Even though I was completely exhausted today (the work week was intense and I stayed up late last night decompressing with Lily by watching TV), I had a really really happy day. Lily and I took a lazy morning and didn’t go upstairs until 10 or after. We have our Arlo device to help us keep ears on the house when we are taking extra time to ourselves, so that is very nice.
In the morning, Mary made this picture, which touched me deeply as it was only last week that she learned how to ride her bike with me and today the plan was for me to teach Ammon to ride his bike. I think she’s drawing Ammon and me in this picture. You can even see notice the elbow and wrist guards. She is such a great artist!
After I had breakfast and tidied, I took the kids to a church parking lot with the intent to help Ammon learn how to bike.
It was such an amazing experience. I was about to give him a bunch of instructions, but then I just told myself to let him try to do it, and then I could see where he was having trouble and I could coach from there. I think we had one false start of him falling, but on the second try, I ran behind him for a bit and then just pushed him and away he went, peddling and biking completely on his own I couldn’t even believe it. For an hour, I would start him off and then he would just zoom and zoom and zoom around the parking lot. I gave him a tip here or there, but really, he figured out completely on his own.
He was aided by his fearless personality. He wiped out or fell probably over ten times (thank goodness for the wrist, elbow and knee guards!), but he just wanted to keep going. He would say, “dad, can we keep training?” It was so remarkable to see him just take off and get it so quickly.
I am over the moon with both Mary and Ammon now riding their bikes! I told myself I would cross-country ski next weekend if both kids were biking successfully by then. That will be a great time, but the happiest thing for me is knowing they are both biking now. I’m so proud of them!!!!
Here is are pictures and videos.
After that, I drove through Jimmy Johns and then got everyone ice-cream since I committed ice-cream to Ammon for doing such an amazing job on his bike.
At home, Lily and I did some house-work, and then I took Mary to a birthday party for her friend Haven and then I visited with my friends Paul and Jake and their significant others (Jake was in town and Paul was hosting him).
At home, I ate dinner, got our new laser printer up and running, and then picked up Mary. Back at home, I had fun training Basil to do a trick Wingardium Leviosa for which he stands on his back two legs for a treat. I love that dog.
Tonight I’m going to bed early. I can’t wait!!!