My Big Girl...

Well, it happened the other day!  My little girl who still thinks Barney is an OK dude and that a quarter can buy the world, reached yet another milestone on her journey to big girl status, shedding one more little girl layer on the way! 

For a while now, Em has been able to ride her "big girl" bike without training wheels, yet every time we try (and we tried quite a bit), she would take off - and scream!!!!  She would be cruising on down the road training wheel-less while screaming for someone, anyone to save her from apparently a fate worse than death - falling!  The idea of just putting her feet down to stop herself must have alluded her!  Heh!

Now in her defense she does have 3 big brothers or should I say one Charlie and she has seen her fair share of falls and what can happen when you fall...

and don't wear your helmet!!  Do you know I STILL have to get on this child for NOT wearing his helmet!!!  UGH!!  I guess that fall did nothing to cure the hardness of his head - just left a big crack in the sidewalk! 

So anyway, I suppose you could say that the girl has been traumatized a bit by her Charlie big bro's and their antics.  Still, all that practicing was, if nothing else, hard on this poor old Momma's back!   Em wanted so badly to loose those little girl training wheels but was terrified or traumatized or Charlietized!!!  Any way ya look at it, she could do it, but her fear stopped her every time!

Well, I am happy to report that after riding a friend's bike in the grass (why didn't I think of that sooner), she suddenly saw that she could  do it and that she could actually put - her - foot - down to stop herself from falling!!!  Hey, what a concept, huh?? 

So, without further ado, may I present the just a bit more grown up Emmeline, otherwise known as Charlie's twin!  Oh my, why did I want her to ride without training wheels again???  Hehe!!!

If you listen closely, you can hear baby sister in the background cheering her bigger sister on, while doing some fancy moves of her own!

Gotta have a chat with that girl about talking on the phone while driving!!  Yeah, like I am one to talk - so to speak!!  Hehe!

Oh yeah and while Miss Em was gleefully riding her bike - with - her - helmet, her other half decided that he was going to bike down to a friend's house a play football...

Anything missing there, young Charles????  Sheessh!  His brilliant Mom (ahem) did however figure out how he could carry the football....

 and KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL!!!!  I don't want anymore cracks in my sidewalk!!!  Hehe!