A girl and her bike

Sissy's birthday is coming up.  The next couple of weeks are going to be absolutely jam-packed.  Because we have so much going on we decided to go ahead and give our daughter her birthday present.  She will still have a very special birthday, but we wanted her to be able to play on her bike before we got so busy that she couldn't enjoy it.

We are a little late in teaching her how to ride a bike.  She will be 9 in a week and a half, WWWAAAAHHHH!!!  I don't understand how she can be growing and getting older when I am still young?!?!?  How does this happen?

She got a bike when she turned six.  She could ride it and was doing really well until that fateful day in August.  Her brother had just been born, and I took a time-out from him and took her to ride her bike.  She was doing great until that mountain popped out of the middle of nowhere.  Ok, ok, it was just a hill.  Ok, ok, it was pretty much just a dip in the road.  Anywho, she started gaining speed and before long she was going lightning speed.  I had to jog to stay up with her and then for whatever reason she bailed.  To make a long story short, she skinned her knee and gave herself a bloody nose.  Her bike was never the same.  Its seat and training wheels were bent.

Needless to say, she didn't want to get back on her bike again.  Trying to instill the never give up attitude, we started pressuring her to try again this summer.  It was a rough start, but by golly she's got it.

Daddy had to get the gears in the right spot for the almost 9 year old.  (He's going to kill me for posting this.)

And then she was off.

 

I really am thankful that they can share this time together.  Daddy and daughter bike rides are great, especially when the little one is taking his nap.  The only problem I have is that I don't know what to do with myself when I am left alone.  Do I read a book, watch a TV show uninterrupted, take a nap, or just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet?  Oh the possibilities...