Bikes, beach and the law

Chris and I have procrastinated on teaching Josh to ride a bike for more than a year, as all of our attempts have deteriorated into Josh sobbing, whining and carrying on that he can't do it. One of his therapists told us that it is especially hard to teach kids with Josh's issues to ride a bike, but she encouraged us to persevere.

So for the past few weeks we have run with Josh up and down our cul-de-sac, balancing the bike for him and wondering if he was ever going to get it. We arrived in Hilton Head Island on Sunday with my family, and yesterday he amazingly started riding the bike by himself around this cul-de-sac. I ran behind him cheering and nearly in tears; we have come a long way from where we started.

Today's bike riding session ended in a spectacular fashion when Josh got up too much speed and crashed into a car that was parked illegally on the street in our cul-de-sac. Needless to say, Josh has now met his first real-live policeman, asked for the first time in his six years whether he was going to jail and learned a good lesson in responsibilty. The situation ended peacably in the best possible manner, and we are thankful for kind policemen and gracious neighbors.

We moved on this afternoon to a famous seafood restaurant in Hilton Head, where Josh and Molly tie-dyed T-shirts before dinner. Josh, we learned, tie-dyes much like he colors; haphazardly with little regard to the lines.

We took the kids to a nearby playground to pass the time during our long wait for a table, and then enjoyed our first meal out with my parents and my brother and his family since Josh was born.

Elizabeth, Molly and Abbey

Molly begrudgingly shares her pre-dinner, non-alcoholic strawberry daquari with Elizabeth.