She's Got Wheels

Steve, the kids, and I went to a kids' consignment shop last week to pick up some summer clothes for Anna and Matthew.  While we were there, I saw it.  A balance bike!  I'd been thinking of getting one for Anna for several months, but they can be kind of expensive, $70-$100, and I couldn't quite justify the expense.

For those of you that don't know, a balance bike is a small 2-wheel bicycle with no pedals.  It moves by the child pushing it with their feet, which can reach the ground.  The idea is that the child will learn to balance on two wheels without the need for training wheels and can transition to a regular bicycle more easily.

Anyway, I saw a Prince Lionheart balance bike in the store.  It had a price tag of just $49!  So, we bought it.  After a little adjustment in the seat, Anna got to take her first ride.

It's going to take some getting use to.  I had a hard time convincing her that she needed to sit on the seat, not just stand straddling the bike.  Also, she's still pretty wobbly and slow.  We'll have to make time for more practice.  Even so, Anna is so excited to have her own bike.  She likes to wear Grandma's bike helmet when she rides.  So cute.