Skates on a Peg

Two weekends ago, my sister came up to visit from Rochester with her hubby Josh and daughter Charlotte who is 4. Emily said that Charlotte has been going ice skating at the rink by their house and suggested we go with them for open skating here at our sports center. Immediately I knew this was a fantastic idea. See, Tim has always played hockey. Since he was big enough to walk, Tim was practically walking with skates on. His dad coached for many years and basically hockey runs in the their blood. Since Tim graduated high school, he has missed hockey and skating so much. With his work hours, he hasn't been able to join a league so the hockey bug got worse. He has wanted to play so badly but with our lives being the way they are, it's made his itch to play pretty bad. As soon as I talked to Tim about the idea of skating, he was so excited. See, he bought Parker hockey skates last year but Parker was not in a place then to even attempt bringing him skating. His sensory issues alone were enough for us to just have wait....wait with the skates hanging on a peg in the garage. Just waiting for Parker. We finally got to take the skates off the wall....

We had my dad, Emily, Josh and Charlotte with us which was not only comforting to Tim and I for help, but also for Parker. We walked into the arena and immediately Parker kept running for the door with his Mama Ducky. "HOME!!! HOOOOME!!" He screamed. My dad took his hand and sat with him in the bleachers while we all got our skates on. Tim first put Quinn's skates on and as soon as they were laced, off she went! It was like second nature to her. Even with her balance and motor skills right now, none of that mattered. She sprung off the bench and went right to the ice. Tim was already so excited. I could see it in his beaming smile and also how fast he laced his skates up.

As soon as we were out there, I helped Quinn on the ice and Tim went flying around the rink. He used to play hockey at the sports center all the time. I think it made Tim think about the times he had no responsibility. No cares really. I would come to watch him play in high school so it also made me think of those times too. I watched my dad and Parker in the bleachers. He took him down and brought him to get a gum ball. With Parker's sensory issues, chewing things calms him. Then he brought P around to the players bench. There's no glass there so it was a great view for P of what's going on in the rink. Also the sensory overload was taken down a peg because there's no glass in front of him restricting his view. My dad pointed to the people ice skating. His cousin, uncle, mama, sister, and dad all skating. Parker has issues with his feet and not taking off his crocs or socks for anything. Knowing this, Tim took Parker from the bench and brought him on the ice with his crocs on. He held him up with his crocs on the ice. He gently picked him up and whizzed off around the rink. Parker's smile went from ear to ear. The sensation of going to fast so smoothly. The chilly air hitting his face. The sound the skates made on the ice. Parker kept his focus on his and Tim's feet. He studied how Tim moved and watched the sketches in the ice move by so fast. Tim took him off the ice to show him he had his own hockey skates. Parker sat on the bench, took off his crocs and said "skates!" Yes, I will repeat that again....P wanted his crocs off for skates! Tim quickly put them on and I watched from the rink with Quinn. She was doing so well herself. I was scared that it was too much for Parker having him take off his crocs and doing skates all on the first time. Tim then came over to me with P held up in his arms and told me he requested to have his skates on. I almost fell over with excitement. Tim kept flying around the rink with P and I stayed with Quinn. She even told me "let go!" so I did. She skated slowly away from me on her own. Yes, these babes have hockey in their DNA. For the rest of the time at the rink, Tim got to mentor Parker with skating. Something this mama can never do. It's something that can only be taught and coached by Tim.

The following day, Tim bought a floor hockey net and set. All day we were shooting pucks in the living room. Parker would say "ice skating!" and bring a hockey stick over to us. We made up a song to help P remember how to hold a stick. Quinn would shoot pucks too. She would hold her hands up in the air and cheer every time a puck went in the little net.

Now last weekend came and we wanted to go to the rink again. Tim has to work weekend overnights but the times for skating falls right after he wakes up and ends before he has to leave. The time was made for us. We invited Tim's family to come to watch and skate that Sunday. Parker and Quinn got right on the ice. Luke, Parker and Quinn's cousin, skated nearby and wanted to help. He skated with us and even showed P how to skate with the large road cones for balance. After a little while, Tim let go of Parker and told him to skate to Mama. Tim let go, Luke skated nearby encouraging him. Parker slowly moved his ankles and off he went. He came skating over to me. All alone. No assistance. Tears of joy streamed from my face. Parker was skating all on his own.

P showed us in these two skating sessions of how much he has come in the last year. The hockey skates are no longer hanging on a peg in our garage. They stay in the back of our car. Just waiting for the next time we go to the rink. No longer are they a symbol of a goal we have not yet achieved. They are reality. They are a symbol of mentoring, coaching and bonding. A symbol of how far we have come and what opportunities we have as a family to be involved in skating and hockey. Watch out world. Quinn and P are coming and will never leave the sport the same after they are done with it.