Lucky, Lucky Boy
May 13, 2009
Last night Miles asked his 10 yr old brother to teach him how to ride a bike.
Miles climbed on the seat with instructions to “just keep pedalling.”
His brother ran behind him and pushed the bike as fast as he could…
And then he JUST. LET. GO. Much like people who teach kids to swim by tossing them into the pool, it was either ride the bike or crash.
I held my breath.
And watched him ride down the street, coming toward me. Getting closer and closer.
“Did you teach him how to stop?” I yelled.
“No, I kind of thought he would fall before he would need to know how to stop!”
He rode the (princess) bike up and down the street in front of our house as it got darker and darker outside. Everyone* in our family came outside to see him ride and cheer him on. Eventually the street lights came on we went into the house.
On the way up the front steps Miles grabbed his brother’s arm, “Thanks for teaching me to ride a bike!”
“You’re welcome.”
The sweetness** was too much for me to bear and I was forced to eat them.
*******
* Okay, not everyone. My daughter was incredibly angry and vocal with her anger that her younger brother dared to learn to ride a bike at 4 years old when she was not able to do so until she was almost six.
Since her cries of “Push him down and make him stop,” were not heeded by us she did the next best thing which was to stand on the edge where the driveway meets the street and scream on the top of her lungs like she was being dragged behind the bike instead of merely watching it drive by her.
** This morning when Rob left for work he discovered that someone had scratched the entire side of his car, probably with the handle of one of their bikes or scooters when they rode too close to the car. That was not so sweet.
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And THAT is why I am sad that I never had an older brother. I didn’t learn to ride until I was EIGHT! Oh the shame of it all!
May 13th, 2009 at 11:18 amWhat a wonderful memory for Miles! My eldest sister left me stranded with her bike. It was ride home or walk pushing said bike - you learn to ride quickly, haha.
Sorry to hear about the car…
May 13th, 2009 at 11:20 amahh great sibling moments are too few and far between aren’t they, but when they do happen they just make you proud often wondering “who raised these kids”? hahaa. that story made me cry. very sweet.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:23 amThat is so precious. To have a bond like that is wonderful.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:29 amOh my goodness, that first photo of your two blondie boys is incredibly cute as are the others. Love it!
May 13th, 2009 at 11:33 amIt’s stories like this that make me wish I had a many more siblings.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:33 amI so need that 10-year old boy to come teach my 6-year old and 4-year old how to ride their bikes. I actually think the 4-year-old is closer to doing it. I’m kind of hoping the peer pressure would work on my 6 y.o. if his younger brother learns first. It worked with my older two!
May 13th, 2009 at 11:34 amOh! Too awesome! I especially love the 3rd shot of your 10-year-old with his arms spread open as he released Miles to pedal on his own. However, I do totally understand your daughter’s protest as my own daughter would do the same. It looks like you can now send all the kids out to ride in a pack.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:38 amMy 6 year old learned to ride before my 10 year old (this past summer!) and the 10 year old reacted very similarly to your little girl - minus the screaming. There was much crying and pouting and shouting “it’s not FAIR!” (OMG how I loathe those words). And we had the same situation with the scratches on the car, from my 8 year old’s bike… we (kids & I) blamed it on the kids at the park, though
May 13th, 2009 at 11:39 amI love Miles and his dimples riding the puple and pink princess bike! And I love to hear about the true princess screaming to push him down (because that is exactly what would have happened here). And I’m still waiting for the product that covers bike and scooter scratches on the sides of cars. If we invent it, I bet we could make millions!
Love. this. Those kids are delicious!
May 13th, 2009 at 11:51 amYou’re 10-y-o totally looks like the Karate Kid. I never noticed it until the 1st photo on this post.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:53 amThat’s AWESOME!!!!!! They will both remember that forever. Did you cry a little bit?
May 13th, 2009 at 11:54 amWow! The exhilaration. Your boys will always have this very special memory.
