Black and Blue

Missy and I have had quite a day. She has not been allowed more than 5 feet from me all day and still she's at it. She thinks she sneaky. She does everything well and right up to 95%, but the last 5% of what she does is purposely wrong, disobedient and dishonest.  I haven't accomplished a thing. James was thinking he was missing out on something so he pulled a similar stunt and has since decided it wasn't worth it....

But that's not what I came here to write.

I was going to tell you about bike riding and all the bruises the the kids have given themselves wiping out. I had bought James a 5 speed at the Goodwill but he was afraid of it. He couldn't get on, he couldn't balance and he couldn't get the idea that you brake with your hand and not with your feet. He went back to his old bike.... Then one day last week he took a look at the 5 speed and decided to play around with it. He walked up and down the driveway all morning pushing the bike. We pretty much ignored him and eventually we noticed him trying to mount the bike. By late afternoon he was riding up and down the bottom of the road quite happy with himself.

A few days later Missy, who NEVER had any interest in her bike, brought her bike out and started pushing it up and down the road. Previously she always needed help to get on and a push to get started and her landings were always crashes. After a few hours she started trying to get on by herself. No one paid her any attention... we were all curious if she was going to persist.

AND SHE DID IT! Pretty soon she was riding up and down the road with James.

I was so surprised. I said, "I can't believe you are riding your bike all by yourself!!"

She never missed a beat...

"I want NEW bike."

O my lands! I have seen some of the worst bicycle accidents this week!! Yesterday Missy came flying down the hill - first time she'd ever actually come down that hill on her own. She completely lost control and flew along the ground on her belly. When she finally stopped she just kind of looked towards us and groaned. She didn't cry but she didn't get up for quite awhile. Big sister helped her untangle from the wreckage.

You'd think the twins were leopards if all you saw was their legs!! They are dotted with bruises all over. Some are black, some are blue and the old ones are yellow and brown. I started rubbing them down with arnica.