Tricycle Joy

We have been blessed with a very happy child. Little things make him happy, big things make him happy...he's happy most of the time (everyone is entitled to a bad mood now and again). And the day after his birthday party, his actual 2nd birthday, we made him very happy. I might never forget Grant's reaction when he saw what we got him. He literally screamed with excitement and then laughed hysterically.

We got him this bad ass little tricycle that I'd had my eye on since probably January. Shiny and red with handlebar tassels and lets not forget the bell (I'm sure the neighbors won't). We waited until his actual birthday to give it to him and I'm so glad we did. Not only because then he had something on his birthday but also because I think it would have gotten lost in the overwhelming amount of stuff he got at the party.

Like I said, when Grant saw it for the first time he let out this excited scream and then said "Bicycle! Bicycle!"

Never lacking for energy (part of the reason he got this gift) he wanted to ride it immediately.

And since that day we've been working on teaching him to ride it. He's doing much better with it than I thought he would. The main issue at the moment is that he is just a hair too short to really get going on this thing, otherwise I think he'd be getting my groceries by now.

Saying "push with your feet" does not make him use the pedals.

I know I cut off the top of his head in this one but
I love how happy he is!
 

Feeling particularly energetic one night last week, Grant wanted to ride "my bike". So we took him out to the street. Our neighborhood is not a busy one so it's great for stuff like this. We got him out there and figured out that with very little pressure on his back we could get him to use the pedals. He still likes to do it Flinstone-style sometimes when he feels like really going...but that will end in scrapped knees sooner or later. So we're encouraging the pedals (not that a scraped knee, bloody nose, bruised forehead, or having his butt cheek cut open has ever kept him from doing anything).

 

 

So that night, for a very brief few seconds, Grant did manage to pedal on his own. In answer to my very excited "You're doing it!" he said, equally excited, "I doing it!". Then when he stopped he made sure to tell us "I did it!" It was all very exciting and cute. He still likes help with it, though. He'll tell us "Push it!" when he just doesn't feel like trying...or just knows he can get a ride out of it. But I'm really excited about how he seems to be getting it!

My favorite picture from that day of practice :)