Your photos are amazing. It felt like I was right there cheering him on. Thanks for sharing.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:01 pmYour last baby has learned to ride a bike! That in itself is sweet.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:17 pmThose two boys look so much alike! So cute. Congrats to Miles for being a new bike-rider!
May 13th, 2009 at 12:43 pmGo Miles!!! What an accomplishment, and how sweet of his big brother to teach him!
May 13th, 2009 at 12:48 pmSweetness, indeed! It’s so great that your kids are so kind to each other. I love visiting your blog and seeing that love so often.
But, wouldn’t a helmet have been a good idea?
May 13th, 2009 at 12:57 pmthat is just awesome. how cool. and what a wonderful childhood memory for your boys.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:57 pm*POP*! (brain popping from the cuteness). So how did he finally stop?
May 13th, 2009 at 1:05 pmThis made me laugh out loud:
“No, I kind of thought he would fall before he would need to know how to stop!”
Mostly because I can also imagine the expression on his face when he said it.
Congratulations to Miles!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:09 pmAWESOME!!! Miles is the coolest!!!!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:19 pmI can picture that scene with your daughter. Priceless! And isn’t it great that you didn’t have to push the bike around and around the block and incur expensive chiropractic bills for yourself?
May 13th, 2009 at 1:21 pmI think that is so sweet that his older brother taught him how to ride the bike!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:24 pmWhat a sweet story but I love the end. Too funny.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:31 pmI am sending him a princess helmet to match his bike. Protect the brains!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:33 pmWhen I learned to ride a bike I wanted my dad to take my training wheels off. My brother volunteered to do it and my dad LET HIM. When he took off the training wheels he forgot to put the bolt for the back tire back in place and off I went driving down the road until my back tire fell off. I have a lovely set of scars.
Miles’ first time was much more of a success!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:46 pmOMG OMG It does not get any better then this.
Love the post
May 13th, 2009 at 2:06 pmYou really need to encourage bike helmet use for all of your precious children. Over 100 kids die from bike related head injuries annually and over 100,000 receive traumatic brain injuries from lack of helmet use.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:19 pmCue mothering instinct: Aaaarrrgggghhhh! He’s riding it IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET!! where there’s cars and traffic and such!! without a bike helmet!! and the 10-year-old is running in the same street WITHOUT ANYTHING ON HIS FEET!! the street that could have glass and nails and, oh, I don’t know, live cobras on it!!
Okay, I’m done now. But seriously - you DO have bike helmets in Texas, right???????
Chris says: Do you SERIOUSLY think I am letting him ride his bike down the highway or something? Glass and nails? Where the heck do you live?
May 13th, 2009 at 2:26 pmPS - sorry, didn’t mean to sound like such a snot/nag, but this morning on the Today Show, there was a toddler with a pencil stuck all the way through his face/mouth that had to be surgically removed and just missed his carotid artery and I guess I haven’t gotten past the shock of seeing that yet……..
May 13th, 2009 at 2:28 pmI love the way you portray sibling love. You are so good at painting such a clear picture. The kids are adorable with their sun-bleached hair. Congrats Miles on learning how to ride a bike (very, very quickly).
May 13th, 2009 at 2:31 pmToo weird-this same thing happened at our house on Monday-my four year old son just took off on his bike after the training wheels were taken off. Crazy. My daughter was 6 when she learned-she was also a little pissed he learned so much earlier then her! Good for Miles!
May 13th, 2009 at 2:37 pmSee..and this is way we have multiple children. So we never have to clean and teach bike riding ever again!
May 13th, 2009 at 2:42 pmxoxo
ronee
Your boys are so sweet.
I constantly have people telling me that i looks like someone has keyed my car. I am quick to tell them that the damage is from my son who scratched the entire length of my car with the handlebars on his bike.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:54 pmWow! You make me want 7 kids, just so we can have more sweet sibling moments. What a great, sweet story for both Miles and his brother to remember.
