The hockey zone

I've got to say, there is nothing more exhilarating than seeing one of your babes super lit up about something. This little child's love of hockey has completely transformed our family life! A few months ago I was worried about how much television we watched (and that wasn't the first time I worried over the matter). Now I can't get either one of them to sit on the couch for more than 2 minutes - it's a freaking amazing "problem" to have! Carter would WAY rather skate on the roller blades we got him after his (very successful) first day of roller hockey. Skating around indoors is way more fun than watching Jake and the Neverland Pirates. And what's more fun than that? Roller blading outside while shooting pucks into his hockey goal with Dad. And what's more fun than that? Telling mom how sweaty he is because he's been "working so hard!" And even more fun than that (and freaking hilarious to watch)? Hanging out with Wild Wing screaming at the TV with Dad when the Ducks were down 2 to 1.

Dakota, his little shadow, also has decided that "cheerleading" for big brother is way more desirable an activity than watching Sofia the First. Seriously, the increase in activity over here has been out of this world. You know what I've noticed because of it? Both kids are talkative animals. They can talk talk talk talk talk talk talk. Totally not complaining. I'll listen to them all day long! With their "addiction" (I guess you could say?) to the TV in the past (totally my fault. Loungey mom = loungey kids), they were very tame little children - well Carter was, at least. Now there's just so much going on! Long conversations, jokes, stories, hyena laughter, tackling, playing, running at turbo speeds both indoors and outdoors, dying to get in the car to head to ice, roller hockey or dance. That's ALL DAY EVERDAY! When the four of us are together, we're always a lively bunch, but all of those things are happening when it's just the kids and I AND when Chad's here. I just love it!

Another thing that has changed is the amount of snacks these two have been asking for versus a few months ago. They seriously were emotional eaters, they were. Bored? Food. Mom's yelling at us? Food. Watching TV? Food. Can't play with the couch cushions to build a fort? Food. The only time they weren't hungry was when they were excited about something because they were distracted - their minds weren't "in park." Now it seems that they're excited about several things all the time so they only stop to think about food if I say, "Okay guys, it's getting late - time for lunch!" And this is all because Carter fell in love with a sport!

Okay and last thing on the hockey front at the moment. When he started skate school, he was using the rented skates from the facility. After we noticed how much he began to love skating and all things hockey, we went to go get him some legit skates "like the Ducks," as he put it. Bummer - he hated them. But after a few weeks of skate school and working very hard, he's better on those bad boys than ever. I'm just so proud of his work ethic here! That's part of the reason I'm so enamored with this obsession. He really did go from the bottom to (totally biased moment here) "the top," all by focusing and not quitting. The confidence from that conquered hurdle alone was enough for me to turn into a glowing mamacita, but the fact that he is having a blast really just pushes the whole thing over the top.

Active kids = happy mom.

**And really quick - that PVC pipe thing he's holding there in roller hockey? They gave that to all the kids who's first day it was skating. He literally was on there for 5 minutes then they bumped him up to run drills with "the big boys." I was like a shining sun of motherly pride at that first practice! He seriously did so, so good, but more importantly, was totally alive and into everything his coach was saying. Watching his face through that little caged in helmet spoke volumes. GOOOOOO CISNEROS CHILDREN!!!