Another First

Since Connor is starting kindergarten in the Fall, I thought it was about time that he learned how to ride a bicycle. Especially since on tricycles and his Big Wheel he was still scooting with his feet and not pedaling. Last weekend Shawn and I made the trip to Walmart (of course) to get Connor and Garrett's first bike. It was a busy week to say the least, so we didn't actually get the boys and their bikes outside until yesterday morning. Garrett wasn't real interested in riding and I didn't push that issue....my goal was to get Connor up and going on his bike. (He has a tendency to be more hesitant than his fearless little brother.) As was expected, he was a little unsure at first...having not found his balance and not being comfortable sitting up so high (he wanted to try Garrett's little bike....no sir!) So after a few minutes of just sitting on the bike and getting a feel for it, reassured that he wasn't going to fall off, we were ready to start moving. This brought out more fear, but I'm not ashamed to say that he was bribed into keep trying ("If you don't ______, you won't get to go see Daddy's martial Arts class" always works wonders!)
At last he got moving! He was actually pedaling! He was steering! He figured out how to stop himself! He was having fun! He was riding his bike! I was so proud of him! We went all the way around the block...Shawn, Garrett and I walking along beside him while Connor rode his bike. Later that day he wanted to go out and ride his bike again! Shawn took him for another ride around the block. This time he had is first crash! He turned his head around to look for Shawn and ran into a rut between the grass and sidewalk. He fell over, scratched his knee, and got right back up and on his bike again! So proud!