Today, my Shelby rode her bike (without training wheels) around our block. Today, I beamed with- no, I bursted with pride as John and I jogged along her side, her furrowed brow bent low in severe concentration. Everytime she put her foot down to steady herself, her facial expression immediately changed, like flipping the switch on a Christmas Tree, she absolutely radiated with joy. And as I managed to push Ana along in a plastic race car, at alarming rates to keep up with our newest solo biker, I could hear the tiny "Beep Beep" of Ana's electric horn as she cheered on her big sister.
Neighbors waved and shouted their encouragement, and John, John grinned from ear to ear the whole way. He had initiated this new interest, he had invited her to try out her "two wheel bike" yesterday on the front lawn. Just yesterday, she had successfully traversed the yard a few times with his loving encouragement, her training wheels lay like wounded soldiers in the driveway. The proudest papa on the block, his little girl riding off into the sunset, one step closer to independence. A bittersweet beginning to a whole new avenue of discoveries. We've only just begun and yet, somehow, I already know that when I blink, she'll be all grown up. It will happen so fast.
Neighbors waved and shouted their encouragement, and John, John grinned from ear to ear the whole way. He had initiated this new interest, he had invited her to try out her "two wheel bike" yesterday on the front lawn. Just yesterday, she had successfully traversed the yard a few times with his loving encouragement, her training wheels lay like wounded soldiers in the driveway. The proudest papa on the block, his little girl riding off into the sunset, one step closer to independence. A bittersweet beginning to a whole new avenue of discoveries. We've only just begun and yet, somehow, I already know that when I blink, she'll be all grown up. It will happen so fast.
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