A new bicycle was waiting for Hedgehog in Texas--her first without training wheels.
I watched her father, gentle hand on her back, helping her steady. I watched her effort on the tough pedals. I watched her go...
Earth pulled her earth-ward, and she was up again. Earth pulled her earth-ward, and she was up again.
Determined, stoical in her Hedgehog way, we watched, amazed at her lightness, as she conquered the pull and captured an airy balance...
...and pedalled and pedalled...
...and was off...
32 comments:
Yea, you are home and safe again. Hedgie looks like she is having fun learning the freedom and joy a bicyle can bring. Yes gravity can pull us all down, hehe, parts we do not want, but so special when a child first learns to ride a bike.
Thank you for sharing this first time with us.
God bless. May the force be with you. You are loved.
Very nice, thank you for sharing. :)
Oh! Another tear-jerker post!
I can't take this any more!
xx00
PS
Thank God you are finally done with your trip to hell (Texas).
Welcome back to the City.
Training wheels today.
Training bra tomorrow.
my dad taught me how to bike too. and drive a car. :D
sheesh! took me two week to get Heckle & Jeckle (my twin sons) running on two wheels - I lost a bit of weight too.
yay! you should be very proud of her. great moment to celebrate with fam! the overcoming of gravity!
Lovely moment. I remember my own so well, with my dad too.
Great bike!
Oooh new shiny bike with pink rims . .God she learned quickly! Mine had training wheels for ages . . now he rides motor bikes and leaps off tall ramps with a single bound "Look Mum - no hands!"
Good show Hedgehog! Good show! Come by and sign up for my birthday giveaway!
Wonderful "spin" on the theme. Wheels and gravity. I loved my first big bike. It was so beautiful until it was stolen and abused. I got her back and loved her anyway. Kudos to HH.
What a powerful memory to "start off home to. All the rest is behind you and you have this glory to celebrate.
Aww, Hedgie's dad is so tender and sweet with her. Such beautiful pictures.
Thanks for sharing this. A lovely memory.
How wonderful! I love the way you wrote it. She truly conquered the earth!
Being 'pulled earthward' is OK for children! I dread falling!
Good clean wholesome moments. Lovely pics.
Beautiful post. You know I love you baby. Heggie's adorable. Believe it or not, I got out her "butterfly bush" a few days ago in anticipation of mailing. I have some work to do! Baby, email or tell me here the the best time to mail for planting in the Adirondack. I'm serious. This is not a test. I'll check.
I love you darling. You know that. XO
Sorry baby, that was me. Posted twice because Blogger's a misleading bitch.
Honey, did you knit Wee One's shirt?
Love you,
XO Suzy :)
Hi Candie!Mrsupole--thank goodness, yes. And as for gravity, I know all too well about that, LOL!
Wings--thank you! and thanks for stopping by.
Auntie--I know, I've been so moody lately. I actually shed a couple of tears while writing this...and it's true, I'm starting to think of Texas as hot, hot hell!
MJ--How I longed for a training bra...those innocent, boobless days...
reyjr--I've started teaching Hedgie about steering and rules of the road! You can never learn to drive too early!
Pisces Iscariot--I was so relieved that we didn't have to chase up and down the driveway after her...
Brian--I was proud! It was a great moment.
Mme DeF.--I remember mine too, a second-hand purple banana seat bike! Hedgie's was pink, which ordinarily she protests against, but this time was happy with.
Baino--motor bikes and ramps! Yup, I can see Hedgie heading in that direction. Oy.
Robyn--good show, right? And I most certainly did check out your birthday giveaway! Thanks! xo
Ronda--oh no, stolen and abused? That's tragic. I'm glad you got her back though.
merelyme--I am trying to focus on the positive--and this was one of admittedly just a very few, lol. Yay, home!
Karen--Hedgie's dad is a good man. She's lucky, I wish my relationship with my own hadn't been quite so fraught...
Idle Devil--Thanks dear!
Rinkly Rimes--I totally agree--"earthward" is only poetic when applied to children. I too live in fear of falling!!!
EM--it's true, all the wholesome moments come with Hedgehog. Being with her is sometimes like bathing with a nice new bar of Ivory Soap--a feeling I might not have otherwise, being the old cynic I am.
Suzy!--hello hello! We have not planted upstate in ages, and generally tend my grandparents' plantings and whatever grows wild, so I had to do some research, and am still just a bit confused (I'm really not a gardener, but I could learn!). One thing is clear--the last possible frost time is generally the first week in May, so plantings take place after that. I found a very interesting website for regional planting info, and will check it out again--
xo
Congratulations...that a huge milestone to cross. Happy Earth Day.
Hey you. Liza...that's a hilarious photo!!! I never thought of that!
When do you and the family start going to the Adirondacks. I guess that's the most important question because that's when I'll time the mailing. What I want to do it get Heggie's butterfly bush to you approx 2 or 3 days before you drive up. You can unwrap it, give it some tender love and care, then transition it to the wilderness! Plants are sensitive, so it's important to welcome it to NY before welcoming it to upstate NY!!! I'll send all the instructions and basically all you have to do is plant it. But you have to water that first week, then if NY is NY, rain will take care of the rest. And no, it won't do much the first year, but the second and third, watch out. Heggie will be in Heaven and so will you. I know it will survive and grow beautifully because it does so in Woodstock.
I'm also going to send Heggie an anenome. I don't know which one. It'll either bloom pink or white next year. I have so many babies I don't know what to do with them. Plant it on the NORTH side of your house. Trust me, you won't regret it!!! Before long you'll have lots and lots. And every fall, when they sing and dance in the wind, think of a blogging friend who loves you very much.
Who knew someone from NY would end up with someone from NY? What a small, beautiful world. Love you darling and welcome home.
XO
are.you.back.in.brooklyn?
xoxoxo
Liza--happy earth day to you too! And I love your blog photos--you're really an awesome photographer.
Suzy--That is lovely! I will keep you apprised of my goings on (isn't that a funny formal word?)
savannah--indeedleedoo I am.
Thank you for sharing the event. It's wonderful watching a child grasp the art of riding a bike.
I was here before but I didn't comment because I was going to be all down on myself for never teaching the offspring to ride a bike.
Well, I still am down on myself about that.
But whatever! Cheers to the Hedgehog!!!
Good luck to her with the biking! Hope she doesn't fall, but if she does, I'm sure there'll be someone there to get her back on the wheels.
Very nice post, Leah. I'm reminded of when I first learned to ride a bike( sans training wheels ). The skinned knees were worth it, tho :)
Dakota Bear--isn't it such an incredible milestone? Just one of those skills one takes for granted later in life...but when you see a kid doing it again, you marvel!
Megan--that's not so bad, my parents didn't teach me to drive and I didn't get my license till I was thirty-three!!!! And now I feel as if I've always been a driver. It's never too late to learn a skill like that...
Dot-Com--she did fall, and fall again, and somehow got back up there all by herself! I was impressed...
Subtorp--those skinned knees are so worth it! : )
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