Mac makes strides, plus GRAND Social No. 142 link party for grandparents

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Mac makes strides

Remember when Mac reviewed the Strider no-pedal bike? Well he's still loving his lean, green, bicycling machine... and making great strides on it. Here he is zooming along and making Gramma chuckle:

 

I must admit that watching my grandson zoom about on the Strider on the back patio was far less nervewracking for me than if he were trying to get the hang of a real bike on the road. Yeah, I am indeed a paranoid grandma like that.

GRAND Social No. 142 link party

Whether an old hand or a newbie, welcome to...

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Growing boys

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My grandsons continue to grow and mature in ways that continually astonish me. This past week, Megan provided proof of the rapid rate of growth for both Bubby and Mac.

Bubby — who is age 5, remember — made a to-do list of all he hopes to accomplish during his Christmas break from kindergarten:

child's to do list

Translation, per Megan...

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Park and ride

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The weather was cruddy during the majority of my visit to see my grandsons, bordering on monsoon conditions at times. Add to that the fact that Bubby and Mac were sick most of the time—Bubby recuperating from the flu and Mac flirting with the flu while dealing with full-blown bronchiolitis, as well—and it's clear why Gramma didn't get to play outside with her grandsons much in the past week.

My last full day there, though, the weather warmed up nicely and the boys felt better than they had since my arrival. We seized the opportunity to relieve our cabin fever by heading to the park just down the street—with Bubby leading the way on his first ride there without training wheels on his bike.

I was a little nervous at first, allowing my four-year-old grandson to ride his bike on the sidewalk. A sidewalk right next to the street. A street on which vehicles drive. And a street we needed to cross in order to get to the park.

Bubby did fantastic, though. He experienced nary a wobble along the way, and once at the park, my grandson relished the freedom—and pride in oneself—that only a training wheel-less bike can provide.

I'm so impressed with Bubby's riding skills. He is four years old, turning five in June. I don't remember exactly when my daughters learned to ride a bike, but I'm positive it wasn't at four. (I don't think they even had a bike at four!)

As Bubby said at the end of the video above: "This video is great!" It is exactly that, because he's such a great bicyclist.

Adding to the greatness is Mac's little voice saying "Gramma" in the background. You heard that, right? And Mac's achievement for the day: He went down the twirly slide all by himself for the very first time while we were there. And the second time, third time, and fourth time, too.

I'm telling ya, my grandsons are athletic superstars—even when not on their A-game and still recovering from the flu.

Today's question:

Who taught you to ride a bicycle?