Couple days ago I was out in the yard when I observed Zeke amble out of the front door astride his black & yellow motorbike trike (a hand-down gift from my sister Helen whose many boys have outgrown it). Zeke sat contemplating the ride down the wooden ramp. But only for a second...then he launched off the level to gain the slope and...
Interlude: His first time down some 2-3wks ago I was seriously impressed with my sons level of control. He kept his feet down paddling forward but somehow slowing his progress enough that he easily made the 90 degree turn at the corner of the house and off the ramp without a hint of trouble. I had been worried how he'd cope when he eventually ventured down it unlikely to comprehend the possible consequences. Well, I was no longer worried.
Until the 2nd time he descended a few days later...when he held his feet up, got spooked at the speed he collected and losing confidence he panicked a right swerve into the side rails. Only he slid off the back before the bike hit so wasn't hurt any more than emotionally. Papa ran down and gave him a comfort cuddle but after bawling for 10 seconds he shook me off and marched over the the fallen bike and struggled trying to get it right side up. Once up he refused to get back on but wheeled it down and round the left hand corner onto the concrete yard by himself. Perhaps he's chanced his luck down the ramp since and pulled it off but I doubt it as neither Eden or I have seen him trying or heard him crying if so.
...from too far away to interfere with the physics about to unfold I watched as he pulled his feet up freeing his bike to go with gravity unhindered. Next thing, as the rush hit his senses, our Zekester throws his head back with a huge smile and shuts his eyes in delight. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry but anyway ran forward before deciding to try and catch him at the bottom as there was no way he'd ever take the corner at that speed nevermind sightless. He beat me there and the front fairing of the bike hit the railing so hard it blew the batten off the nail holding it to the fence. Thankfully this absorbed the shock and stopped the bike a little slower than if the batten had held so that when my boy's noggin connected with the next batten to the right it didn't do major damage. He sure bawled though. But again after 10 seconds shook me off and went to check out his bike. He couldn't pull the front wheel up and out of the fence and that got him crying. Eden came out and I asked her for the camera. This got Zeke quite upset as it meant his bike had to stay stuck where it was until recorded for posterity. Then he swung a leg over it and rolled down the remaining few feet of ramp. Hasn't been down from the top again yet though :)
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| Remove all the battens Pa. Then I could jump straight off! |
Eden has said since that she'd not been looking forward to Zeke's teenage years given his already obvious passion for motorbikes - but she'd not been expecting this at only 21mths! He's also partial to pulling the front wheel up for a stationary 'wheelie' when sitting on the bike inside the house. Only one day he pulled so hard that he flipped it up backwards right over himself and the bike ends up landing within a centimetre of his little sisters head where she'd been lying supposedly safe seemingly well out of the way.
Me? I'm a proud Papa - that's my boy! But I'm also feeling something new. Wanting to protect these wonderful wee creatures without stifling their creativity or making them fearful souls. I'm also admiring my parents who managed to strike a pretty good balance for me growing up.
