My Skating Board!

Last week there was a post on the Fertile Ground blog about how much fun Stacey had taking her family to Skateland. I thought that sounded like fun, and something we might do when I'm less likely to fall and cause myself major harm. Then the next day Connor decided to become a hockey player. (See below.) Needless to say, I couldn't wait any longer - one of the things on my Target shopping list Sunday was "Skates for Connor."

We made the family trip to Target, and found the skates. I was looking through the small selection of skates and the vast array of protective gear while Connor stood next to me, pointing up the skateboards and whining "A skaaaaatiiing booooaaard" repeatedly. It didn't take long for me to realize that A) Connor wanted a skateboard, and B) the skateboards were about a third the price of the skates. I looked at Chip and said, "How about skates/pads/etc. for his birthday, and get a skateboard and helmet now?" Chip, who always trusts my shopping prowess, agreed immediately. Judging by Connor's whining, he was going to like this idea also.

After picking out a Mickey Mouse skateboard and blue helmet, we were good to go. Connor put the helmet on immediately, packaging and all, and wore it for the rest of the trip to Target, the trip to Lowe's, and the trip to Schnucks. This from my child who refuses to wear the hood on his jacket in sub-freezing temperatures! "I'm going to ride the skating board outside when we get home!" "That's right!" (Repeat ad nauseum)

When we got home, we immediately cut the packaging away from the helmet and skateboard and got outside to practice. "I'm doing it! I'm doing it, Mommy!"


Fortunately we have one of those driveways that doesn't lend itself to smooth skating. It made it easy for him to get the feel of it, and he always had to have one foot pushing off the ground in order to go anywhere so I didn't have to worry about whether he would fall off. (Although he did practice some dramatic falling- this comes from watching the X Games, where the competitors fall pretty regularly.) Later on Connor got on his Big Wheel to Fred Flinstone it around the neighborhood (he refuses to use the pedals properly) with the helmet on and the skateboard under one arm. "Do you want to try your skateboard out here on the street?" Connor looked at me like I was nuts and replied, "Not on a WALK, Mommy, only behind our house!" I guess he's not ready to unleash his mad skateboard skills on an unsuspecting public.

Eventually the sun went down and we headed inside for some rest, some juice, and some Dora. The skateboard is for outside only, so it didn't come in with us, but we figured out a suitable way to hold on to the magic of the day anyway.