Adventures in Bike riding!

Events happened on July 3rd, 2010-- Reese has never really wanted to learn how to ride a bike...well, actually he wants to...falls a few times and quits! This has been our pattern every year. Things always come so easy to him on the first try and since this is a little harder he gives up and thinks he can't. We always practice for a month or so and then we both get frustrated and give up. Last year after I read and read on the internet for tips we almost had it but he was a tad bit too big for his old bike so it never quite clicked. About 2 months ago, Brian was riding his bike as a neighbor put out a very nice boy bike with a sign free to a good home. So Brian asked him and it became Reese's new bike. Today, we decided it was time for him to try again. We started on the new big bike. Several falls and tears later he was so nervous. He kept saying "I just can't! I can't ride a bike." We took a break and went to the old small bike to work on balance and stopping. I told him he could do this- he was smart, a great athlete, and God gave him 2 legs and he could ride a bike! He asked "so why isn't God helping?" I said he is but you have to do you part too!! First we worked on balancing on the hill with the small bike and he did it and did it again about 10 times!! He could balance but not peddle as the bike too small, but he had confidence back! So we went back to the big bike on a straight piece of land! Brian and Hammie came outside to watch and offer their praise. (Later, Poppa and R-E came out too!) Next, we practiced balancing with me pushing and then onto peddling and he has it!!! He made several excuses along the way- the grass it too bumpy, my fingers won't reach the brake, you're pushing me toward the hill! Just going straight now...no turning yet. We really have to go somewhere where he can peddle farther before having to stop. But I'm so proud of him for finally giving it a better try!!! After I asked him if riding a bike was hard, I learned that he's still not into it too much yet. He said he kind of likes riding his bike and that his fav part was going down the hill (on his old bike). He wants to learn how to turn. He says if he can stand in the deep pool at the ymca then he can ride his bike (his new bigger bike) down the hill & touch the ground. But he says he needs to grow 5-6 more inches for that to happen. Now, Noah and Reese are riding R-E pink toddler car (the kind with no peddles that you just sit in) down our big backyard hill!!!
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June is gone...

TIRED kids after a long day of errand (in our rental car while my car was being fixed from a friend backing into it)


Wow! Summer passes so quick! We have had a fun-filled month finishing up baseball early in June and then most days at the pool! Reese and Raygan-Elise are both looking very tan!

They both had their well visits this month. Reese weighed 64 lbs(75th percentile)and was inches 51 in tall (51st percentile). He also had a sinus infection, which is what was causing his cough so he got some meds. Raygan-Elise weight 25 lbs ( which is somewhere around the 25th percentile) and was inches tall (43rd percentile). She also went to an allergist this past week, and the results showed she is allergic to 2 families of mold, milk, cats, and rabbits. She has already been dairy-free since March (with a couple of cheating days, but has had no straight milk). We are removing all potted plants and we had to give away our 4 yr old bunny - Shadow. Reese was very sad and cried! At first, he thought it would be better to just never let Ray go upstairs, but we told him that really wasn't realistic! That was 3 days ago and this morning he came up to me and said- "so now that Shadow is gone, can we get another pet?" I said that I didn't think so and he said, "what? Why? it's not like I'm gonna say another bunny."

Reese loves sports! He says, "I like football first, baseball is second and soccer is third and that's all the sports I like because I don't want one to be a loser." (Bc they'd be in 4th place) He also loves using the word apparently! He uses it all the time! He isn't shy at the pool and will walk up to any of the kids and ask them to play! He likes getting kids together to play pickle- which is a game that involves a water ball and spots of the pool as bases. He has started having grumpy times, but we are working on that! He's also started to do a little stomping of feet, rolling of eyes, and ugh sounds when he doesn't want to do something but he is immediately getting in trouble and I'm hoping that being consistent will stop this stage soon!Mom says he's growing up bc he was talking to a friend on the phone and the friend said, "who answered the phone?" and Reese replied, "my grandmother." We've never heard him call her anything other than Hammie! But he's still a kid too!! We went to rent movies for the first time in months and he picked out Blank Check (older disney movie), The Suite life (disney TV show) and Scooby Doo!!! Football is coming soon! He is so excited!! He will be on the Cowboys 7 and 8 yr olds and Brian is going to help coach. This will be Brian's coaching debut!! :)


Reese using my phone to take a picture of himself! (I can tell her took it bc he didn't push his hair over to side; I always say push your hair over bf I take any pics!)


Raygan-Elise is very independent and moody!! She has grown up a lot and started to develop her own personality the past month. She still loves to eat everything!

On June 14th- R-E started sleeping on pallet by self.

On June 16th- I took Ray to the potty as soon as she woke up and R-E tt'd. Then she poo poo'd twice at the Y and tt'd a total of 6 times here. For a grand total of 8 potties today! Yay! First day ever and what a great day. She did wet pants all day too and had one poop in pants! But still good day. For months we've been sitting on potty ect.

June 17th- Fav sayings this week-- I comin, elpin=helping, oh e=hold me,

June 19th- R-E just asked to go potty for the first time- she said potty! And I took her and she went.

Now, she goes to potty on the potty and in her pull-ups. We've even tried panties a few times, which she's kept dry some and wet some. She is talking about everything! She says up- when she wants me to get up! She is very demanding. She even tried to boss a little boy (who we didn't know) at the pool. And he listened! She said, um (come), jup (jump), now, um (and added sounds like when you call a dog), now. The little boy walked over, climbed up and jumped!

She is starting to sing a lot of songs- she tries and knows some words to-- 5 little monkeys (swinging from a tree and jumping on the bed), The Alphabet song (loves P, and says z, x, g), You are my Sunshine and of course, itsy Bitsy Spider!

Mom bought her a toddler bed and bedding this month and daddy put it together. She loves it! She sits in it and watches TV! She will also sleep in it through the night after she falls asleep with me in my bed first and then we move her to her bed!


1st Night in her bed (without her bedding bc we didn't like any that day, but she has some now)

Late in June, she likes to say sop= stop,alk= walk, and sing her songs!


Raygan-Elise eating her pink cereal! While at the grocery store last night, Raygan-Elise walked and picked out her own cereal! She picked out a pink box with girls all over it, so of course I bought it! When unloading food, we realized she also added hot dogs (I had put in 2 packages so now we have 3), double stuffed oreos, a bag of chips, and a few more things!

PS- These are pics from cell phone bc our computer is still not letting us load new pictures! Also, forgive me for any typos! I type these quickly and Brian always finds some errors!