Skiing (2/4; Getting started)

On our first morning we got James on his skis. You can see he was really bothered by his first fall:
I don't think there was a single fall where he didn't take the opportunity to eat yet more snow."I love it!"

This was in his first few minutes on skis - think he likes it?!

To start with, we took him up the Gully chairlift only metres from our stairs (you'll see how close later) and because the snow was so good, I took him down the road (which leads back to the base of the chair). Unfortunately the Nursey Pomas were removed from the village bowl a few years ago, but I should have taken him straight up the top to the carpet 'lifts'. The road was too long for him (and for my unfit legs!), and slushy from all the oversnow vehicles.

From the top of the chair to the start of the road was a bit steep, so I just took him between my legs (the start of a LOT of snowplowing for me this trip!) for that bit.

In the afternoon the weather was still great, and Simon had found snow boots small enough and plastic skis, so we took Eleanor out as well. Simon had a ski on his own, while I had James to start with, and Eleanor was with my parents.

Just getting ready was a tiring exercise! She was fast asleep as they got on the chair (and those steps in the photo below, on the left, are to our apartment).

Unfortunately the edgie-wedgie (a learn-to-ski aid; a short length of strong rubber, which screws to a child's ski tips, to help keep them close, but not crossed, and encourage a snowplow so they can learn to control their speed) I'd ordered from the US hadn't arrived before we left for the snow, and I didn't buy another for a couple of days. But by skiing from one fo us to the next (and later though our legs with great glee) he did quite well. He couldn't stop, but had good balance. Those are my ski tips and outstrectched hands on the right (I also did a lot of backwards skiing!).

This was up the top on what was the Playground poma, now called the Monkey Bar. It's a good beginners' run, but extremely hard work taking a child up (he stood with one ski either side of one of mine, and basically my knee pushed him along).

By the last day, he could ride this alone (but I only have video of that).

Chocolate break! Skiing uses plenty of energy, and James took full advantage of the ready supply of chocolate and other snacks!

Here we stopped for a short break and built a snowman. We sat Bec on top, then James threw snow at her (until we suggested she might get too wet for him to take to bed!).