Future Olympic cyclist? Anything's possible, now!

When Justin was very small, he was fascinated with wheels. Anything that spun, he would sit there for forEVER and spin them forward and backward. (Possible Autism spectrum, anyone?) He'd ask countless questions regarding the apparatus' mechanisms:

"How does the engine make the car go? WHY does the gas ignite? Can you explain about the steam pressure and the train again?"

Let me tell you, I now know more about engines, electricity, steam power, nuclear power, wheelchairs, etc. than I EVER learned in school. Thanks to my first born and his scientific mind.

Because of this fascination, he developed a love for his bikes. Every day of his toddlerhood was spent by eating breakfast and then rushing out onto our enormous driveway to ride his various wheeled toys. I have dozens of pictures and memories of his little tow-head whizzing around with a huge grin on his face.

So you can imagine how confusing it was for us when his training wheels broke a few years ago, and we removed them, only to never see him on a bike again! It was during his "difficult years." Those horrid times from 4 till 7 or so. When everything was a battle with Justin. When there wasn't a day without an argument or a note home from school. After trying for months to convince him to go more than an inch or so on his bike without training wheels, we finally threw our hands up and said "If he learns someday, fine. If he never learns to ride a bike, so be it. Life would go on." It was an argument we weren't willing to engage in.

I had always hoped that he would simply climb aboard his bike and take off. That one day, he would be like the other boys his age and would have to be pried from the two-wheeler, just to come inside.

My friends, that day has become a reality!! My 9 year old son can ride a bike!! To say that we were shocked and giddy over his accomplishment doesn't even touch upon the emotions we are feeling. To say that he is proud of himself is putting it mildly.

THRILLED. ECSTATIC. OVERJOYED.

Yeah, those kind of cover what I feel when I watched him doing this after only a few moments of trying...
Another benefit to this newfound talent? His little brother has FINALLY climbed onto his own bike!! Monkey see, monkey do, and all. I have THREE children that can ride bikes!!! We have discovered a whole new fun place to play:

our FRONT yard.