More Two Wheel Ridin'

New updates on the bike riding front!

It was Saturday that we went to the school parking lot to practice riding without training wheels for the first time. Sunday and Monday did not afford any more riding practice due to too many other commitments with Easter functions and karate after work, etc. (Although he did take a minute or so before karate to show Nana how he could ride down the driveway - with Craig giving him a balanced start.)

Then on Tuesday evening after we got home from our usual weekday, Will was just begging to get out and ride some more. I went outside with both kids while Craig left to pick up a tractor from the farm (more later on that). Will grabbed his bike and asked me repeatedly to help him get started. I was helping Sophie with something and told him I'd be there in just a moment. Well, he was just too anxious to get going and decided to go it alone! You can see in that first picture above that he was "running" his legs on either side of the bike as if it were a balance bike and then just picked them up to the pedals when he was moving enough to balance himself. It takes him about 3-5 steps (footfalls) to get started like this and he was so excited that it worked! I looked up to see him riding alone and shouting "I did it, mommy! I'm riding by myself!" He carefully made turns by himself and picked up speed as he rode in circles. I cheered and cheered and he was just SOOOOO EXCITED!!!

He stopped and started and pedaled and circled, over and over and over. He took tight turns and rode just as fast as he used to with training wheels! Once when he was riding at top speed, he said "It feels like I'm flying!!!" Craig almost got teary when we talked about that later. It's just so awesome to see your kid so elated and proud. :)

Love this one.

Meanwhile, little miss entertained herself by playing "mountain climbing" with the big candy stripe jump rope. She hooks it onto the top of one of the deck posts and "climbs the mountain" (stairs) to the top.

At one point she'd looped it down through the little jungle gym toy next to the steps and "climbed" the slide too.

Sophie has made this same face since she was a baby. We used to call it her monkey face.

And she IS a monkey!

She likes to pretend she's a baby from time to time. We haven't used this stroller in I don't know how long and I've been meaning to sell it. Clearly she's outgrown it!

Peek-a-boo!

Craig's been wanting to take down this old telephone pole that stands in the front corner of our yard for years. It's not in use - nothing's connected to it anymore - it's just never been taken down and he decided to do it himself. He cut it down with his new chainsaw (favorite Christmas gift from his parents) and then went to get the tractor and some chain to help yank the stump out. It was deep!! Duh. But he got it. And surprisingly, our yard looks bigger now! :)

So both kids got tractor rides when he finished, of course.

Sweet.

My fave.

This one cracks me up. Sophie is easily startled/frightened by loud sounds (the vacuum, the lawn mower, etc.) and she covered her mouth in surprise when he started the tractor. Haha. :)