Case in point: they made their own 'exercise room' outside by digging trenches in the driveway (sorry, dad) and placing their bike tires in the grooves: voila, makeshift stationary bikes! They carried over the trampoline and the hula hoops and had much more fun than I've ever seen anyone have at an actual gym.
After playing all day and then running about three miles, Anika taught herself to ride the bike another way: without training wheels. It took her about two minutes. Grandpa took off the training wheels, and greased the bike chains and had help from Reni to pump up the tires. But no one was allowed to touch the bike once she clasped her hands on the handlebar. It's cousin Sofia's old bike, and ten minutes after taking off the training wheels Anika was already riding downhill with her legs splayed out, feet parallel with the ground, laughing. She was working on riding one-handed when I practically dragged her back inside for bedtime.
The kids have been outside as much as possible since we arrived at the Grandparents' farm, and they're all covered in dirt and scrapes and mosquito bites. Roman is gobbling up tomato soup like it's ice cream, and running and jumping and throwing grass and dirt and chewing on the dog's frisbee. Reni celebrated his fifth birthday with a special lunch and cupcakes with cousins, and he's asking Grandpa all kinds of scientific and zoological questions. Anika is busy collecting bones and acorns and other treasures she and Reni have unearthed.
It's a perfectly down-to-earth vacation for my little Bionic children.
No comments:
Post a Comment