It was still a green circle, just a longer run. I was a little nervous as we were heading up - although I was willing myself not to show it... I was thinking to myself, "This is her 2nd time skiing, should I really be taking her to the summit?? I hope it isn't too hard and I ruin her skiing experience forever!!" But I just go with it acting all confident and sure.

Well, we get to the summit and I hop off the lift at the "unloading point," but Natalie doesn't get off the lift!!! Crazy! She panics, I panic, she hits the bar that sends an alarm and stops the entire lift! In the midst of her panic, she jumps off the lift.... she is about to burst into tears, but holds it together as the man comes out from the little shack to help her get her skis back on and going. Once we are alone (well as alone as you can be on top of a ski mountain) she breaks down into tears and is so nervous and upset about what happens. At this point, I am backpedaling my panic, trying to act like it is no big deal and that it happens all the time. Not sure how well I am doing, but at that moment, my cell phone rings (yes, on top of the mountain and my cell phone rings.... the glories of modern technology!) and it was my mom telling me that she and my Dad had come to the mountain to see Natalie ski. Hearing that, Natalie totally shifts gears and is excited to get going to show off for Nannie and Poppy!

As we ski down the mountain, I am having an entire conversation in my head. I am talking to myself about how the counselor in me, knows that I must get her back up that lift tonight! The mom in me is nervous about not wanting her to "fail" again in getting off the lift and worried that I may be ruining her for life! Not knowing what the right answer is, I say to her at the end of the run (and after a short visit with my parents)..."Natalie, where to next?" and she says "To the top again!!" PHEW!!!

Happy to report that she has successfully done the summit lift many times now and has even taken to the top with just one of her friends.... I wonder how many moments like this I have ahead of me?