Ryan Can Ride a Bike!

We have been having so much fun taking evening rides/walks around the lake. The weather has been perfect and it feels like life is perfect when we go on our strolls. I couldn't believe it, but Ryan is able to make it around the whole lake on his balance bike. The first time I had to keep setting short landmark distances as goals, but we eventually made it. Lily and Ryan felt so proud of themselves and I was too. It's over two miles around, they are such troopers!

 Then some big, big news happened in our family. I figured if Ryan can make it around easily on his balance bike, he's probably ready for a real bike. We got a paw patrol bike and took the training wheels off. Ryan literally learned to ride in 3 tries. I held him while he got used to pedaling a few short rides, and then I just pushed his seat and watched him go...and he went! It was the most exciting thing for both of us and he felt this freedom, it was awesome! He is not able to start on his own yet, so I run around the park helping him get going. One day while I was helping Ryan I had to run over to help Max who almost fell off the high playground equipment (and was about to push a girl from up high!) and then Lily fell off her bike while slipping on some snow, and then a little later Max was standing next to a boy who was splashing happily in the mud, which got all over Max. As much as I love the park, it is hard to be there for all three kids, so I needed to teach Ryan to start on his own.

It turns out the motivation for Ryan to learn to start on his own was going to the lake. Because he would get so far ahead of me, he got tired of waiting and just tried to get going on his own and he did it! Hooray! He can start like a champ now and can make it all the way around the lake. This is the absolute best to have both my kids riding their bikes while I push Max in the stroller. Such a fun family activity for us, I love it! The only downside is that Lily and Ryan get way ahead of me. One night they rushed to little pier area that had a railing. But one part of the railing was lower than the others. Ryan was totally hanging over the railing, over the water, with his feet off the ground. I yelled from far away for him to get down, but he didn't listen. I left Max in his stroller (a nice couple walking by stayed with him) and bolted over to Ryan. I was so upset and worried and my heart was pounding. I was shaking as I thought what would have happened if he had fallen in. The water isn't very clear so I would not have seen him. I said many prayers of thanks afterward and had a good talk to Lily and Ryan about never doing that again. 

After awhile Max likes to get out of the stroller and chase them.