Monday, August 02, 2010

Balance

Two years ago we took Austin's training wheels off his bike and tried to teach him to ride. He tried, we got frustrated, he got frustrated, snow fell.

Last year, we tried again and he tried hard and by the end of the summer, he was getting up and riding in a parking lot.

Earlier this summer, he was scared to try again but now he's doing well and feels like he can ride around the block by himself.

Earlier this summer, we bought Mari a Float, a bike with removable pedals. Last Monday, Julie and I played tennis while the kids had their bikes on the basketball court next door. Austin was soon riding around in circles, stopping and starting at will. Mari shoved off with her feet and glided a few yards at a time.

Yesterday, I put Mari's pedals on her bike and she tried it, went ten feet, then got frustrated. She refused to let us touch her, touch the bike, talk to her about bicycles or even look at her (except when she was mad that we weren't watching her).

This morning Julie and I played tennis again and when we were done, Mari was riding around in circles like a pro! Her second day with pedals!

We're very proud.