My now 14 yr old son once scratched a car with his bike handlebars. Unfortunately, it was a rental car that I was driving while my car was being repaired (someone had hit me and the repairs were on THEIR tab). I ended up being charged an OUTRAGEOUS $400 by the rental car company to repair the scratch. And all due to an accident that WASN’T MY FAULT. Oh well–kids are expensive in many ways.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:01 pmYour 10 year old is the sweetest kid.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:04 pmFABULOUS pictures.
Way too impressive and adorable! It’s always heart-warming when siblings actually work together (instead of, y’know, driving each other craaaazy). I haven’t even managed to learn a bike yet.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:07 pmMy older two were late riders — close to 6. Both ride their bikes rarely. My son is 6 and rarely rode a tricycle and often does not have the oomph for a bike w/training wheels. I gues we are not bike people. He’s tall or his age, so perhaps has to expend more energy than some his age or he is lazy and just wants to not be bothered!
May 13th, 2009 at 3:36 pmYou have got the most gorgeous children! Too funny about your daughter. Mine didn’t learn until she was 7 - so tell her that maybe it will make her feel better…
May 13th, 2009 at 3:46 pmSLOW down, Miles - sheesh, you move to Austin, start playing with the major leagues and NOW ride a two-wheeler! What next!?
That really is awesome - I love hearing his sister’s reaction! LOL! 
It is a pure delight to hear these stories!
May 13th, 2009 at 3:54 pmI’ve always thought that was the best way to learn how to ride a bike. That’s how my siblings and I learned. That’s how my 3 kids learned - we pushed them, they rode a bit, they fell, we pushed them again, they rode a bit more, they fell, etc for a couple of hours. Then they were able to do it. The only difference was that the two older ones were 5 when they learnt - the bike was their 5th birthday present.We thought that was the right time. When the 3rd one was just 3 and a half we thought HE might be prepared. He was.
You just have to let go, literally.
But the feeling of having your own brother pushing you… wow, that must be fantastic!!!
May 13th, 2009 at 4:01 pmAnd, boy, aren’t they cute???
So I should have one of my kids teach the five year old to ride a bike.
May 13th, 2009 at 4:05 pmseriously adorable pictures. just priceless. but at the risk of sounding like a nag, where was the helmet?
May 13th, 2009 at 4:28 pmWhat a sweet, sweet story! But I’m a little sad that you didn’t get pictures of your daughter’s reaction!
May 13th, 2009 at 4:43 pmAwww! I LOVE the picture of him and his big brother! They look so much alike! Is your 10yo ALWAYS such a sweetie; your stories make him sound like it.
And I love that he did it barefoot–I NEVER used to wear shoes. Until I got old and fat and got plantar facitis. ROTFL!
May 13th, 2009 at 5:03 pmhe’s a natural.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:08 pmFunny I saw the bare feet and my thought was…wow, look at that tan!
Awesome picture series…your kids are gorgeous.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:12 pmSo cute. Way to go , Miles!
May 13th, 2009 at 5:20 pmWhen Teenager was little our neighbor taught him how to ride. She was 9 and he was 5. She leaned really close to him while he was sitting on the seat and said “If you don’t learn how to ride your bike like the other kids, they will laugh at you!” that was all she had to say to him. He took off down the street!
So adorable. When my 4.5 year old learned how to ride his bike it was one of his happiest days ever. Could your 10 year old’s dimple get any bigger???
May 13th, 2009 at 5:20 pmWow. How adorable. My nine year old is still not getting the hang of it.
I learned to ride a bike without a helmet and I didn’t suffer any dain bramage. Isn’t one of the Mommy Commandments “Don’t Judge”? “Don’t they have helmets in Texas?” Yes they do. They also have a big ol’ bag of MYOB.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:27 pmLove the photos! And love the way you’re so tuned into the power of small. My first two-wheeler experience involved a sprained ankle, but that’s another story…
Lisa
May 13th, 2009 at 5:37 pmThis is GREAT!! The big-brother/little-brother moment…the princess bike…those two adorable towheads…the fact that he’s riding without training wheels on his FIRST try (!)…the family* cheering…that look of sheer determination…all of it!!
