never give up!!

After coming home from the zoo yesterday we rested, relaxed and enjoyed our Labor Day at home as a family. The weather was so nice that we just couldn't resist heading back outside and playing. Maddox and I colored with chalk on the front porch while Brandon helped Ashtyn learn to ride his bike without training wheels!

Ashtyn has tried a few times before to learn to ride his bike without training wheels but he just wasn't ready. Yesterday, though, he seemed very determined and he had just enough patience (and Brandon had enough patience too! Ha!) to get the job done!! Of course, Ash had a fall and tumble here and there and I think even when it was all said and done he still hadn't quite gotten down how to use his brakes but he did an AWESOME job and really truly is a bike rider now!!

Ashtyn probably fell off and got back up on his bike for about an hour before he was finally able to balance and ride any considerable distance but the most important thing is he didn't give up!!

Later in the afternoon, Maddox began to get very jealous of all the attention from daddy that Ashtyn was getting and began to act out. He eventually set himself up on his own bike down the sidewalk where Ash was riding and refused to move. I know he was just crying out for attention and I couldn't help but laugh. He was growling at Ashtyn and telling him he was going to "crash his bike". Maddox desperately wanted to learn to ride his bike without training wheels too (he's so competitive and if brother is doing something then he MUST do it too...!!!) but Maddox simply can't do it yet. He's not quite tall enough to reach the ground while sitting on his bike seat and he isn't willing to accept Brandon's help in learning. Brandon did take Maddox's training wheels off at one point and tried to begin teaching him to ride but Maddox refused the help and tried riding on his own...I guess it probably goes without saying that Maddox almost immediately crashed his back trapping his leg under his bike and scraping it all up. Oh goodness...

It wasn't long before Ashtyn wasn't only riding his bike without Brandon holding onto him but was also able to start his bike moving forward without any help at all!! He still only goes about the length of the sidewalk directly in front of our house before he veers his bike into the grass and allows it to tip over (that's how he stops!) but he's doing great!! In fact, this morning when we left for school he asked me if when he gets home he can "practice riding his bike some more". He's so excited and wants to get better and better!!

We are SO proud of Ashtyn!! He fell off his bike many times but got right back on and kept trying!! Usually, in the past, Ashtyn would get so frustrated that he wasn't riding perfectly within his first couple of tries that he would just give up and pout...but yesterday Ash worked and worked until he finally got it!! Ash is growing up more and more every single day!!