Training Wheels Test Drive

Last year Scott got a tricycle for his birthday (which he loved to ride), but its time for him to upgrade to a "two-wheel bike". We plan to get him a bike, but we weren't sure what size would work. Last night I arranged a test-drive without letting him know what was coming for his birthday.

While R was out for the evening, I took the kids to the mall to hang out at the play place, but I parked outside Sport Chek so that we'd have to walk by the hockey gear, baseball bats and bikes to get into the mall. Without any prompting from me, Scott immediately began investigating the bike selection and soon he was cruising the aisles on a pink-tassled steed.

Eventually, we found some more manly options and he surrendered the tassle-bike to baby sis, who pushed it into various displays to her delight. Passers-by could not resist the cuteness and stopped to watch the proceedings and generally admire my fabulous children (a wistful older couple stayed for several minutes, clearly nostalgic for days gone by).

We had to ride the bikes twice (on the way in and on the way out) and after round #2 Scott decided, "Dad, we should get these bikes." I explained to him that we shouldn't, because there is still so much snow at our house that we wouldn't be able to ride them, so we should just leave them at the mall.

Don't tell him that he's getting the bike. It's a surprise.