Balancing Act

We've got some exciting news over here. Somebody we know can ride a bike. Well to be honest, this is actually from last month when we still had leaves on the trees but better late than never. I bet she could've done it even sooner but we were a bit lazy about it. Now if she can just stop and start by herself, I might actually have her ride it to school. I can't believe how much she is growing up! She is a very safe person, so in addition to the mandatory helmet, she strapped on her elbow and knee pads as well as wrist guards (which we eventually coaxed her out of wearing since they were hindering her grip). Those were intended for her roller blades but she still won't wear those outside.

What would we give for a nicely paved sidewalk around here? We went across the street to the church to practice where it was open and semi nicely paved. Me, being the large, pregnant mother, took a camping chair with me to watch and take pics. I'm sure we were a sight to behold.

Chloe did awesome. She caught on really quickly and was even able to pedal around a few obstacles like a planter island and a telephone pole. It was really fun to see how proud of herself she was. It was also fun to see Greg in action teaching and coaching. He knew exactly what to say and how to build up her confidence. Here are a few shots of her in action:



Tati also has a "bike" but for some reason she prefers to push herself along rather than pedal even though she can reach the pedals. That was one of the reasons the paci-fairy brought this one because that is a hard trait to find in small "big wheels". She had a grand ole time running around and riding her bike but the real fun was when she found the storm drain and started to throw gravel down it and watch each stone hit the bottom.
I was surprised at how much Chloe enjoyed throwing the gravel down the drain as well once she was all tired out from practicing. Don't you think the toy industry is just really missing the mark with the games they come up with these days?


Here's a short video of Chloe in action. I know I was a crappy camera girl. Remember how I was in a camping chair? I like it because Greg is being all motivational Dad and telling Chloe she is stronger than wind and it is a nice reminder of the good ole days when Tati would tell us she was going to pee before she peed her pants.