James Morris, Skier

Lots of posts, but different subjects.

Joel Andrew skied when he was 2 and 3.  It was mostly for us, and for our fun and amusement I now see.  Joel Andrew skies this year and he is amazing.  He does black diamonds, he knows how to stop and turn and goes through trees and has a great time.  When he was 2 and 3 and not in a solid program, we basically put him in daycare - I realize now - that was expensive, and sometimes frustrated him and made him cold.  He was not mature enough yet to learn the finer points of skiing, and just leashed down the mountain when he was 2, and pizza-ed down the mountain when he was 3.  Was it worth it, yes?  Does he love skiing now, yes!  But, I just thought I would share my realization, which came with James.

James has been going to "ski-day-care" the past few weeks.  This allows Joel Husband and I to get out on the mountain while Joel Andrew is in ski school, and it also allows James the chance to suit up and ski too - which makes him so proud because all he really wants to do is what his brother is doing, so he loves the idea of going to ski school and skiing like Joelly.

We watched him go on his "snowflake mobile" to his lesson, he didn't even notice we were there.  He was just happy to be going out with an instructor and having a great time.  We watched him another weekend on the bunny slope, no tears, he rocked the magic carpet and then did not so much rock the slopes - but we attributed that to the sticky snow that day.  I was proud of my guy.  He needed more of a mountain I kept thinking.

Here are his ski-lesson notes:

1st lesson: "James and I went out and did a few runs on the magic carpet.  He can ski without any help and really likes to go fast! We are working on making a pizza and turning, I think we are getting close"

2nd lesson - sticky snow day, see I was not wrong: "Even though the snow was sticky we still had a great time on the magic carpet!  We did 5 runs and James had a great time!  He is working on making a pizza without an edgie-wedgie."

3rd: "James did a great job gliding on his skis!!  He had a hard time doing pizzas, but made some turns and had a LOT of fun."

4th: "James does great skiing! He can glide very well on his own, but just needs to get better doing a pizza to slow down.  Great job overall!"

The positive messages have two themes.  One - James loves it.  We have witnessed this and we can confirm he does.  Two - he does not want to learn how to slow or stop.

We took him on his first chair lift run this weekend, after his 4th lesson, and he was awesomely excited and true to the notes from his teachers - I have never seen such a happy expression from the kid, mouth wide open happy and ready to go.  I have never seen such a frustrated grin on his dad, trying to pull James by the leashes and keep him going at a manageable speed.  James will not try and stop, he would keep going and going into the ski lodge if he had his way.  I think his dad put it best: "James pulled me down the mountain."

We will let him go to ski-day-care a few more times, he loves it and why not?  Plus skiing for us too!  But, I am thinking next year he will really grow into more of a skier, like his brother.  For now, I am keeping him away from some of the Olympic sports on television, like any that go fast down a mountain...