Grandpa Bob got Natalie her last bike. She had that bike for several years while we lived in Germany. That bike did its job while we were there, especially because it had training wheels and we were around so many hills. When we moved here, we realized that Natalie was quickly outgrowing that bike. We were reluctant to get her a new one last summer because the street we lived on was relatively busy. Not necessarily a main road, but many people that drove 30-40 mph instead of the posted 20 mph. Roby and I figured that it was about time to teach her how to ride a bike now that we are on a much quieter street! I had been looking for a few weeks for a bike for her, because all 20 inch bikes are not alike! The frame itself ranges several inches!!! But we finally found one that fit her well with plenty of room to grow.
Sunday morning Natalie and I set out for our first lesson in riding without training wheels. Remember, it had been almost two years since she had ridden a bike at all!
Sunday morning Natalie and I set out for our first lesson in riding without training wheels. Remember, it had been almost two years since she had ridden a bike at all!
Taking it sloooooow.
We made many many passes up and down the street on Sunday. We had a little progress, but not much. At one point I took her up on our grass (that has a little slope) to let her ride down it (with her feet down) to help her get some balance.
When Roby came out to capture our progress...I wasn't as optimistic as I should have been.
We took a break yesterday, I can't remember why. Weather, recouping from my migraine...I'm not sure. But we were determined today! We started out exactly where we left off on Sunday, and I thought it was going to take weeks of back-breaking work to get her to ride (much like it did to get Ethan to). As we were going up and down the street, Roby had to leave to get something. He saw what we were doing and mentioned to Natalie to use her handlebars to help her stay balanced. This was our biggest issue. Within ten minutes of him leaving she was riding on her own! I'm not joking!!!
Check her out!
That is one proud little girl! And I was one proud mommy!
I think the hardest part is learning to start. Once you're going, you just go...and stopping, well, you always find a way to stop! :-) So my videos are probably annoying with me telling her to push and whatnot!
Teaching her to push the "top" pedal forward just a bit so she can push off with it.
She was doing fabulous! We then decided to work on turning around in the street. This resulted in her first wreck. Awwww Isn't this the most pathetic picture ever?!?!
She was not thrilled...
It hurt, and she didn't want to fall!
Pretty pom-poms in the gutter.
Lucky for her, she has a great big brother who rode his bike home to get her a bandaid.
Ethan to the rescue!!!
And a few more riding videos because I'm still so surprised that she learned how to ride in TWO days!!!
Ethan was right there with her all day today encouraging her and telling her what a good job she was doing! I think that helped tremendously! She still needs to work on starting and has a ways to go before I'll be comfortable letting her ride (by herself) outside with her friends, but we have made some MAJOR progress!!! They grow so fast!
2 comments:
I am amazed at how fast she learned. It took us quite a while to get Q-tip to the riding on his own stage. Way to go Nat. The video of Ethan putting on her band-aid was adorable. What a good big brother he is. You are so calm, he is so calm...we were not calm by the end of any teaching sessions with Qtip. It was hell on ALL of us.
LOL, oh GAWD it's scarier watching them than being them!
SO sweet. if only us adults kept challenging ourselves as children do.
was busting up when you said it's "gonna take a while."
saw Ethan skating too, mad props yo. you guys are awesome.
i think i'll be copying yet again and puttin up Xtreme sports vid too then. :p
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