It`s official!
We are a bike riding family!
Gone are the baby bike seats. Gone are the piggy-back devices like the Trail Gator. Gone are the training wheels! Houston, we have FREEDOM!
Zee can finally ride without training wheels. It's been a long time in the works. He's been able to ride for over a year, but only if he doesn't realize we've let go. The minute he figures out that he's been 'released,' he jams on his brakes, falls over and gets mad at us. But last Sunday he got on his bike and just started riding (okay, Hubby was running after him in a zig zag motion like a crazy man trying to anticipate a 'saved in -the- nick- of-time- grab') Why the change in attitude you may ask? Good old competitive spirit! Or jealousy. On Saturday his Kindergarten friend came by to show off his bike riding prowess and it provided the impetus that Zee needed. After his friend left I listened to my intuition that told me to keep my mouth shut and not point out the fact that Zee wasn't riding yet, or to say something to the effect of, 'Zee, wouldn't you like to ride like Bee?' Nope, I just kept my pie hole shut and that was the best thing I could have done because on Sunday he approached Daddy and asked him to get Zee's bike out. Within minutes Zee was ringing the door bell (he does this even though the door is wide open) and was excitedly explaining to me that he was an 'expert bike rider' now. Well, I have to admit he was pretty good if you don't take steering, braking or control into consideration. He was so proud of himself and said that he wanted to go for a family bike ride....RIGHT NOW!
Yeah...that so wasn't going to happen. I could just imagine his pretty little face smashed against a tree, or a limb hanging at an awkward angle to his body, so I made a deal with him and told him that Saturday, IF HE WAS READY, that we'd go for a family bike ride.
We managed to go tonight instead. Zee has been practising all week. Every spare minute he's been riding around the cul de sac in circles. He's managed to figure out how to get started and his braking and steering skills have improved enormously.
It was so neat to go out, all of us, on our own bikes. What a milestone! I now have visions of us donning overstuffed pack sacks full of food and sleeping bags and camping gear and setting out for a REAL bike ride. I'm talking HUGE bike ride. We had friends bike across Canada (many moons ago) and since then it's been something I would love to do as a family. I think it would be a great experience.
For now though I'll just settle for 4-5 times around the track, but I'll dream of bigger things.
As the saying goes, "Dreams come a size too big so we can grow into them."
I'm looking forward to growing into this one!
Gone are the baby bike seats. Gone are the piggy-back devices like the Trail Gator. Gone are the training wheels! Houston, we have FREEDOM!
Zee can finally ride without training wheels. It's been a long time in the works. He's been able to ride for over a year, but only if he doesn't realize we've let go. The minute he figures out that he's been 'released,' he jams on his brakes, falls over and gets mad at us. But last Sunday he got on his bike and just started riding (okay, Hubby was running after him in a zig zag motion like a crazy man trying to anticipate a 'saved in -the- nick- of-time- grab') Why the change in attitude you may ask? Good old competitive spirit! Or jealousy. On Saturday his Kindergarten friend came by to show off his bike riding prowess and it provided the impetus that Zee needed. After his friend left I listened to my intuition that told me to keep my mouth shut and not point out the fact that Zee wasn't riding yet, or to say something to the effect of, 'Zee, wouldn't you like to ride like Bee?' Nope, I just kept my pie hole shut and that was the best thing I could have done because on Sunday he approached Daddy and asked him to get Zee's bike out. Within minutes Zee was ringing the door bell (he does this even though the door is wide open) and was excitedly explaining to me that he was an 'expert bike rider' now. Well, I have to admit he was pretty good if you don't take steering, braking or control into consideration. He was so proud of himself and said that he wanted to go for a family bike ride....RIGHT NOW!
Yeah...that so wasn't going to happen. I could just imagine his pretty little face smashed against a tree, or a limb hanging at an awkward angle to his body, so I made a deal with him and told him that Saturday, IF HE WAS READY, that we'd go for a family bike ride.
We managed to go tonight instead. Zee has been practising all week. Every spare minute he's been riding around the cul de sac in circles. He's managed to figure out how to get started and his braking and steering skills have improved enormously.
It was so neat to go out, all of us, on our own bikes. What a milestone! I now have visions of us donning overstuffed pack sacks full of food and sleeping bags and camping gear and setting out for a REAL bike ride. I'm talking HUGE bike ride. We had friends bike across Canada (many moons ago) and since then it's been something I would love to do as a family. I think it would be a great experience.
For now though I'll just settle for 4-5 times around the track, but I'll dream of bigger things.
As the saying goes, "Dreams come a size too big so we can grow into them."
I'm looking forward to growing into this one!
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