Today is a red letter day. It is a day I have long wished for and honestly thought would never come. Today Jonathan called to me upstairs and told me to come outside. The excitement in his voice made the invitation irresistible. I walked outside and this is what I saw:
I know. Most of you are thinking, "hey what is the big deal? It is a kid riding a bike." You are right. That is exactly what it is. It is my 7 1/2 year old daughter riding her bike --- for the first time ever --- and liking it.
Jon and I have struggled with this task of teaching our girls to ride a bike. They basically have had no interest. Add to that the time consuming task of teaching and running with them in hot Las Vegas weather and having other little kids or pregnancies to deal with and well... it just hasn't gotten done. We have tried. We have attempted to teach both Sabrina and Ann Marie every fall and spring for about 2 years now. But they have been too scared and totally unmotivated to learn.
Jon finally did a bunch of internet research to figure out how to remove the pedals from a bike. He took them off Ann Marie's bike and let Sabrina hop on and find her balance going down the slight incline of our street. After about 15 minutes he put her back on her bike and within minutes she was pedaling her way up and down the street.
I know this seems like no big deal to many of you with bike riding kids. But, honestly, I had pretty much given up hope on the dream that my kids would be bike riders. I grew up with brothers and we rode bikes all the time. These girls were just as content to take their scooters out as a bike.
Still seeing my 3 year old niece Stella riding her bike in California a few weeks ago just made me cringe again to think my kids would be the ones who got all grown up and never learned to ride a bike. I could just see some guy asking them out on a date to go on a bike ride and them having to turn him down. Silly. I know. But it is where I was, until today's tiny miracle.
SO Hip Hip HOORAY!!!! Way to go Saby! I am sure Annie will not be far behind her now.
