It's Like Riding a Bike

It's something you will reference for the rest of your life.  Whether you are 10 or 45 years old, either you or someone else will say "It's like riding a bike."  It's a staple, like driving a car or riding a horse.  It's something you are taught to do and it will never be forgotten.  It's rare that you see a child learning to ride a bike that you won't think back to that time so many moons ago, when you learned to balance perfectly on those two wheels.  However you see it, it's a milestone, a big one and my baby crossed it.

My mother-in-law told me that Bryan rode his bike on two wheels at three years old and my mom told me that Tate also learned when he was three.  Colt is a little perfectionist and I knew that once we started, he was going to get it, but I wasn't ready.  Bryan had been pushing me to let him try and I kept making excuses saying he wasn't ready, knowing good and well that he absolutely was.  This was huge for my little, three year old and ultimately, it would confirm what I fear more and more every day: my baby is growing up. 

One day a few weeks ago, I told Bryan that we should take the training wheels off and let him try to ride on two.  Bryan must have gone up and down the street 50 times, holding the back of that seat running with the bike.  He'd let go and Colt would ride right into the grass and fall.  It was funny though because it was almost like he got it instantly, because he could ride into the grass and THEN fall.  I think he just couldn't believe it himself, so he panicked and bailed out.  That was day one.  On day two, we went out there to try again.  Bryan put on his running shoes and workout clothes because this was quite the workout!  He put Colt on the bike one time, let go one time and that little boy wobbled from one end of the street to the other and didn't fall!  In the last few weeks, he has learned to turn and stop without falling.  Ahh, the success of a three year old....it's so sweet to him, but bittersweet to me. 

For six months, at least, we have been trying to get Sam to ride his tricycle.  It has a push pole that sticks out of the back and that hard-headed little child refused to ride, he wanted to be pushed.  Well, the day that Colt started riding his bicycle by himself, Sam pulled his little trike out of the garage.  We didn't think anything of it because he would always pull it out so we could push him down the street.  But on that amazing day, he started to push the pedals with his feet and ever so slowly, started moving himself down the street.  We couldn't believe it!

His smile went from one ear to the other.  He was so proud and we were so proud!  My two babies reaching milestones on the same day...it was too much for my heart!  We were proud, oh so proud, but it told us something about our little Sammy, he was competitive.  He was not going to let Colt leave him in his dust for a minute. 

We have one mild mannered, calm, perfectionist child and another that is has such a competitive, comical, wide-open little spirit.  There is never a dull moment and I can honestly say that the next several years will be interesting.  I love those crazy, precious boys of mine and I can only imagine what they will have in store for us next.