Your New Bike

Katherine, you recently got to try out a bicycle at a friend’s house and you loved it!! You started dreaming of your own bike – it should be pink and have a Minnie Mouse on it, or Hello Kitty, or Little Ponies, or… or… - but it must be pink and have a little basket in the front!

The bike you have had up to know has served you well - and while not pink, it has taught you the basic skills of how to use a bike. A balance bike, it doesn’t have any pedals and in all fairness you have been outgrowing it a bit (and growing is something you’ve been doing at lighting speed lately!)

So your daddy and I have decided the time has come for a “big girl” bike with pedals (and training wheels!)… and today was the day to go shopping for your new bike.

After visiting a few stores and not finding quite what we were looking for (safety first – no, the bike with no hand break was not an option!) we walked into the bike section of a store and there it was – a white and pink Hello Kitty bike with pink rims, a pink seat, a pink bag on the front – and pink and silver streamers on the sides of the handle bar! “I love it” was your first reaction, followed by a not so convincing “it’s wobbly” (as you got on it and the training wheels shifted side to side, helping you stay on it). But you were determined and after a little frustration, some “push me, push me” requests you were pedaling up and down the aisle in the store by yourself. We found your bike!

The lady at the cash register couldn’t stop smiling as she saw your proud face and excitement when we were paying for your new ride - and all plans for the rest of the afternoon went on hold as we had to get home quickly because you were ready to ride!

Daddy got your new and my (not so new) bike ready for us to begin our first adventure… because riding in the driveway just wouldn’t do. Your excitement made more than up for the learning curve (ok, we had both had a little moment where we almost turned back around after about 5 minutes of being out, but we quickly got over that) – and in no time at all you were riding your bike in the neighbourhood. We had so much fun and your training wheels kept you (mostly) upright.

You are teaching me that with learning anything new there will be little bumps – in this case quite literally… bigger bumps on the path got your bike to tip twice on our outing and catapulted you from the bike to the ground. Both times you hurt yourself a little (nothing serious, but I’m sure it must have been unpleasant), and both times you cried for a moment, but then you dusted yourself off and got back on the bike and we continued on. I am proud of you for not getting discouraged and not giving up. As we were riding along, I realized that we were on the same path we used to take when I was pushing you in the stroller when you were really little… and today we were riding side by side on our bikes. How far you have come… I love you always and forever.

Independent Moments

Katherine, the days and months are flying by – you have completed your first year of pre-school and we’re having much fun this summer!

It’s such a joy to watch you grow and become more and more independent. Yes, there is that little part of me that just wants to keep my arms wrapped around you forever to keep you safe, but I know it’s your time to explore the world more and more on your own.

You are becoming more adventurous and you’re also becoming more confident when you’re doing things by yourself.

From charging up the ladder when we’re picking cherries in the backyard, and waving from the top with a big smile on your face as you are reaching for the cherries as high as you can… to telling me “I know, I really know…” when I am trying to show you how to do something – you are thoughtful, but confident in all you do.

Last week you went to a gymnastics camp a couple of mornings and we had many talks about you staying there all by yourself. You had been there before for classes and other things, but never just by yourself. You asked me a lot of “what if” questions and we found a lot of answers and when I dropped you off, you were a little tentative for a couple of moments. But then you made up your mind that you had covered all your “what if’s” and gave me a hug and a kiss (as we always do when we say good-bye) and went to your group. Once you say your good-byes, you move forward – you don’t look back, you don’t waiver in your decision. That’s when I know you’ll be ok. When I picked you up later, you had such a proud smile on your face and your eyes were sparking – you did it… all by yourself!

You are teaching me that it’s my job to let you go… a little bit at a time. Yesterday you asked me if I will still love you when you grow up and I told you that I will never ever stop loving you. You always put your little arms as far apart as you can and ask me if I love you “this much” and I always put my longer arms as far apart as I can and answer you “I love you this much!”. And that is my promise to you: I love you always and forever.