Monday, July 2, 2012

Two Wheels

Luke learned to ride his bike with no training wheels. It happened suddenly, as these things do. One day he asked to take his training wheels off. We told him he could try, figuring we'd put them back on at the end of the night. He took off shakily across the grass. To our surprise and joy, he balanced for about five feet before he fell. He got back on again and again, going further each time before we let him try the sidewalk.

It wasn't the TV bike riding moment I'd always envisioned, where I would hold on to the back of the bike, then let go before he knew it and watch him ride away without him realizing he was doing it all on his own.

Instead, he yelled at me to let go of his bike because he was ready to go without me. Only, I wasn't ready to let go.
DSC_0024

Now he rides like he never even had training wheels. He took one really bad spill where there's a patch of gravel. He had gravel in his arms, legs, even his mouth. I walked him crying into the house, washed out his cuts and scrapes with hydrogen peroxide, picked out the gravel, bandaged him up and as soon as I was finished, he sniffed away the tears and said, "Can I get back on my bike?"

There's a lot of lessons to learn in two little wheels.

5 comments:

Julie said...

I have said it before; I will say it again-- I reject the reality in which your son is old enough for such things.

Kim said...

I know it. It is so hard to let them go and watch them excel at something. I guess it's because I know every time I let go - of their bikes, their swimsuits, them...I am one step closer to them leaving me for good and that kills my Mama heart.
ALso? Good job Luke!

Bari said...

Go Luke!

Unknown said...

Ha! Isn't that always how it goes? Glad he's okay and YAY Luke!!

Kaycee said...

Kids are amazing. Go Luke!

My kiddo (4) decided she wanted to swim without swimmies in Nana and Grandpa's pool and we have been letting her. I have my eyes on her all the time because she can't really swim yet and we have talked about where the shallow end is and to stay in it. But the other day I watched her walk right down the hill and part way into the deep end. I was telling her "deep end, deep end - back up!" as I dashed toward her and she bounced on her toes once to get her face out until I got there. Scared her a little and she cried for a minute, then my Mom and I were telling her she did exactly the right thing bouncing on her toes. So she asked us what she was supposed to do if that happened and we explained how to get to the side of the pool and such. She decided she wanted to practice that so she would know what to do next time. The tears were barely dry and she wanted to do it again to learn what to do. Blew me away! So, we practiced! Kids are amazing!