Moms missing rinkside moments with kids during Scotties 'bubble' format
Alberta's Laura Walker one of the few to have their babies with them
Alberta skip Laura Walker has her baby boy, Liam, with her inside the bubble, one of the few mothers competing at the Scotties who's able to have an infant inside the hotel with her.
The lockdown restrictions at this year's tournament in Calgary are intense and outside of being able to nurse babies, curlers are not permitted to have any family members with them for the women's national championship.
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It's so different from years past when fans would be treated to emotional and memorable moments as the curlers' kids waited at ice level to embrace their moms after a win or loss.
Jennifer Jones is competing in her 16th Scotties. Over the past number of years her two daughters, Bella and Skyla, have been soaking up the experience, ready to meet their mom after the games.
But this year they're watching from their home with Jennifer's mom, Carol Jones, and husband, Brent Laing.
That Curling Show surprised the six-time champion Sunday night by having Carol and Jennifer's two daughters on the show.
"This is the first Scotties ever I've missed," Carol said during the show, getting emotional. "I'm so proud of her accomplishments in curling and in her professional career. But I'm proud of the person she's become."
WATCH | A sweet surprise on That Curling Show makes Jennifer Jones tear up:
During the show, Jennifer's daughters showed off two big posters they had made for their mom. Skyla wrote "I love you" and "good luck in your games," while Bella wrote, "you are the best you can be. You try your best in everything you do and that is why we love you so much."
Jones couldn't help but get emotional also.
"Can you keep them so we can keep them at home?" Jones asked her daughters. "It's hard to leave your kids as a mom. I miss them dearly. But Bella, what do you always tell me? She always says that because she's watched me do this, she can do anything."
Carol shared stories about how Jones started curling and that she thought her daughter might be a star one day.
"Ever since she was little she's been driven," Carol said. "She knew when she started to curl when she was a junior what things could be like in the future."
A night earlier on That Curling Show, defending Scotties champion Kerri Einarson also talked about the challenges of being away from family at this year's event.
WATCH | That Curling Show: Kerri Einarson keeping kids close to heart:
She held up a photo of her twin daughters, Kamryn and Khloe, that she's keeping beside her hotel bed.
"It's difficult. Not having my husband and my girls here is tough but we've got a collage happening in Heather's room and I've got this picture beside my bed so they know that they're with me," Einarson said.
She says her family back home in Manitoba is watching all of the games, or at least trying to.
"I asked the girls if they watched the game [Friday] night and they said, 'Mom, we kind of fell asleep,'" Einarson said.
While both Jones and Einarson are missing their daughters, they hope to be around at the Scotties for the rest of the week and playing in the championship game on Sunday.
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