Originally appeared on E! Online
Michelle Kwan has a new ice princess on her hands.
The Olympic figure skater shared an adorable video of her 3-year-old daughter, Kalista Belle Kwan, taking her first steps in the ice skating rink, and it’s clear the toddler has been watching her mom’s fluid skills over the years.
“We officially have an ice skater!” Kwan wrote on the April 28 Instagram video, which sees her happily guiding Kalista — who fittingly wore a pink coat, knee pads and brown skates — on the ice. “My daughter took her first ‘real’ steps (2 years earlier than me!).”
Gushing over her daughter’s “determination,” the 44-year-old — who stepped back from the sport in 2006 — teased that this is only the beginning of Kalista’s “skating adventure.” And it seems Kwan won’t be the only athlete rooting for the toddler, as former professional skater Tara Lipinski left a heart-eye emoji in the comments section.
READ Michelle Kwan Gives Birth to First Baby and Shares Photo of Daughter
Meanwhile, “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness — who received a few spin lessons from the retired skater in 2019 — also showed their support, writing “omgahh” alongside a teary-eyed emoji.
And when Kwan isn’t praising her daughter’s common interest in ice skating, she’s reflecting on her motherhood journey. Last August, the athlete posted a sweet video of her bonding with Kalista while on vacation.
“2 years, 7 months, and 17 days into this journey of parenthood, I am reminded daily of the immense role and responsibility it entails,” she wrote at the time, before sharing a personal message to her toddler. “If I could give my daughter three things, it would be the hope to truly know herself, the courage to pursue her dreams, and the understanding of how deeply loved she is.”
Their latest mother-daughter moments come three years after Kwan, who was previously married to Clay Pell, announced Kalista’s surprise birth on Instagram in 2022. At the time, she explained her private “journey to motherhood” was a “challenging one,” but added that she was glad she “never gave up.”
“I’ve always wanted to be a mom and, to me, she’s a perfect miracle,” she continued. “As people closest to me know, I’m always full of surprises and tend to keep my personal life private. I’ve wanted to share this happy news for many months but each milestone seemed to be exciting and daunting at the same time.”
