goodbye training wheels

just two short months ago, after we moved into our 'temporary' home,
christopher put scoutie's trike in storage and pulled out the small
2-wheeler bike that finn used to ride before he moved up to his bigger bike.

i was a bit sad/sentimental this day. scout just turned 3 in july, and it was early september.
though he was physically ready for a 2-wheeler with training wheels, mom wasn't.
in my mind, he was still a toddler and should be on three wheels.

c reminded me he was no longer a baby and was ready.
i knew this, i did and i confided in c i was just wanting him to stay little a bit longer.
he was understanding but reminded me it was the right thing to do - for him.

i pulled myself together and got excited as i watched scoutie ride with training wheels that day.
he was more than ready and, for the first week, slow enough i could run along side him.
by the second week, i had to pull out my beach cruiser to keep up.  

a few weeks later, c commented that scoutie wasn't even using the training wheels to balance
and that they should come off. once again, i said "NO WAY, he just got them put on. he's too little". 
i had been watching scout and noticed the same thing c did, but again, i was holding on to my baby.

since fathers usually don't have difficult letting go, christopher removed the training wheels one
day when i was out. (yes, he's learned a few things after 18 years of marriage) *grin*
i came home monday and found scout riding his bike *without* training wheels,
looking like he had been doing it for years.  c, finn and i were cheered and he grinned from ear to ear.
so proud. finn was in awe - announcing that he didn't ride a bike till he was 5.
i reminded him he didn't have an older brother he had to keep up with either.

the last two months have been full of changes for our family and
this transition from 3 wheels to 2 wheels for scoutie has taught me a valuable lesson.
that is, to let go of my children when it's time so they can grow and reach their potential.

it can be hard to do sometimes, but it's my job as a mom.
there will be lots more letting go in varying degrees over the years.
saying goodbye to training wheels is just a start.

here is a little clip of my 'big boy' scoutie riding sans training wheels. *cheer*