I have been itching for a family bike ride since I got my bike two months ago. I can pull the boys in the bike trailer, but something was missing. The boys seemed so far away and Reed was always busy with his own plans.
Today turned out to be our big bike day.
But first North and I went on a solo adventure.
And before that, he had to have a cavity filled.
Augh! Bad Mommy! Especially because he doesn't like chocolate and we brush EVERY day. Very little juice and no candy, breastfeeding until 22 months. --- that darn dried fruit did him in!
Anyway, we go to the best pediatric dentist. We started seeing him when North turned 2. This cavity was our first voyage beyond the standard well teeth check-up.
The visit started out well. The dental assistant asked North which flavor of gas he would like to smell. I liked how she gave him control first thing into the visit. I was nervous about how North would react to the nitrous oxide gas, but the combination of oxygen to gas seemed perfect. He was calm, not giggly or silly. The dentist scraped away the bad parts of the tooth and filled it in, finishing it all up in a matter of minutes.
North sat in the chair like a champ. He was wiggly when the assistant sucked out his mouth, but he handled the rest of the procedure very well. A third women was holding his hands. Her job was to keep his hands away from his face, but as he felt so secure with his situation, I think her hand-holding added to his positive experience.
I was told not to explain too much to North about what was to happen in the office. However, he and I talked about what we were going to do after we went to the dentist' "for a little bit of work." I hope that he was thinking about eating bagels while under the knife. I know that I was able to keep my nervousness at bay because of our previous car ride chatter. In every visit, after being excused from the chair, he always chooses a red balloon. The staff is also very liberal with their toy treats and praise. I love that office.
After the dentist, North and I went to the mall for some bounce house play and then bought a Thanksgiving book and a waffle maker. We ate bagels and salad for lunch, then went on a horse and carriage ride through Old Town.
After naptime, Reed suggested a bike ride using the kid seats rather then the trailer. We loaded up the bikes, seats, and helmets. As it was about an hour or so before sunset, we drove to the Hammond Trail.
And then Skyler fell off the bike...
I was pedaling hard up the hill when I heard a loud crash. I can't even describe my emotions as I looked back to see the seat that held my child, laying on the trail behind me. Sky was upside down, covered up by the kid seat. I flew off my bike.
When first teaching preschool, I learned how check children over for injuries from an amazing teacher. Rather then move the kids out of the situation immediately, I would wait for the child move their own body parts. If the child didn't want to move their arm, then that area was to be focused on. Most importantly, I shouldn't let my excitability overcome the child's own sense of the accident. I was better able to gauge their pain level on its purest level if I wasn't influencing their emotions. I found that kids seemed calmer and were better able to move through their experience if I wasn't in the way.
So all of this helped me get through those first few moments after Skyler fell. Luckily, he was wearing a very sturdy helmet and the bike seat fully contained all of his body within the plastic frame. He scraped his hand, but no head wounds or broken bones.
We nursed beside the trail for a few moments as Reed checked over the seat and re-installed it. North hovered over his brother and gave him kisses. All four of us needed to calm down before we could resume our ride. Once we were ready, Skyler willingly got back into his seat. Yea for breastfeeding and emotional healing! Although on the ride back, I had to restrain my urge to reach back and hold onto Sky's seat.
But we made it back to the car. The boys ran through the parking lot puddles as Reed and I packed the bike stuff. Can you remember running through puddles as a child? Especially when you know you shouldn't? Both boys were so gleeful as they progressively got wetter and wetter. Sky had the biggest laugh, North ran and ran. The evening darkened past sunset.
But we all survived.