Look Ma' no training wheels!

For a few years now Ive wondered if Eli would ever ride a bike without training wheels. I didnt want him to be the last of his friends to learn, or be 15 and still afraid to try. Before he started Kindergarten last year I really tried to get him to take off the training wheels so we could ride to school some days, but he wanted nothing to do with it. And with how our house sits on the hill of our street, I was always a little weary of pushing him to do it when he wasnt ready in fear that he would get too much momentum going and crash and never try again. So the beginning of summer came around and Zach asked to have his training wheels taken off his bike. I figured if he was asking, then Eli was getting his off too. So did they learn to ride bikes this summer? NO. Infact neither of them really touched their bikes or tried at all the entire summer.
Summer came and went, and Fall snuck up on us. One day just after school started, Eli was at school and Zach and I were working in the yard. Zach decided he was going to ride his bike, so I tried to teach him. He's gotten really good at rolling around and balancing on it, but not quite the peddle and brake parts yet...baby steps. This is where I decided to put into effect "Waibel sibling competition". Jakes siblings are all so competative and its totally in our boys blood, so why not use it to my advantage right? So, Eli gets home from school that day and I inform him that Zach is almost riding his bike on his own, and Eli immediatley wanted to go out and ride. Got right on and rode off, not wanting our help! Guess he just needed that little bit of sibling competition...Im remembering this tactic for future situations. haha

He was so proud of himself and rode constantly for a good hour up and down our street as Mommy freaked out occasionally. The brakes....didnt come as naturally to him as the taking off did. And he likes to watch his feet peddle....not the most safe way to ride. So many times I was yelling "EYES UP!" and "WATCH OUT FOR THE MOTORCYCLE" (really nice one the neighbors visitor had parked on the street) and "BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKEEEESSS!"

He was very tired when we decided to call it a night. He informed me that we were riding his bike to school the next day. I told him that we had some more work to do on the braking and then we'd talk about it. I cant believe how big he's gotten in just the last few months.