No Lance Armstrong.....

Today marks a huge event in my 6 year olds life....
She rode her bike today for the first time without training wheels!!! Most of today's events took place while I was at work...which is a good thing...but Ill get back to that in a moment. Today, being Sunday, I was at work until about 4PM. I was able to get off early because our patient census dropped. Soooo, Pete was at home working with Lila on pushing off and pedaling. He said that she just took right to it...in the grass. Placing her out on our long driveway she nutted and crashed. She just couldnt get going. Out on the grass, she was able to maintain her balance a little better and RIDE! Tonight after I ate dinner, I went out to watch this blessed event!! Lyndi and I watched (amusingly enough Lyndi stood next to me with her hands on her hips just like me!!)from the grass while Lila mounted her bike and began to pedal! She DID IT! Sure enough DID IT!! Of course, she is no Lance Armstong...YET!
Anyone that knows us, knows that Pete has been riding his bike in to work whenever circumstances permit. Thats a good 19 miles into Athens and 19 miles back home to Comer. He LOVES it!! So I think that cycling may be in her genes??!! Folks built as slight as Pete and Lila, can naturally excel at a lot of different sports. Heck! They are so light, they are kind of like sails flapping out there in the wind...if they can get the wind behind them...WATCH OUT!
So like I said, it was a good thing that I wasnt the one trying to work with Lila. Do not get me wrong, I love to teach. I love public speaking. I love it enough that IF I KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT, I can get kind a little high off of it. I guess its just an adrenaline rush from being OUT THERE in front of a crowd. For some its sky diving, for me running my yapper. I inherit that from my mom! Anyway, ( I get easily distracted) when it comes to teaching my beautiful, sweet child how to do stuff...it just gets all messed up. She yells and screams at me about how I made her NOT PEDAL AND CRASH ON THE BIKE!! OR because I didnt hold on just long enough that I made her not able to get going and make her crash. Either way, no matter whether I was holding on to her or within 15 feet of her, it was MY fault that things didnt go right. And on top of all of this vicarious failure that comes from me, I get all irritated when she doesnt get it right. So Im huffing and puffing and feeling like "FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME CHILD CAN YOU JUST PEDAL ALREADY???!!" I guess its the mother and daughter thing. I hate it. But it really just destroys my nerves when she tries to master something. Its just best that Daddy does it. Which is so strange to me. In the past, I have taught many people how to drive a stick shift. I have taught people how to complete various nursing tasks including inserting foley catheters and starting IVs. People have complemented me on my instruction skills. BUT when it comes to teaching my own little people....I get a big "D." I dont think its as bad as an "F." I dont get physical or call names or blame Pete's side of the family for HIS child's obvious shortcomings!
But I remember when I learned how to ride a bike. I do not remember anything but one event. Then I just was able to ride I guess. I remember being out on the road that was in front of our house. It was black asphalt and riddled with pot holes. Mr Colstead down the road used to try to fill the holes with black goop that I thought was just motor oil. Thinking back on it, I wonder if he used to just change the oil in his car and thought that was a clever way to dispose of the spent oil?
On my BLESSED day when I learned to ride my bike, I remember my mom and brother being outside with me. I remember being pushed from behind and being told to pedal. And pedal I did!!! STEER I DID NOT!! I remember feeling the wind against my face and the sheer joy of gliding down the road. And I remember the shrub that I encountered at full force!!! I remember the little sticky limbs that felt like little briars sticking me. I was WRECKED!! But my mom came rushing over cheering for me and trying to save me from the 6 year old eating bush! I guess I survived! But I dont know that I got back on my bike that day and rode. I bet my mom probably broke off a piece of the old Aloe plant that was the size of a VW, and smeared it across my wounds. You know, that stuff tastes like crap but it sure does heal a wound nicely!!
Now days I like to ride my bike, I just wish I had more time for it. Maybe now that Lila can ride, we can take Lyndi out in the little pull behind trailer and get Lila on her bike and take off. Once Lila gets a little bit of endurance up, we can take our bikes camping with us and ride some roads or fire roads somewhere. You know, thats what living is all about.