Hard to be Theo, or Mommy, or Woodrow

For Theo's birthday we got him a new-to-him tricycle.  He was very envious of his neighbor friends Neely and Natalie who both have red tricycles, and they are both very nice to share with him.  I'm sure someday, however, it will come back to us that "poor Theo" is pretty much the only kid on our block without a motorized vehicle of some sort.  Almost everyone on our street has a little electric car for the kids to ride on or electric scooters- sorry kiddo-you have to power yourself! 

So, for $15 I was able to get Theo a great little red tricycle that he thinks is so fun.  It does need a little WD-40 and the bell needs a little fixing up, but he doesn't care that it's a little squeaky or you have to turn the bell to get it to work instead of being able to push the button.  I took him to get a helmet at the BX and he picked out a star helmet.  I was surprised, because he was looking at one with cars, but then picked the star helmet and repeated several times that was the one he wanted.  I also thought he'd be pretty hesitant about strapping on a helmet, but because all the bigger kids have to wear helmets on base with their bikes and skateboards, he thinks it's cool.  And, the helmets today have anti-"pinch" buckles...where was this when I was little! 

Mason and I decided to give Theo his present early (over Labor Day weekend) instead of waiting for his birthday because by the end of September we weren't really sure if there would be many more opportunities for bike riding up here in the North.  Theo's had a blast playing on his tricycle and being part of the group of kids he plays with almost daily outside.  The funniest thing is that although he can reach the pedals, he would rather sit on the back seat and scoot himself along.  We've been working on the pedaling concept, but he's pretty strong willed. 

Fast forward to the title of this posting.  Despite my instincts, I decided to let Theo take his tricycle on a walk around the block one day.  I was hesitant that he'd actually be able to make it that far, but decided I guess we could try it out.  Woodrow was in the stroller and off we went.  Our first stop, the mailbox a few houses down.  At this point, Theo was pretty much over "riding" his bike, but he was in the phase of, if you tell me to go one way, I'll run the other...so somehow I got him back on his bike, but we were still headed away from home.  We get about 1/3 of the way around the block (so we're on the main street now where the world can see these negotiations) and Theo is d.o.n.e. riding the tricycle and he wants to just walk.  I try explaining (to a 23 month old) how I can not carry his tricycle and push a stroller, that he has to take the tricycle.  Meanwhile he doesn't want to turn around and go home, he wants to keep going forward.  Ugh!  After what seemed like a very long time with lots of traffic passing by, I finally managed to get him to turn the corner onto our street, at which point he was at least walking in the direction of home (and not running the other way) while I pushed the stroller and pulled the tricycle along.  Finally about halfway down the block he wanted to start running the other way again, so I rig the tricycle on top of the stroller, scoop up a crying, kicking Theo, and head for home.  Cue Woodrow's whimpering because this tricycle is above him and he's hungry, and a frustrated/embarrassed mommy.  Did I mention our squadron commander's wife and another commander's wife who I'm friends with were out passing flyers to different houses and witnessed basically the entire thing from start to finish.  Greaaaaaaat.