Milestones, Plural

This has been a big week for Sam. He lost his first tooth over the weekend. It had been wiggly for some time, and the permanent tooth was actually through behind it, but it took some roughhousing with his friend Garrett to finally knock the loose tooth out. We never did find it so I convinced Sam he should write an apology note to the Tooth Fairy. He drew her a charming portrait and wrote:

Dear Tooth Fairy, I lost my tooth. I'm sorry. It will not happen again. I told Tegwyn I was sorry. Respectfully, Sam Romine

Tegwyn was a tooth monster I bought on etsy that holds the tooth and the resulting loot. We slipped the note in Tegwyn's gaping mouth, and sure enough, the Tooth Fairy accepted the apology and left $4, the exact amount Sam thought he deserved for a first tooth, albeit one he couldn't produce.

And then, this week he rode his 2-wheel bike for the first time. He got a nice new bike for Christmas but he's been practicing on his older, littler bike. And while it is somewhat frustrating trying to teach someone something that 'kind of just comes to you,' I found it entertaining. All in all it didn't take that long. When it finally clicked he pedalled all the way down the alley. Then it was down and back 8 times. It was bittersweet to give him that last push and watch him go farther and faster, without my help.

If I stretch it a little, I think there's a metaphor about parenting in there somewhere. You stand there, exhilarated at the achievement, breathless as they wobble and wind, and while you are yelling "Pedal, pedal, pedal" you are also thinking "Come back, come back, come back."