Thursday, March 24, 2011

Training Wheel Graduation!

The milestones seem to come and go so fast. Before you have kids you think about and picture these "parenting moments" that you will someday have with your child. Hearing your child's first word. Watching your child take their first steps. Bringing your kid to their first day of school. Teaching your child to ride their first bike....You imagine these moments before you have kids. You anticipate and look forward to them once you do have kids. And then suddenly you find yourself standing there, right in the middle of the moment, and it almost feels surreal. You almost think to yourself, "Really? This moment is really happening?" It just comes upon you so fast, you hardly have time to feel ready for it.
And then before you know it your daughter is riding circles around you on her two wheeled bike!
So a couple of weeks ago Makenna went over to her friend Reese's house for a play date. When she came home she announced to me that Reese and her sisters had some bikes with only 2 wheels and that she rode one all by herself. Just that morning Makenna and I had been talking about trying to take her training wheels off sometime soon. I was just shocked that she was telling me she had ridden one all by herself that day, having never been taught. I wanted to make sure I was understanding her correctly, so I called Reese's mom to verify and she said yes, Makenna had been riding a 2 wheeler alone! So I told her that weekend we would go ahead and have Daddy take her training wheels off and give it a try.
A few days later she and Daddy took of the training wheels, and the next day we loaded up the bikes and headed for the park.
Apparently the bikes she had ridden at Reese's house were a bit smaller than her bike. So when it was time to get going she got a bit nervous. I was a bit unsure how to get her going. Was I supposed to just run with her and hold on or let go and see what she could do with it. So Pa, with previous years of experience took over and got her running around the park. After a couple of laps she seemed to be doing pretty well, so Pa let go a few times and she was able to ride alone a short distance. Then, as happens with all children the first time they ride a bike, she took her first fall. Pa had let her go for a second and she tipped right into the bushes. I was actually a pretty smooth fall. It freaked her out though for a minute or two. But Pa got her back on. At that point Pa was ready to collapse. I offered to help her again, but she didn't want me, she wanted Daddy. I don't blame her one bit. I would feel safer with a big man holding the back of my bike than a klutzy mom. Daddy did a few laps as well and once he was ready to collapse she finally let me help out a bit. She did well for it being her first time. Still needing assistance, but getting the feel of it and figuring out the balance.
The next day we decided to practice at home for a bit just on our small patch of sidewalk. This turned out to be a great thing. It was just enough space for her to get started, ride for a brief period and then practice braking and holding the bike without falling over. After about half an hour out in the back she was doing it on her own. She just needed help getting going, but she had the rest of it down. One more day of practice and she had the whole thing put together and was an independant 2 wheeler rider! To put it to the test we brought her bike to the park the next day after school. After one or two times of me helping her get started she was off and riding. She rode and rode and rode that day. And every time she rode successfully I cheered and cheered and cheered. I almost felt silly how happy and giddy and proud I felt watching my little girl cruising around on her very first bike all on her own. It felt like a big moment, for both of us. She really is growing up!
Mommy, Daddy and Kenna...learning to ride a bike, March 13th 2011!

Bud Bud enjoying his time pedaling around the track. He is really starting to get the hang of his trike and loves to cruise on it these days. He too is looking like a big boy!
Pa coaching Kenna. It is sweet watching them have these fun moments together. Memories.
In their exhaustion, the men started getting a bit silly :)
We love our Grammy. SO cute!
There is something very sweet about watching a couple of grown men play on a play set at the park with the kids. So funny!


Kenna is doing amazing now and is having a lot of fun with it. She is also starting to get pretty fast and slowly getting a bit braver on the bike. She has taken a few spills, but nothing too bad. And she is quick to tell you that if you fall down, you just have to get right back up and try it again. She really is a brave, tough little cookie!

And my sweet boy. Such a love! I am sure I will be making a similar post about Kellen before I even know it!!

4 comments:

Auntie Steph said...

They are growing up soo fast....love the pics...particularly the men playing at the park :) Kenna is such a smart, brave girl and the boys are as handsome as ever !

Kipn n' Sarah said...

This post makes me happy and sad all at the same time. Happy that she is doing so well, that she is learning and growing and being a little kid, happy with how amazingly you write everything, happy about all that jazz. SAD tho at how fast it all goes and kinda sad, not gonna lie, at my jealousy of all the thing you get to do and experience with Grammy and Pa that we will never get to experience. You are lucky, never forget that.

RaeRae said...

hooray. that is awesome. the first picture is awesome.

The Perry family said...

I watched the video you posted on fb and I was amazed. I feel so proud of your little girl! good job guys!