"I Don't Need These Anymore"

This week all my kids seem to be growing up!
Tuesday was warm, so we spent the morning playing ball, and riding bikes. Then, after our picnic lunch I went in to clean up the kitchen. A few minutes later Derek walked in and handed me his training wheels--that he had taken off himself--and said, "uh, I just don't need these anymore."
A bit shocked, I explained the risks of learning to ride a bike without training wheels and agreed to "teach" him if he was ready.
Well, it turns out, he didn't need "teaching." I told him how to start, held onto the back of his seat two times, and he was gone! He now rides like a pro--fast, slow, starting, stopping, turning...all without crashing (way to prove all my warnings about falling wrong!)

Audrey must have felt like she was lagging behind, because she too told me "I don't need this anymore." She realized that having a railing on the side of her bed was too childish, and she was ready to be a big girl. So, I explained the risks of not having a railing on your bed (falling to the floor because you are a crazy sleeper), but told her she could try if she wanted. It has been three nights, and no falls (again, way to prove mom wrong).

As for Zorba the Chad, he is eating food! I have been trying to get him to eat solids for a while now, but he was NOT interested. I tried a variety of fruits/vegetables with no luck until...plumbs. Not just any plumbs though. He finally ate the plumbs that I was pureeing and freezing for baby food while I was in labor with him. (All that hard work paid off--6 months later) Hooray for solids!