This morning after breakfast, I was working on the computer and turned around to see that Dexter had gone through the motions of preparing himself for a bike ride.
I noticed this because he kept chanting "Bike ride? Bike ride?" to me.
What a charming little push cyclist.
He's totally developing the leg-swing-over-saddle technique.
He paddles up and down the hall while he patiently waits to be taken to the playground.
The other night we were having a fine time paddling the bike around the block, until we went through a little patch of mud. The toddler in Dexter came out, and he refused to go any further while there was mud on his wheel.
I thought I would help by grabbing some big leaves off a tree and showing Dexter that we could simply clean the wheel off by wiping the mud with leaves. That instigated a new found desire to pick all the leaves off the tree (unreasonable demands of a 2 year old) and utter refusal to continue riding the bike any further, until tree-stripping demands were satisfied.
So after 10 minutes of attempted reasoning, I had to pick up both Dexter and the bike and haul them the remainder of the way home.
I am not a very big woman. And my arms are short.
He was all sadness and grumpiness when we got back to the house, so I tried distracting him with dancing on the utility trailer that was attached to the car. That was going splendid until it was time to go inside, which proved to be another mom-hauling ordeal (you have to hold them football style so they can punch on one end and kick on the other without breaking your stride).
Finally we were able to settle down with a very elaborately constructed train maze.
And there ends my chapter in teaching a toddler how to use a paddle bike. The wandering narrative style of this post very accurately reflects the quickly changing moods and desires of a two year old!
5 comments:
I love it. Indoctrinate them young I say...=-)
for the longest time- Tuber could not tolerate ANY water from puddles, leaves or dirt on his wheels. It was highly annoying as we'd both have to carry the bike over any puddle to keep it clean. I worked hard to explain that wheels like shoes are made to get dirty! Finally at 5 he loves to ride through puddles. but 2-4 were tough to ride after a rainfall or during autumn. :-)
I like the chew marks on Dexter's helmet :)
Aww. I still remember my first bike. A pink Barbie bike with streamers and training wheels for my 8th birthday, way older than Dexter. Also I love how dignified Dexter looks in the last photo. Tweed ride perhaps?
He looks adorable, regardless of how his moods may have changed.
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