The Training Wheels Come Off!!!

A year ago, when the boys got their bikes, it was hard to believe that they'd ever be able to ride them without training wheels. And then, just like that, in the blink of an eye, it is twelve months later and here we are. Isn't it just unbelievable how fast time can fly? Braydon had known for a long time that K & O were ready to have their training wheels taken off. And K & O wanted them off. A few weeks ago we started telling them that "when the pool man comes to close the pool, then we'll take the training wheels off!" It was something to look forward to (and something to lessen the blow of the pool closing). On Thursday, October 9, late in the day, the pool man came to close the pool. And so, bright and early, on Friday, October 10, before school, Braydon and Kyle and Owen were in the garage taking off the training wheels! Kyle made sure we were all up early for the big event. It was still dark out when they got outside. And with the sun just starting to peek out, the boys had their first ride without training wheels. Of course, just as you might expect with K & O... they just jumped onto the bikes and started riding. There was virtually no transition time to go from training wheels to no-training-wheels. Rather than have to teach or push or run-holding-onto-the bike, Braydon, the ever-proud-Papi, drank his steaming coffee and watched, beaming, as his boys rode up and down the driveway getting their first fast taste of fully mobile freedom. And yesterday, less than two weeks later, I was watching them do "big skids!" and real honest-to-goodness-front-wheel-hopping-off-the-ground-'wheelies' in the driveway. The end of an era. And another start anew.