I need your 10 yo to come to my house and teach my 4 and 5 yos, I am too chicken as well as too old!
May 13th, 2009 at 5:45 pmI take it this happened after baseball or does he not let you take off the uniform?
I learned at 4 also. The beginning of a life long love, and I would have loved to see your daughter’s reaction. Too funny! As for you eating them up, I can just look at the top picture and know no one could blame you.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:46 pmFirst…give me a moment so I can climb back OUT of those dimples. How adorable!
Chris…could you please put up my personal favorite picture series you have of the kids? You know the one…where Miles is running with scissors and his brother is shoving him down from behind?
I never wore a helmet either, and neither did ANYONE I knew growing up…and we were barefoot all the time. We lived. And yes, there are cases of horrible things happening every day, but you have to live for the moment…had she tried to run for the helmet these pics would have been forever lost.
Priceless.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:54 pmThat is so incredibly cool! I can’t wait to show my son how to do things like swim, ride a bike, etc. Although, I’m in no rush for him to grow up. He is just now crawling and my wife and I are taking advantage of every second we have with him.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:57 pmThat is EXACTLY how I learned to ride at 5. My 3 older brothers put me on a bike (no training wheels, probably b/c my parents couldn’t afford them) and sent me down the hill. I was SO proud of myself and when my dad got home I was showing off (and had not been shown ALL the bicycle functions, like, BRAKING) and completely slammed into a parked car. My pride was crushed, but thankfully, only scrapes and bruises were evidence. (And it was all done WITHOUT A HELMET…gasp!! It’s hard to believe I lived through 35+ years without wearing one. (I’m a little weary of the helmet police commenters.)
May 13th, 2009 at 5:57 pmI think it’s awesome that they’re in the street, no shoes, having an great time. That’s what summer and being a kid is all about. My kids wear their helmets when we remember, which is about 1/4 of the time. Thanks for sharing the great pictures.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:58 pmI love the shoes and helmets comments. To be expected, I guess.
You are a great storyteller, Chris! Thanks for the laughs.
May 13th, 2009 at 7:04 pmOh by the way, get that boy into gymnastics! He obviously had a gift for awareness of his body in space (and great balance).
May 13th, 2009 at 7:05 pmas usual great pics and such a sweet story
May 13th, 2009 at 7:10 pmThanks for sharing this, its gorgeous!
May 13th, 2009 at 7:31 pmYou made my day
Absolutely great series of “The Brotherhood:)”
Gorgeous kids!!!
May 13th, 2009 at 7:49 pmI still remember your daughter riding her bike in a wedding dress!:) I LOVED that one also!!
I am a loser mother: when I saw the pictures, I didn’t even notice he wasn’t wearing a helmet or the lack of shoes, I was concentrating on the wonderful looks on both boys’ faces. Guess someone better come rescue my boy from this thoughtless, unsafe mother!
May 13th, 2009 at 8:17 pmMiles is quite possibly the cutest child in all of Texas! If you hadn’t already, I would have eaten him myself.
On my brother’s third birthday, the neighbor boys walked over and gave him their old bike, a very tiny BMX. He immediately jumped on it and rode away, no training wheels had yet been installed. My then six and a half year-old sister threw a fit, much like your daughter’s, but for a somewhat different reason: her bike still had training wheels on it. It took her another month or so for her to learn, and oh the horrors every night when we would go outside and ride bikes, my 3 year-old brother whizzing by my nearly seven year-old sister, collapsing in a heap of frustrating and injustice.
May 13th, 2009 at 8:41 pmSave me a bite because that is the SWEETEST thing I have heard in a long, long time!
