Taiger, The Hockey Player!!

Tonight was "THE BIG EVENT"...the one we have been waiting for! The "PLAY HOCKEY FOR FREE" night at the ice skating rink! Grandpa and Uncle B came to watch. It was fantastic! Being all padded up, using curved hockey skates, and carrying a stick made the skating experience different from in the past, and it took Taiger a few minutes to get used to it. At first, Grandpa and Uncle B weren't sure he was going to make it...but I had faith in him and KNEW he could do it! I just KNEW he could! I have seen how much he LOVES to skate, so even if he spent most of the time falling, I knew it was what he wanted to do, and I had faith he could do it. :) Sure enough, after about 5 mins of practice, he was off and going! Not without a lot of falling and sliding! But he really started to get the hang of it, and BOY! did he love it! The very best part of it was that there were adults and also "experienced" hockey players on the ice to help the kids. When Taiger seemed to be having a hard time, when he fell, etc. one of the helpers would come to the rescue. However, Taiger REFUSED to accept help! It was so funny, and also so cute. He was determined to do it himself, and I LOVED watching his determination to do it on his own.



At one point, Taiger got off the ice for me to fix his skate. As soon as it was laced properly, he was on his feet and ready to go. He yelled in his toughest voice, "I am brave! I am strong!" And then he growled! He hit me on the arm and started pounding his stick on the ground. I growled back at him (what else was I to do?!) and said, "Get out there and hit that puck! Grrrrr!" It was so funny! He was loving all the boyishness of it all. :)

While he was on the ice, Bryndon was out getting a video, and he could hear Taiger shouting to himself, "I am fast! I am powerful!" And then he fell. :) SO funny!



We had so much fun watching! Taiger was a hoot! However, watching all of the other little kids was a riot, too. :) They are all so cute!



So, I have loaded pictures here. Below those, you will find videos (again, probably only interesting to family, namely Grandparents and Aunt Bryttan ;) :) ).

Driving to the rink.

Getting his gear from the coach. Getting his helmet fitted by the coach. Getting suited up.
Ready to beat a puck!

Picking his nose. (WHEN WILL THIS PHASE END?!)

Getting used to the stick.

Grandpa and Taiger.

Trying to look tough.

Getting our game faces on. (I just kind of look like an ornrey brat...that is why I don't play contact sports.)

Laying over the bench while Bryndon and Mommy fix his skates.

And now, our feature presentation! (And there are more to come, so stay tuned!)