Bikes

C and N have REALLY taken off riding their big boy bikes (with training wheels).  The two of them just plow down the street at top speed.  We have started letting them ride in the street as long as we are with them, and then they can circle around and around the culdesac. 

L, on the other hand.  We have always called him our "mule".  The kid is amazingly stubborn, and only will do what he wants to do when he wants to on his own timeline.  He is not belligerent or nasty about it, but oh my goodness, it is maddening.  With the other boys, I was able to push their feet and show them how to pedal, and they finally got it.  L just doesn't care.  He won't even put his feet on the pedals.  I seriously stood in the same 10 feet of sidewalk for over 20 minutes the other day while he rang the bell on the bike, sat on the bike, collected a few sticks to put in the basket on the bike, rang the bell, chatted with me, etc.  Drives me crazy.  Finally I get so fed up that I will push him.  I think that is his trick...he knows I will finally cave.  He does the same thing with his shoes.  He knows that I have to keep up with the other 3, so if he just goes slow enough I will finally do it for him.  That kid has me wrapped around his finger.  Argh.  But he is so blasted CUTE. 

I only let him ride the trike.  I figure until he can pedal the trike I'm not going to let him get on a big bike.  Today I finally convinced him to go around the circle once (he CAN pedal, stinker!).  As the other boys rode back down the street home quickly, I stayed back with L, and finally I just left him since he refused to pedal.  He wailed and wailed, and then finally began to pedal.  I hate to do that, but I'm not sure what else to do.  He'll learn.
 
Wow, that was a total tangent.

The boys all riding their bikes are kind of like a big crazy gang, though.  Pretty cute, but they are a bit intimidating, especially when you add in Z, because he is big and goes FAST.  Next up, teaching them to brake.  Now, they just kind of run into the curb.  And C, he's a bit of a crybaby and gets freaked out easily...if we yell "CAR!" he starts bawling and speeds up as fast as he can go to get back to wherever one of us is stationed, even if he has to wail 3/4 of the way around the circle.  Pretty funny.