Maylee's 2012 Ski Report
Bunny Hill Runs: 17
Chairlift Runs: 15
Days Skiing: 5
We were tired of the rope tow eating our gloves, so I decided to take Maylee to the top! Kev was sceptical, but after the first time we have continued using the chairlift. I told Maylee that she can't wiggle or she will fall and get a big owie and cry. A lift attendant picks her up and sets her on the seat beside me. She hugs the bar in the middle and away we go. To get off, I reach over, pick her up, and ski down. The first time that it was time to unload, I told her she needed to let go of the bar, and she said "No Mama, no." I had to tell her she did a good job holding the bar but now it is time to get off and ski so she needed to let go. Then, she did it. She was never scared of the chair lift, she was just listening to the rule of holding on.
The first three ski trips she continued to ski between my legs. I also started having her hold onto a ski pole in front of us and I would tip down which side she needed to push that foot into the snow to help turn. I could really tell which turns she was pushing and which she was having me do all the work. On flatter areas, she is pretty good and holding a horizontal pole and skiing between us. She even gets "fancy" and will walk her hands on the pole to get closer to me and then get closer to Kev.
This ski trip we went skiing with Wes, Emma, and Sarah. The girls would ski in front of us and Maylee would yell "Sarah, I'm comin!" Then, Maylee started confidently announcing, "I ski by myself Mom." On near flat areas, we would let her ski by herself. She will shuffle walk with her skiis until she gets enough momentum and then glide. She bends her knees and has pretty good balance, so we are going to start her on the harness with leases so she can ski out in front of us instead of between our legs.
Lodge Pics
Silly Uncle Wes...
Skiing Pics from December and February
Skiing asleep...she had a BIG day and worked hard...
Skiing independently as requested, "I ski by myself"...
Skiing in the middle...
Chairlift Pics
In line for her first time...
Holding the pole...
March 4, 2012
Skiing for the first time with the leashes and harness!
We lost the leashes that went with the old harness. We bought it when we were teaching Emma to ski when she was four years old. Maylee wore the part that went around her chest because it gave us something to hold on to. When we went skiing with Emma, Sarah, and Wes, Maylee kept telling us she could ski by herself. That same day, we saw a family with a 3-year old boy who was using Lucky Bums ski harness and leash. I had Maylee watch him go by and told her to look at his ski backpack and leashes that help him ski by himself. I know that she likes backpacks because Dora has one. She was studying that boy, so I her if she needed a ski backpack too? Of course, she said, "Yes!" Our plan was to get one, but it really helped watching another kid with one.
We bought ours at our local ski shop and when we got home she had to wear it around the house. I would hold onto the leashes and would pull her to make her turn different directions walking around our house. Maylee would also pretend to fall just to make us pick her up with the handle on the back. She even packed it as one of her toys when we had to go clean the church. She wore it for 30 minutes, running up and down the pews. She loves her "ski backpack!"
March 4th was the BIG day of trying out the new ski backpack so she could "ski by herself."
Here are the pictures...
We love this harness system! Just the slightest pull on a leash will get her to turn. Plus, the handle across the backpack makes it much easier to lift her after a fall or when she sits down for a break. The backpack holds the leashes when we are on the chair lift, but also has room for Dora fruit snacks.
Skiing with Mom...
Skiing through the trees with Dad...
Skiing with Papa...
Probably more than half of her falls were on purpose so she could "take a break and eat snow."
Whoever was handling the leashes had to watch her closely and be ready for a "break" at any given moment. She has a great sense of balance and corrected herself (ski tips, balance, etc) to prevent a fall many times.
Pretending to sleep on her "break"...
Thank you Aunt Marty (Nana Jo's sister-in-law) for the Dora treats.
We didn't use the treats to bribe her to ski, only to ski to a more safe spot on the side for a "break with snow and Dora treats" vs. plopping down in the middle of a run.
We also used them as a reward for doing so well!
Cute family of skiers!
I didn't realize my coat in this picture makes me look pregnant. We usually have a lot of stuff in our pockets and backpacks when skiing with toddler (water bottles, Kleenex, wipes, TP in case we can't make it to the lodge, chap stick, two cameras, extra gloves, and food)
