Tricycles and Tractors

After the long drive back from holiday on Friday we decided to have a relaxing local weekend. On Saturday Steve spent hours washing the cars - they looked a lot better after though he's going to be miffed tonight when he comes home and sees what a bird has done to one of them! While out on the drive doing that, Beth and Toby were pottering around the garden and out the front on their bikes. Toby had go on the metal Radio Flyer trike we bought for Beth. For the first time ever he got the hang of pedaling and managed to go both forward and back. He was very pleased with himself and very eager to get back in the pedaling seat.

Beth isn't so happy with her biking situation. We decided it was about time she learnt to ride without her stabilisers. We tried at the park but it's just too hard to ride on the grass - she couldn't get enough speed up. The road and pavements on our street are very rough and there are quite sharp stones and other bits so we don't really want her embedding that in her knees. I think we'll get her some knee and elbow pads but in the mean time Steve has taken both the stabilisers and the pedals off and she is using it like a balance bike. She is actually getting quite good on it but she's not impressed as she can't go as fast as she'd like. Her balance is certainly getting better so it might not be long before we can put the pedals back on and see what happens!

On Sunday we met cousins Adam and William (along with Auntie Janet, Uncle Andy and cousin Lydia) at Clumber Park where there was a steam fair. It wasn't nearly as large as the one we went to last August in Pickering but it was just enough as it was pretty hot and by the time we had done one circuit we were ready for home, the paddling pool and a cold one. Toby, of course, loved all the tractors and steam engines along with a VW Beetle he saw - his favourite film at the moment is Herbie (the old ones not the new one). Beth, unfortunately, has become a little more commercialised and just wanted to go on the fairground rides. They all started off in the huge bounce house which had multiple rooms and obstacles. After lunch Steve took Beth on the bumper cars to challenge Adam and his cousin Lydia. I wasn't sure how much she would enjoy it as it was pretty violent. It seems I needn't have worried, she loved it and went back on with Lydia for another go.

Toby was just a bit small for those but happily went on the car ride (twice) and much to the owners amusement refused to get off. I had to climb in with him and haul him out mid-fit. After an ice cream stop we headed home for a lazy afternoon and evening by the bbq.