Skating Pro

I have been taking Mackenzie skating Friday mornings since October 2007. We usually only lasted on the ice for about 20 minutes and during that time Mackenzie was usually being pushed on a chair by me. "Faster, faster!" she'd ask. For the last month she has been taking her chair support and hitting the ice before I have my skates on. Also, for the last month I have been taking Taylor along as well, switching from morning skates to the after school skates. Both have been gaining in self-confidence and can now out-skate me. Yesterday, Mackenzie abandoned the chair minutes after getting onto the ice and only the last five minutes was being pushed around on a chair. She even skated once around the entire rink with me. She has also learned to get back up without holding onto anyone or anything when she does fall down. Now, now, I have to learn to skate again. My two girls don't need me any more and without pushing one of them on a chair, I no longer have it to hold myself up. I had to send Taylor after Mackenzie once when she crossed the barrier between the beginning skaters and the practiced skaters. I just can't keep up. However, we are all getting better. I can now stand up after a session on the ice for my legs are no longer reduced to jello. They are ;however, frozen for I'm not skating as quickly as I could while using a chair to hold myself up. As for Mackenzie, she has declared, once again, "I'm a big girl now. I'm five. Are you proud of me?" We must invest in a proper hockey helmet with a cage for she just skates full out. Even the supervisor commented that she could use a caged helmet for "she has no fear and she's cute as a button so I'd hate to see her fall on her face."