Bike Riding

We took the training wheels off of Simon's bike last summer but he never really learned how to ride; I just didn't put in enough time with him I guess. So over the winter I've been helping him off and on when the weather is nice, and when my back hurts from holding on to him then I tell him to just practice his balance; no feet on the pedals just use them to push off the ground.

Well, this weekend was beautiful so I figured this was it. I helped him a little bit and encouraged him a lot. He kept practicing and when he needed a break from falling he'd come and help me pick up sticks in the yard. Then I ran and got groceries. When I came back-he could ride! He's still a little shaking on braking and turning, but the boy can ride.

So then on Monday after school, even though it had rained and everything was wet he was out there on his bike. I was outside and he took off across the front porch and then I heard a loud metal crash and a SCREAM. I mean, a real scream. I ran for him and he was running to me (that's always a good sign).

I was trying to hold him but he was screaming and writhing down to the ground with a hand over his ear. I pulled his hand away and saw that he had scraped his whole ear. Not quite enough to draw blood but enough to make him writhe in pain. Poor kid!

I sat down on the rock wall and pulled him on my lap to console and rock him. He was still in a lot of pain so I said, "Let's get some ice for it and you can sit with Dad for a few minutes." He cried and said "No, I don't want to do that!"

"Well, what do you want to do?"

Still crying he answered, "I want to ride my bike!"

Smiling, I said, "Let's put ice on it for a few minutes and then you can ride your bike again."

He agreed and I moved his bike-he had crashed into the screen door which was why it was so loud and we got him iced down for a few minutes and then he was back at it.

When he went to bed that night he said to me, "I like to ride my bike like a big boy. Riding a bike is like running, but you don't touch the ground."

I think we have ourselves a bike lover.