The Ride of Their Lives!

Yesterday in our backyard we attempted another evening of the boys riding their bikes without training wheels.  They love to ride their bikes and we took the training wheels off as soon as it started to warm up this spring.  In the past, each time they'd try to balance and ride ended with a quick thud on the ground.  But, something told me yesterday was going to be different.  You could see it in their eyes, the determination that they were going to ride and keep going.  There is something magical about watching them ride without training wheels down the slight slope in our yard...letting go and cheering on!!

There is nothing better than holding on the seat and then letting the boys go...not knowing if they will steer off course or pedal onward.  That moment of knowing that they are strong enough to try on their own tells me that as a mom I did my job....and the look when they come to stop or a stumble and they look back at me and say "Look mom I did it"....says it all!! This is their moment, this is their time, I am so grateful to be their mommy and so blessed that they are mine!

Cooper is mastering the skill quite quickly and was pedaling uphill and all over the yard.  Elliott did very well until he realized that we weren't beside him and he'd stop pedaling and come to a plop on the ground.  I imagine a few more days of backyard practice and we'll venture onto the streets in our neighborhood.  We had a few minor booboos....a bandaid and a kiss and they were back up on their bikes ready to go again.  There were smiles and the sense of accomplishment for both them and for us as parents.  It was one of those snapshot memory kind of moments...where you record the image and feeling and store it for all time in your heart.  <Click>