The Long Ride
I forgot to tell you all about Josiah's little bike ride last week.
So...there's a bike out front in the bike rack that belongs to everyone in the stairwell. Meaning, someone left it behind eons ago and now it's common property. It's nice because it's a little bike with training wheels, the perfect size for a little guy learning to ride.
That's exactly what Josiah's been doing. Learning to ride. This has involved a few spills and tumbles and a lot of rides "around the block". We bought a helmet, much to his father's chagrin and Josiah's delight. It's blue and features bugs with googly eyes. It was either that or Disney Princesses. There's not a lot of selection at our PX.
Anyway. So last Thursday, Josiah was begging and begging me to go and play out in front of the building. This means dragging out the scooter and the tricycle and the bike helmet and letting the kids ride up and down the sidewalk. One of my neighbors just assembled a new outdoor glider swing, so I was lounging there, watching them ride back and forth, miraculously passing one another without mishap. I had given Josiah strict instructions of the very strictest sort that he was not to ride past point A in one direction and point B in the other.
Cue 5:00 and Colors. For you non-military types, Colors means the playing of a salvo and the lowering of the flag. Everyone is supposed to stand still facing the direction of the flag for the entire song. Which I think is a little long, if you want my honest opinion. During Colors, while I was standing still and doing my patriotic duty, Annika went running off in one direction and Josiah headed in the other. After Colors, I managed to retrieve Annika, but when I looked in the other direction, I couldn't see Josiah anywhere.
I've learned that in this situation, panic really isn't my best friend (if only I could apply that lesson to other areas of my life!), so I scooped up Annika, who was suddenly sporting the stinkiest diaper in Germany and took off at a quick march to find him.
My only fear was that the MP would find him before I did. Could there be a worse fate than having the MP show up on your doorstep with your four-year-old in tow? Possibly having to explain to said MP that you only took your eyes off him for a moment (during Colors, that's a great excuse).
Hans was at the gym working out. The gym is about two blocks away. I started wondering if maybe...just maybe Josiah had lit out for the gym. And that's when I spied Hans walking across the gym parking lot with Josiah and the bike in tow.
Crap. Busted.
Hans said that he was busy working out when he turned and saw Josiah standing there. He assumed that I was there with him, but obviously, I was not. Apparently Josiah had ridden his little bike over to the gym, parked it in the bike rack and then gone into the gym to find Hans.
It was hard to be totally mad at him. Of course we punished him, but later on, Hans and I both admitted that we were secretly a little proud of him, in a strange way. He had a destination in mind, that's for sure. He won't be riding the bike again for quite awhile, and when he does get back on...I'll be tailing his butt heavily.
But I think this will be one of those stories that we tell him when he's grown up.
Hey Joe, remember the time in Germany when you took off on your Mom and rode to the gym?
So...there's a bike out front in the bike rack that belongs to everyone in the stairwell. Meaning, someone left it behind eons ago and now it's common property. It's nice because it's a little bike with training wheels, the perfect size for a little guy learning to ride.
That's exactly what Josiah's been doing. Learning to ride. This has involved a few spills and tumbles and a lot of rides "around the block". We bought a helmet, much to his father's chagrin and Josiah's delight. It's blue and features bugs with googly eyes. It was either that or Disney Princesses. There's not a lot of selection at our PX.
Anyway. So last Thursday, Josiah was begging and begging me to go and play out in front of the building. This means dragging out the scooter and the tricycle and the bike helmet and letting the kids ride up and down the sidewalk. One of my neighbors just assembled a new outdoor glider swing, so I was lounging there, watching them ride back and forth, miraculously passing one another without mishap. I had given Josiah strict instructions of the very strictest sort that he was not to ride past point A in one direction and point B in the other.
Cue 5:00 and Colors. For you non-military types, Colors means the playing of a salvo and the lowering of the flag. Everyone is supposed to stand still facing the direction of the flag for the entire song. Which I think is a little long, if you want my honest opinion. During Colors, while I was standing still and doing my patriotic duty, Annika went running off in one direction and Josiah headed in the other. After Colors, I managed to retrieve Annika, but when I looked in the other direction, I couldn't see Josiah anywhere.
I've learned that in this situation, panic really isn't my best friend (if only I could apply that lesson to other areas of my life!), so I scooped up Annika, who was suddenly sporting the stinkiest diaper in Germany and took off at a quick march to find him.
My only fear was that the MP would find him before I did. Could there be a worse fate than having the MP show up on your doorstep with your four-year-old in tow? Possibly having to explain to said MP that you only took your eyes off him for a moment (during Colors, that's a great excuse).
Hans was at the gym working out. The gym is about two blocks away. I started wondering if maybe...just maybe Josiah had lit out for the gym. And that's when I spied Hans walking across the gym parking lot with Josiah and the bike in tow.
Crap. Busted.
Hans said that he was busy working out when he turned and saw Josiah standing there. He assumed that I was there with him, but obviously, I was not. Apparently Josiah had ridden his little bike over to the gym, parked it in the bike rack and then gone into the gym to find Hans.
It was hard to be totally mad at him. Of course we punished him, but later on, Hans and I both admitted that we were secretly a little proud of him, in a strange way. He had a destination in mind, that's for sure. He won't be riding the bike again for quite awhile, and when he does get back on...I'll be tailing his butt heavily.
But I think this will be one of those stories that we tell him when he's grown up.
Hey Joe, remember the time in Germany when you took off on your Mom and rode to the gym?
Comments
Granted, I wore it by choice, and it was a WWII G.I. helmet, but still, it was a helmet.
I must say that I am happy and proud that Josiah is learning to ride a bike. Note to Josiah: Congratulations, Josiah! Even though you should have minded your mother and stayed within the boundaries, I'm happy you went to where you knew your father was and you were brought safely back home.