it's a work in progress: And somehow they grew up...

I started frenetically cleaning last weekend - which is extremely odd for me. After I was done scouring the countertops with Comet cleanser in the kitchen, and hauling out bags of trash (and toys and shoes and stained clothing) from each child's room, I decided that perhaps it was time for the crib to go too... and then Brynn chimed in that she thought it was time for her training wheels to go also.

I was a bit nervous to let the crib go. I kept telling myself to not push this issue - Yes, he is 2 1/2 years old, but we had so many failed attempts with Brynn that she was in the crib basically until her brother was born and he had to claim it for himself! Ack! But yet I kept telling the husband "Get the bed down from the attic! We're giving it a try!"

So he got the bed down from the attic, and then he took the training wheels off Brynn's bike.

I gave Brynn the Miranda Rights of Bike Riding: "You have the right to fall, in fact, you will fall. You do not have the right to cry about it or get frustrated. You have the right to learn how to do this, but you will not learn how to do this quickly. You can call any of your grandparents and cry to them abouy it, but I'm not going to put up with it, kay? Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?"

She agreed and 1/2 a block later we were both ready for a break. We picked up a couple pointers from our next door neighbor (who was my fourth-grade teacher) and came back home.

I had her pose for a picture later that day, on her second attempt (and she has yet to cry about any of it!)

I thought this was better than a picture of me holding her bike up for her. A bit more natural.

And then it was Boomer's turn to grow up. He went to bed like a champ and never got out once. I woke up Sunday morning to hear him "MOOOOMMMM??? Come get me! I want to get out now!" I've never been so happy to have such an innocent naive child. We're now about 5 days into this new arrangement and he's been awesome. I'm now kicking myself for not doing this sooner! And now every night he makes the request to "come cuddle me Mom" and I love it.