Growing up too fast!

First - ACK - I missed my post yesterday.  I had it all planned, but did not feel well and just never got to it.  I'll post twice today to make up for that.

My baby girl is growing up way to fast for me!  At just four years old (5 in October!) she hit an important milestone over the Holiday weekend - and both Mike and I missed it! 

Madison learned how to ride her bike without training wheels! 

How do parents, especially Father's, miss this?  Aren't they supposed to run behind, holding the seat until they are ready for you to let go?  And aren't we supposed to be unwilling to let go? 

Madison has two bikes - one at home that is way too small for her and a larger hand-me down at the camper.  We told her that she couldn't get a new bike for home until she learned to ride without training wheels.  She was supposed to practice at the camper this summer while Mike gradually raised the training wheels higher.  After an incident with an exploding rear tire, Madison was a little reluctant to practice.  This weekend, however, was different.  She wanted to practice but was really struggling to keep the bike balanced.  She just wanted those training wheels off and Daddy was just not willing to take that step yet.  (his equivalent to holding on to the seat!)

Madison has never been one to be held back.  Since it was a Holiday weekend, there were a lot of weekenders in the park last weekend.  Madison befriended a little girl.  The two of them were riding their bikes back and forth between the weekender site and our permanent site - checking in with their Mom's every few minutes.  I was sitting around the campfire with friends and Mike was taking care of the boat at the time.  On one trip to the weekender site, Madison spotted the girl's sister's bike that didn't have training wheels on it and asked if she could try out the bike.

Madison jumped on the bike and that was it!  No training wheels, no Daddy holding the seat and running behind, no Mommy snapping pictures and taking flip videos.  None. 

Madison breathlessly ran up to me saying "I can ride a bike with no training wheels, come watch me!"

Daddy returned a few minutes later and he was instructed to remove those training wheels. 

Madison has not stopped smiling since - she is so proud of herself and she can't wait to go shopping for her new bike!