Biking

We went to the park again today to bike. The girls both love it now. Hannah's training wheels are now adjusted properly (thanks to a visit from grandparents; one noticed why they weren't even, despite looking like they should be, and the other fixed the problem) and she's taking off on her bike. Which is good news. Naomi, of course, still loves her tricycle, and Simeon would give his eye teeth to be able to get down and move that fast. Of course, it's not an option. First, he doesn't have his eye teeth yet, and second, he's not so great on the sitting up on his own bit yet. He can do it, all right, but he then throws himself backwards or sideways, and that's just not good on a bike.

Hannah turned into a biking nature watcher now that she doesn't have to pay so much attention to the actual mechanics of biking.

Me: Hannah, I told you to turn around at the trash can up there. Why did you go past it?
Hannah: Oh, Mom, I just had to check out that little tree there.
**
Hannah: Mom, I'm going to go look at those geese.
Naomi: NOT GEESE! I DON'T WANT GEESE! NO!! NOT GEESE!
Me: Naomi, the geese aren't going to hurt you. They'll stay away, especially if you're on your bike.
Naomi: Okay. Oh, look, that's the mama goose and those are all her children.
**
Hannah: Look, Mom, I found this huge clover!
**
Hannah: Mom, can I bike down and look at that dog that's swimming in the water?
Naomi: NOT A DOG! I DON'T LIKE DOGS! IT'S NOT ON A LEASH! WAAAAHHHH!
Me: Naomi, you just bike over here away from the dog.
Naomi: Oh, okay. I'll bike up that hill and then come down.
Me: Okay, but don't forget about your hand brake.
**
Hannah: Mom, look at these purple flowers! Aren't they pretty? What kind do you think they are? They look a little bit like clover, but they're not round.
**
Hannah: Mom, I'm going on a duck nest hunt.

Since this park is right on Lake Washington, we usually have at least one break from biking to throw rocks in the water. Today we got to watch a seaplane take off and land a few times -- apparently they were practicing. A duck came over to check out whether we were going to feed it.

Naomi: NOT A DUCK! NO! I DON'T WANT IT NEAR ME!
Me: Naomi, I will not let the duck get you. Look, it's a boy duck because it has all those colors. Let's ask if he has any children.
Naomi: He's not a boy duck, he's a girl duck.
Hannah: Hi duck, do you have any children?

It occurred to me as we were throwing rocks in the water that my children looked like some sort of hyper-vigilant parent's kids, since they were wearing helmets to do a *dangerous* activity like throwing rocks in the lake.

This thought was then followed by the thought that this wasn't as strange as it could have been. The last time we were here, Naomi was throwing rocks in the water with her helmet and her Hello Dolly dress on. Besides, you never know when those ducks are going to turn on you.