Next Best Thing to a Puppy

We spoiled Big this weekend.

If you don't already know this about me, I love biking. I love road biking, mountain biking, casual biking, any biking.

And Big's picked up this habit from me. He's loved wheels and been on some sort of self-propelled vehicle nearly since he was able to crawl. He's been riding a two-wheeler since last August and recently even went around Lake Harriet with Ten and I on the way home from school.

This is a true feat for a small child. First, it was a long distance. So far this spring he and I have gone on two or three several-mile rides. Second, the lake trail is busy and you need to stay on the right and are regularly passed.

He was fairly competitive each time someone tried to pass him, speeding up, but he eventually got the hang of it. Toward the end he got a bit tired and wobbly, but we made it.

So yesterday we were on our way to the Y with BioMom and she commented on how furiously fast he had to peddle in order to just keep up with us.

BioMom: No wonder he gets exhausted!

So we decided to let him pick out his own new bike the next size up. \

We rarely get new bikes for kids and had planned on him just getting Ten's hand-me-downs, but this particular size of Ten's (which we had gotten for her from a friend) we had passed on to a neighbor girl, so it was perfect.

I can't tell you how much fun it was to watch him pick out this bike (we got it on sale) and its accessories.

I think you only get a few moments like that with a kid.

The only thing that surprised me? That he didn't bring it to bed with him.