zooming along

Last week, Henry learned how to ride his bicycle.  One minute, Charlie and I are pushing him around our cul-de-sac, and the next minute, he's doing laps around the driveway.



I'm sure he could have started riding his bike last summer, but I think he's lacked the confidence. Until I reminded him that if he could ski ... he could totally ride.



He gave me a look of apprehension until I had him repeat a few times, "I CAN DO THIS! I CAN DO THIS! I LOVE BIKE RIDING!" and then in the blink of an eye, he jumped on his bike and took off.



The wheels on his bicycle were so small, that a few days after these photos were taken, Henry hopped on his brother's 21-speed bicycle with handbrakes and rode it around the driveway.



Everything was going great, until he tried to drive his bike down our driveway and park it in the garage.  Charlie who had stepped inside to check on dinner, was alerted to Henry's predicament by our 14-year-old neighbor who informed my husband that Henry was calling for him.

Charlie ran outside and found Henry ... 200 yards down the back yard, in the creek. 

From what he was able to deduce, Henry during his descent to the garage, missed the turn and went over the lip over our driveway, like a jump. The jump caused him to rapidly accelerate down the hill, until he hit the bank of the creek and flipped over the handlebars.



Charlie helped him up, and after tending to his scrapes and bruises, watched Henry jump back on his bike and take off again. We still need to work on his dismount, the whole act of gradually slowing down and putting your feet on the ground. As opposed to say, throwing both legs over the bike as it is still moving and attempting to jump off of it.



We'll get there soon enough.

Until then .... this is my baby, Henry.

My rising first grader, with perpetually skinned knees and a confidence and personality that is growing, every day. He continues to hold the world in his hands.... 

... along with my heart.