May 13th, 2009 at 9:49 pmWhat amazing pictures!!
May 13th, 2009 at 10:08 pmSuch wonderful brotherly love … though I laughed at the part about your daughter. Poor thing!
Too stinkin’ cute, those two! Like twins on a six year time delay.
My father’s School of Bicycle Instruction is more or less identical to that of your 10 year old son. I, too, was set on a bike at age four and pushed at top speed and then let go and told to keep pedalling.
My sense of balance, however, is NOT like that of Miles . . . I may still have a slight scar by my hairline from where I had a dizzying make-out session with the gravel.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:13 pmI have come to a very firm conclusion that these girls are HIGH MAINTENANCE. I’m glad to see it isn’t just mine ; )
The cuteness, though, too much. What a big boy!
May 13th, 2009 at 10:21 pm1. I think those are my two favouritest of your kids (yes, it’s a word!)
May 13th, 2009 at 10:34 pm2. Thanks for making me want to have tons of kids!
3. I love your neighbourhood, it looks so homey
4. Nice job Miles!
Man, you have pretty babies.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:56 pmThat picture of Miles riding his bike after his brother let go was priceless! And big brother love is awesome! My older son does this frequently with his little brother and my heart just melts. Enjoy your sweet moments!
May 13th, 2009 at 11:00 pmtell me you use lots of sunscreen on those children… please tell me that…. i am the queen of skin cancer so children with that much of a tan line really concern me…
May 13th, 2009 at 11:03 pmI really would have liked to have seen a photo of the screaming sister. Because that’s so much like what happens in my house.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:23 pmAfter me you have the cutest kids EVER!
That is the sweetest story. ♥
May 14th, 2009 at 12:44 amGO MILES!!! Another in a long line of natural athletes!!
They are adorable with their matching dimples. I don’t blame you for eating them up.
(I figured you’d get the helmet comments. That is precisely why I haven’t posted pictures of my son on his bike.)
May 14th, 2009 at 2:19 amI love that your ten-year-old is running in the street with no shoes. That is so what mine would do! I think the neighbors are starting to wonder if he OWNS any shoes!
May 14th, 2009 at 8:52 amOkay, I should have read the other comments first. I put bike helmets and shoes on my kids when we are riding somewhere other than our neighborhood. I realize accidents could happen anywhere, but seriously. There is such a thing as over-protectiveness. My neighbor did tell me that her 7 yr old, who is in the same class at school as mine, asked her “when do I get to ride without a helmet like Jackson?” so I guess I’m setting a bad example. Oh well.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:57 amI love your description of the sweet moment…and the reality of the screeching vocal sister in the background…savor those sweet moments (and ease up on the helmet comments people…he’s only 2 1/2 feet from the ground)
May 14th, 2009 at 9:17 amChris - I teared up when I read the part where Miles thanked his older brother… how adorable.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:23 amMiles & the 10 year old look so much alike they could be twins…born 6 years apart! And you have no idea how much the stories of your daughter both warm my heart and scare the holy living crap out of me! Warm my heart because they make me think at least my daughter is not alone in her histrionics, and scare me because mine is 4, and I was hoping she would grow out of it sometime soon. Sigh. I guess not.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:34 amHelmets… what are those? LOL… seriously though, I have them for my boys, but they rarely wear them. We didn’t have them and we are still here and alive! That was so totally awesome of him to teach Miles how to ride… he is fearless!
May 14th, 2009 at 10:08 amCould you have Miles send his brother over to teach my 8 year old how to ride her bike?
May 14th, 2009 at 10:34 amI think it is totally awesome the way lots of come on here lambasting you for “letting your kids ride bikes on highways that are nail and glass laden with no shoes, helmets or sunscreen”
Seriously - Are they kidding?
HOW DARE YOU lol…!
