Our Doodle. The tiniest of our tots. The smallest in our family. The last to take up sport.

For a couple years we have been taking Doodle all over town in support of her sisters activities. Soccer. Volleyball. Theater. Dance. Choir. You name it, she’s supported it. And for a couple years she has always been a dedicated audience member. Mimicking her sisters volleyball stance and bumping the ball about at home. Kicking and chasing a soccer ball. Glowing as her sister steps on stage. Dancing along to the songs being sang. It has been a pleasure to watch her excitement and love shine through her support. Don’t let me fool you, she gets antsy and she runs off at soccer games, she bounces about at volleyball tournaments and she may be quite the fidget during a choir performance. But, she is a fan of her big sisters, there is no doubt.

Doodle is now entering childhood sport. It is her turn to play while we cheer. It has taken me a while to commit to a sport for her. There are more than a few reasons… 1. She was too young to participate on her own until she turned three. 2. I didn’t want to project my love for a sport onto her, though swimming is my first love, I never wanted to force her into it (she did take lessons for the staying alive aspect of swimming, but has not been placed into the sport for sports sake). 3. I didn’t know what she would like and any sport is a financial time commitment. 4. We are already a busy family, I was struggling with adding to the schedule.

But, as time always does, it has had a way of working itself out. Last year we introduced our girls to the sport of hockey. It was love at first game for all three of our girls. Constant cheering, a smitten daughter or two and one very focused toddler. Since the introduction she has called the goalie of our home town team “brother”, for no good reason at all really. However, at the start of this season, she started stating that she wanted to be just like brother. Doodle has indicated that she wants to be a goalie. We’ve been to the ice rink a couple times as a family and she has been in awe of the hockey practices occurring. Destiny took its turn, she vocalized her interest.

One day I was pondering the opportunity to engage Doodle in something, anything. A little Google research; dance classes, music classes, ice skating… And I happened upon an opportunity to sign her up for “Snow Plow 1” starting that coming Saturday. It was spontaneous, with no time to think of the impact to our schedule, I was excited and it was after-all something she indicated interest in.

Doodle has now attended three classes. Upon arrival for our first class, we were early and I was nervous. My littlest on ice skates. I shared a table with a fellow supporting mom, her boy was in hockey league, while I got Avery ready. As we were fitting the skates the young boy came off the ice and his mom told him the story of her wanting to play hockey and needing to learn how to ice skate. He ruffled through his equipment bag and gifted Avery his elbow pads that he had grown out of. Note, the elbow pads in the photos are from sweet little Jimmy (seriously that is his name, we think). Ave was wobbly and nervous in the skates, but we made it through. Practice two went well. But, practice three, oh my practice three was a success. Avery tossed a toy and “skated” to it, picked it up and tossed it again. Back and forth and across the ice she practice moving all alone.