no more buckets for this boy!

My nephew Dominic has been taking skating lessons for awhile now to prepare him for his illustrious career in hockey.  My brother-in-law played in college and then went on to coach for awhile so it was always a given that Dominic would follow in Daddy's footsteps.

The first lesson set he had they give them Home Depot buckets to use to keep them propped up on the ice.  Supposedly, by then end of the set of lessons the kids graduated from buckets.  Dominic did not think this was a good idea and decided he would hold onto his buckets for awhile.  We got to see him skate on his last day of lessons and Emma got to skate with him for the last half hour.

Even holding onto the buckets he was fast!  Well, he's finally done with the buckets and even skates backwards!  He's 4, by the way.  I don't think I ever learned to skate backwards on ice.

So last week was his last lesson of the current session.  We went to see him and let Emma skate (she has not had lessons).  Now he's like Wayne Gretzky out there!

There he is!  No buckets!  Isn't he so cute in his little hockey helmet!?!

Here's Emma with her buckets.  She was pretty unsure at first, but then she got the hang of the buckets and had a good time trying to keep up with her cousin.

Chloe seemed to have fun just waving at them as they skated by.  She'll be out there soon enough!