Happy 5th Birthday Maia!

We are wrapping up what has turned into almost a week long celebration for Maia's 5th birthday...like Father like Daughter I guess (I tend to claim at least a week for my birthday as well)! 

Maia chose to go painting with 13 of her best friends for her party. We took over The Clay Room (literally) and created an organized mess. Each kid got to pick and paint something, which they really seemed to like...for the whole 5 minutes they actually painted. The giant chocolate chip cookie Maia choose instead of cake seemed to be more of a draw then the actual painting process. But for having 14 kids and several sets of parents in a small area with a lot of paint, glass, water, juice, and snacks, I would say it was a success! Nobody and nothing was broken and all the kids were very proud of their artwork. Maia's friends made her feel very special and she was spoiled with way too many gifts. We are lucky to have met and become friends so many awesome families here in Durango!  

The next day Maia got to wear the special birthday crown and bring brownies to school. Once again, she felt very special (and when your snack choice is carrots or brownies...I'm pretty sure you know who's going to be your best snack time buddy)! 

Today, March 10th, is Maia's actual birthday. Instead of breakfast pancakes, she chose to go to gymnastics in the morning, so we found ourselves at Denny's for dinner. Classy, I know. But Maia's birthday, Maia's choice... Pancakes for dinner followed by Cold Stone. Good thing birthday's only come around once a year with that menu!

The last birthday request is going to the movies to see the new Cinderella movie this weekend. Birthday week almost complete! Happy Birthday Sugar Bear! You continue to grow into such a beautiful and smart and kind girl each day. 

Hasta...

P.S. Here is what you looked like exactly 5 years ago today! I didn't know I could love you anymore than that moment...but I do! 

Snowburners 2015

Maia just finished an 8 week ski school program called Snowburners, and guess what...she can ski...really well! This was quite possibly the best money spent on any activity yet. She went every Thursday for 3 hours for the past 8 weeks. 3 hours was just enough time to keep her attention and wear her out without pushing her into the meltdown zone. 

And she LOVED it! I had to drag her off the slopes each week. She took to skiing like a duck to water (or however that saying goes). The first couple of weeks I sent her off with her instructor, Coach Tim, and the rest of her class with a prayer for no broken bones or crushed spirits. After a few weeks, I found her class on the mountain and rode just far enough behind that I could watch but not be seen. At one point she skied too close to the edge of the run, fell, and got stuck in some powder. She called for Coach Tim, he got her out, brushed her off, put her gloves back on, and off they went. Any parent knows, if that had been me skiing with her, she would have had crying fit about snow in her clothes and how something was hurt, but not with Coach Tim. 

Week after week, these little kids just got better and better! It was crazy to watch them get on the BIG lifts and navigate BLUE runs with all the other skiers. They even rode the half pipe some weeks. These kids had total trust in Coach Tim and followed him wherever like little ducks (another duck reference...). After a few weeks, Maia was telling me about the runs she rode by name, like she had been skiing Purgatory forever. I put a dollar in her pocket each week and she even bought her own hot chocolate at the warming hut (The Powder House is what is called apparently, she reminded me...), like a pro! 

Seriously, this kid was made for a pair for skies. And that was the biggest shocker of all. I really did not think this activity would go well with her aversion to cold and her dramatic attitude, but she's a natural. After her last lesson, she and I decided to ride together for a while. I told her that I would follow her and she lead the way. She stopped to make sure I was behind her occasionally and bombed down mountain. I had 4 people comment on how awesome she was! As a guy who played a lot of sports growing up, having 2 girls, and hearing the constant question "Aren't you going to try for a son?", I couldn't be more stoked to share this sport with my daughter! 

(Maia is in the pink helmet)

Hasta...