Exciting Milestones for Laela!

We spent our morning at church, leading our two local churches in worship for Good Friday. It was a good service, but the drive home had all of us excited for the afternoon. The weather was beautiful, and everyone is just itching to play outside.

Yesterday afternoon, I opted to walk to pick the kids up from school, just to get my butt outside. I texted Brady while we walked home and told him it was gorgeous out, and maybe we should all get outside for a bit. He responded with “I’m getting the little boys dressed right now.”

I won’t make you wait and guess. Laela learned to ride her two-wheeler yesterday!!!

You’ll have to forgive the poor picture. I have video after video of her working her way up to riding. Of us cheering for her. Of Dekker whooping “You’re doing great, Laela!” Of her shrieking and off-roading. But no pictures of her on her little bike. I’ll put one on Instagram tho 🙂

She began on a balance bike, and remembered how it felt. It seems like, in the very beginning, if she would actually balance, she would forget to steer. Like it had to be one or the other.

But with just a little practice, she was doing it ALL on her own!! Getting herself going, biking, turning around, and stopping with her brakes. It was AMAZING! We were SO proud of her, and she was squealing with delight, very proud of herself as well. As she should be.

The others were all in it, as well. Dekker on his bike, Rowan on his balance bike, and Solly mostly just sitting on his trike. Wavy joined us once she woke up from her nap, and happily watched from the stroller. The kids popped in to visit her regularly.

We had a few kids from down the street come join us, but I won’t post pictures of them, obviously. It was very cute, though. One of them was even from Laela’s kindergarten class.

I know Dekker isn’t in any of these pictures :/ He was WAY too fast and couldn’t be bothered to stop for pictures. He’s in the videos, but for the most part, he had carried over the Earth Day vibes from school, and spent much of his biking time in the lots beside our house, picking up garbage.

I really hope we can get the kids back out biking today! The more we can foster that, the better! Rowan is great on his balance bike, so I wonder how far away a two wheeler is for him. Meanwhile, Dekker needs to move up in bikes! His is too small for him, and while it doesn’t both him at all, I know he’d feel way better biking on something that he wasn’t so scrunched on. Hopefully garage sale day helps us out with that!!

Yesterday felt so good. It was awesome to see Laela so confident and to see her succeed. She took only one spill, and she was giggling within seconds, as I held her and Brady biked away on her teeny tiny Frozen bike. I only wish I had a picture of that! But it was less than a minute before she wiggled out of my grasp and chased her dad down the street. She is in it. When did she become a teenager?? I do not remember okaying that.

I am SO PROUD of you, Laela!!