Don't Hold Me!

Last week Sophie asked/demanded that I take off her training wheels.

So of course I did.

She let me hold to her seat for a minute, and then she said (in a tone most commanding), "Don't hold me!"

So I let her go.

After just a few tries and a few spills onto the grass, she did it!

It's definitely bittersweet. It's just one more way that my baby is growing up. I will never have another child using training wheels. Soon she starts preschool (& if she were a few weeks older, she'd be in kindergarten this year!). At the time when I was in the middle of having my babies, I thought it would be forever before I would be getting to this stage. But now I turn around and it's over. That baby/toddler stage is past for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing I was still there, because there's a lot of wonderful things about this stage... it's just ....

Anyways,

This is Sophie, riding like a pro.

I know that someday this stubborn/feisty/fearless nature will be a true gift in her (& my) life. For now though, it is quite a challenge as she walks that line between wanting to be independent and being "the baby".

School will be good for her.

I'll just have to be brave and let her go.