Miles and his Bro look like they are having a blast, just the way kids are supposed to … right!?!?!?! Please don’t stop sharing the pics. I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees the sheer enjoyment that is captureded in all.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:38 amAwesome photos - GO MILES!
Awesome honesty on the part of big brother … just keep pedalling and I thought he’d fall before he needed to know how to stop.
Helmets on the little ones who might fall over is pretty important - except we didn’t have helmets and we lived, right? Summer = bare feet required!
May 14th, 2009 at 10:40 amMoments like these are just so saturated with love and mixed emotions–ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! What can I say?? LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!! Your boys are so cute– I would gobble them up, too! And your daughter’s agonizing screams…we have 4 little girls (twins are 6 ) and those screams are a daily occurence over at our house. Bring your earplugs if you visit!
May 14th, 2009 at 10:47 amI think my favorite part of the story is your daughter. My daughter is surrounded by four brothers - two on each side of her - all of whom have a freakish math gene. Her younger brother in first grade can easily do her third grade math. She was VERY VERY mad about this - until she learned to exploit it. Now she says, “Henry, do you know what 57 x 6 is?” And when he yells out the answer, she writes it on her homework sheet. This same brother is also now riding her old Barbie bike. We said we would spray paint it blue for him, but he doesn’t seem to care.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:57 amThat is awesome! It is so great to watch your little ones grow up and do things on their own! My little one is not yet ready for this, but when he is I’ll be out there snapping photos too. With or without the helmet.
May 14th, 2009 at 11:00 amUm…the people with the helmet comments need to hush, in my opinion. Who poured vinegar in their coffee today, huh? Sheesh. I mean, you have to be careful, yes, but dang….calm down people and pull the stick out of your rear.
May 14th, 2009 at 11:02 amLOVE the photos. They’re are precious & priceless, especially the third one, right went he let go. You captured that moment so perfectly. So sweet of your 10 yr old. It always makes me so proud of as a Mom when my kids help & take care of each other. A great memory! And one more comment - adorable kids!
May 14th, 2009 at 2:14 pmthat picture of Miles with his hair blown back as he rides is so so so sweet; he looks like a baby again. and SOOO happy. I love it and I love how much your children help and enjoy being with each other. it’s wonderful. you are so lucky — and skilled as a mother!
May 14th, 2009 at 2:43 pmWell this ought to tick you off. Your kids need to wear helmets, period. First the photos of the Princess riding her bike without one and now Miles. Apparently it’s a habit. The reason behind needing to use one, the recollections I am told by my hubby who is a Fire Captain and scrapes up kids from the pavement who have parents who say “but he/she was only riding in front of our house”. Unfortunately the little brain within the skull doesn’t mind where the hard surface is located, or how slow or fast the bike was going - contact with the head and surface makes for bruises and cracks. If you think the bill for your son’s concussion was something to write about, hang onto your heart, wallet and mental stability with a child in a coma. Oh right, it won’t happen to your kid.
May 14th, 2009 at 2:59 pmWhat beautiful kids and what a sweet memory for you.
I wasn’t going to comment on the helmet thing because I’m assuming Chris usually does require helmets and things happened quickly and the helmet was forgotten. That stuff happens to us all.
The commments discounting the value of helmets, however, leave me baffled. Sure, we all survived no helmets, sunscreen or seat belt, BUT not everyone we grew up with was unscathed. One of my idiot adult relatives recently died in a bike crash. Yep, head trauma easily prevented with a helmet. He’s probably up for a Darwin award. My husband, as an adolescent, was in a bike accident from which he still carries physical scars. He does not remember the months of recovery and rehab fondly. I guess we’re lucky he remembers them at all.
There is little in life more simple than getting and requiring that your child wear a helmet when on a bike, scooter or skateboard (especially if they don’t know how to stop and even on a tiny bike). Why anyone would routinely choose not to do so is beyond my grasp.
May 14th, 2009 at 3:43 pmSo cute!
