Lydia's "new" bike

Last fall we bought bikes for Lydia and Emily so they could ride bikes with Ryan. We purchased 14" bikes--the same size as Ryan's. Ryan had been riding his 14" bike for a while and we thought the girls would be ready for one. It turns out they were really not able to reach the bottom pedal when their leg was completely extended. In addition, they really did not seem strong enough to make the bikes move even after my dad attached little blocks to the pedals. As a result, they were not riding their bikes. When she found out about our delima, my friend Becky said that her son Mason had outgrown his 12" bike and wondered if we would like to have it. Emily immediately became attached to the new bike! She started riding with Ryan and was loving it. We tried to make her share with Lydia, but Lydia really did not seem interested in riding "Emily's" bike. She continued to try to ride the 14" bike, but would just get frustrated and stop trying.

Last week my friend, Kara and her girls came over for dinner. After dinner we took a walk around our neighborhood. The kids decided they wanted to ride their bikes. Ryan and Emily rode theirs, we loaned one of the 14" bikes to Lynnea and Lydia decided she wanted to ride in the wagon with Olivia. Kara commented on how great Lynnea was doing on this bigger bike. She explained that Lynnea only has a little bike and she has really outgrown it and does not like to ride it anymore. She was LOVING the one we let her ride. We thought it would be a great idea to trade bikes for a while. Lynnea took our 14" bike and they loaned us her 12" bike. Perfect idea!

Today I took the kids out to ride their bikes. When we received the bike from Lynnea I immediately announced it was Lydia's so she would be excited about it. She was ready to ride her new bike! She rode her bike longer today than she ever has! She was so confident with it and knew she was a big girl riding her bike! Hopefully Lynnea will have the same reaction! It was so great being out there with them today! They were all riding their bikes and everyone was happy :).

Ryan came up to me while they were riding and said "Lydia is the slow down one."

I asked him what he meant.

He said "Lydia is the slow down one because her bike is yellow. Emily is the go one because her bike is green and I am the stop one because my bike is red."

Too funny! My children are a traffic light :).