Break Out the Be-Dazzler

As I'm sure it did for millions of girls across the country, tonight's Ladies Figure Skating representation the culmination of the Olympics for Alexa.  Yesterday, she came home from school asking about Gracie Gold (apparently she was the hot topic among girls in her class), and I could only smile as I recalled my aspirations to be like Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas.  Although Alexa has expressed a desire to learn to ski, snowboard and speedskate, there is no doubt that figure skating is Alexa's favorite winter sport.

I quickly learned that watching the Olympics with Alexa is not a passive activity, but watching the skating with her is a definite workout.  She waits for the music of each routine to begin, and she proceeds to "land figure skate" alongside the skater on tv.  Alexa's routines are a hodgepodge of figure skating and gymnastic elements, coupled with some random gyrations and dance moves...very interesting choreography.  Oftentimes, I am lucky enough to be included in Alexa's routine, playing the role of the male figure skater and tossing Alexa around for various jumps and lifts.  We're quite the land skating duo!

Although I promised to take Alexa ice skating during her Spring Break, she has been pressing me to enroll her in formal ice skating lessons.  It was not until tonight that I realized why....she assumes that she will get to wear the outfits like the competitors on television.  She oohs and aahs over each of the girls outfits, rating each one on her like-dislike scale (the gaudier the better in Alexa's mind).  Her logic makes sense, as I love leotard shopping for her, so Alexa's gymnastics leotards are glitzy and sparkly just like she sees on tv.  She will be devastated to learn that skating lessons only require a hoodie, leggings and gloves....not a flowy, sequined little dress.

I will see how our Spring Break skating session goes before I break the news to her.  If she still loves skating and wants to take lessons, I had better break out the sequins and learn how to sew.  Her hoodies and leggings may look like they came from Liberace's garage sale :)

Her first skating attempt last year was pretty good;
we'll see how the next attempt, which I'm sure will include
some Olympic caliber moves, will turn out!