Next comes a dirt bike or four wheeler. Then they graduate to golf carts. Then there’s air soft and paintball guns. That’s how it plays out in the burbs of Texas!
Chris says: They are already asking for air soft guns! The internet will LOVE it when I post photos of that.
May 14th, 2009 at 4:10 pmhow can you stand looking at such cuteness everyday? both of them!!!
May 14th, 2009 at 4:24 pmLove these photos! Thanks for sharing. When each of my three kids had that moment of riding a bike - all by themselves - it made me cry every time. Good for you for capturing it on camera.
May 14th, 2009 at 4:45 pmThose two are so damn cute I just can’t believe it. They are both going to be little heart breakers when they get older. I’ve got to agree with Julie above: next come the 4-wheelers! I’ve had one since age 4, they are a blast.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:15 pmLove the quick action photos as well as the adorableness!!
May 14th, 2009 at 8:57 pmWhat kind of camera/lens are you shooting with??
I like all the action in your neighborhood/culdesac!
What fun! Although I totally feel your daughter’s pain. My brother learned to ride his bike one afternoon at our grandma’s. I had an inability of being outdone, and promptly demanded that our mom teach me at that very moment. So, we both learned to ride on the same day…he was five and I was six.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:45 pmChris Want me to send you pics of my son on his four wheeler ( he does wear a helmet)? Maybe then people would see your kids were being kids. Geez……People they were having fun. Please don’t stop posting the pics. Some of us get it. Oh and I need a crazy straw if it helps with the teen thing.
May 15th, 2009 at 6:27 amGood for Miles! My 4 year old also learned to ride with the help of his big brother (at 3). As an aside, he has 3 older sisters, and I had to FORCE all of them to learn to ride at 5, while the boys wanted to ride without training wheels at 3. They’re so different!
May 15th, 2009 at 7:18 amAir Soft guns are sooooo cool - but don’t let them press the pistol to your cabinet or against the SCREEN ON THEIR PHONE and shoot - just to see what would happen. It isn’t pretty!!!!!
May 15th, 2009 at 8:13 amPlease post the air soft pics!My kids wear safety goggles that remind me of Physics Lab. Think nerdy combats.Gina. Not from Texas.
May 15th, 2009 at 11:35 amJust about the sweetest thing ever! Probably because it wasn’t my car that was scratched…
May 15th, 2009 at 12:52 pmI loved this post, I have tears in my eyes…the pictures are perfect for recreating the moment. He looks so happy and proud. Your kids are adorable.
May 15th, 2009 at 4:11 pmI guess I too am a bad mom! I was enjoying the story and pictures and thinking what a GREAT family moment blistfully unaware of the fact they were nopt wearing shoes and helmets. The pictures seemed totally normal to me.
I absolutely loved your response to lizinsumner. Really, your street does not look dangerous. And cudos to the big brother for helping.
May 16th, 2009 at 10:31 amYour kids and stories are so beautiful, I wish I had had more kids. Absolutely beautiful. If I had read this blog years ago, I would probably have had four more children! At least. You make big families look so wonderful. Blessings to you and the kids…. And BTW, the same thing happened over here. My four year son learned to ride a few days before the 6 year old daughter. And my third child just learned to ride his bike a few weeks ago on Earth Day. Dad held the bike and my 4 yo just pedaled away like it was no big deal. I guess when they are ready, they are ready.
May 16th, 2009 at 11:27 pmThe internet has a giant hair across their ass lately.
My kids have to wear shoes here because there IS glass and crap, but I never remember those damn helmets.
Besides its really nobody’s business now is it? If you are a helmet warrior, put your kids in helmets. Then do me a favor and shut up.
May 19th, 2009 at 10:22 amChris, I want to thank you.
For choosing to share your life with us.
For being a sane freakin’ mom that understands kids are supposed to get scrapes and injuries.
For great genetics.
And most of all: For having my kids, so I needn’t.
<3
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:27 pm