Easy Riders

I'll admit, we've been lax in one of our parenting duties - teaching our kids to ride a bike.  Last year, Aliya somehow figured out how to ride a two-wheeler without Ben running along behind her holding the seat while I videotaped, but apparently she hadn't mastered the art of braking while steering, so today she decided to ride up and down our (dead end) street until she could turn around and ride back without stopping.

It reminded me of the day I learned to ride my first two-wheeler with the banana seat, fringed hand-grips, and the basket on the front.  As with many memories, I think I remember the photo more than the actual moment, but I'm sure it was exhilarating to ride through the neighborhood with the wind in my flowing, blond hair, unencumbered by a helmet.

Luckily I never cracked my head open, but boy my brother Elijah sure did.  When he was around 7 he was riding his bike and his front wheel came off, the forks stuck into our dirt driveway and he went @ss over teakettle.  He was a mess.  I don't have a picture of him with two black eyes and multiple contusions, but here's a picture of me scowling in concentration while trying not to wrap myself around a mailbox:

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And then there's Norah, who will never let anyone run faster, climb higher, or cliff-dive from a taller rock outcropping than she will.  She hopped on one of Aliya's old bikes and pedaled madly down the street while I ran after her.  (I probably don't need to point out that she was wearing a polka-dot tutu and pink flats.) Aliya got all cocky and rode by with a "So long.... Suckaaaaaa" over her shoulder, and promptly ran off the road.  Norah and I rode/ran past her with a "Suckaaaaa right back at-cha" and Aliya ran into the house to remain hidden in humiliation until dinner. 

I'm sure I'll live to regret my parenting skills or lack thereof, but I figure they're all going to hate me for a certain period of time anyway so I might as well have a few laughs in the process.  I have noticed that no matter how mad they get at me they still want to have "snuggle time" before bed.  I guess when they stop asking for that I'll know that the honeymoon's over.  Until then..."So long, Suckaaaaa!"  :-)
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