John sat on my lap while I watched this and he is now saying, "Please, more". Needless to say we will be watching it again. How awesome! So excited for her!!!!!
That is so awesome that you got her an adaptive bike for free and that you got it painted pink. She is doing so well riding it, it will be great for strengthing for the summer. We just bought Elizabeth a Triton bike from Target which is a really cool pink trike that will grow with her forever (it goes up to 22lbs which is funny as it will fit the 2 of us together for awhile). We are just finishing adapting it for her and can't wait to get her on her big girl bike as well (she of course would like a cool 2 wheeler but that is not in her cards). Elizabeth rides with her rt. foot pointing down like Eden's, we have been kinesiotaping and it seems to help a bit. Way to go Holland too for riding a new big girls bike as well.
OK, that video just made my day!!! Dave watched it too and loved it. She looks like she's having the time of her life. I didn't know about that bike, I am going to look into it for Max, as I think he's outgrowing the John Deere tractor (it's green, but he puts up with it).
When I started reading your blog, Eden was just learning to belly crawl, using just her arms. And now look at her! Look at all that marvelous reciprocal motion! "Awesome" does not begin to cover it! God is so good--his blessings and everyone's hard work have done wonders. Happy dancing for you in Texas.
Tue May 18, 02:59:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...
Okay, I can't stop smiling and crying at the same time! That might be the coolest video of Eden I have ever seen. Both my boys are right now saying, "Let's take our bikes to Michigan so we can ride with Eden and Holland!" More tears! Love you much!!!!! Jess
Tue May 18, 04:58:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...
Awesome!! I love how she adjusts her hat and smiles at the end of the video. Too cute!!
she looks like she is having a blast, im just glad that we could make the pink bike dream come true!ya when i was tearing it apart to get it ready for paint reece said dad why did you break her bike, and said im not sweety just watch,then as all the pcs started to go back together she said wow it is way better now!!! glad we could help out......Ron & Amy
This post made me cry, which is a little embarrassing since I'm working at Starbucks. There is nothing like the freedom of riding a bike and feeling the wind and I'm so happy that Eden can delight in this experience. The fact that it came from the kindness of so many others makes it especially sweet. Enjoy your summer of family bike rides!
I am so jealous you have no idea. I have wanted an adaptive bike for YEARS but don't live anywhere where it is safe for me to ride it. I would spend the $ in a second, but I live on a big hill and can't handle the hill or crossing at lights. It takes me too long to get started again. One day...
How in the world did she make it a mile? I bike at the gym, and that is HARD. The most I've ever biked was 2mi and that was when I was in shape...
& Ellen, if you're reading this, I had a friend who is about 4'9 who bought herself a lavender tryke a few years ago. I was always pissed cause she never let me try it out, but I wanted to let you know they can be found.
Thanks for the name of the song Billie. It's great!
You inspired me on 1 January (Summer here in Australia!) to get serious with toilet training our daughter who has physical and intellectual disabilities. I copied "your" reward chart and the results were nearly instaneous :) That gave me the incentive to keep up the 'toilet training charge'. Here we are in June and she's been 100% daytime dry, including at school, for two months now. I give all credit for this MIRACLE to you. Thanks for the inspiration that you and your family provide to all of us out 'there' in blog land!
I love it! She looks great on that bike! The smile says it all.
Wed Jun 09, 12:17:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...
Those girls r so cute! As a mom of a 23 wk micro-preemie, u give me hope and watching the girls let me understand that my daughter is perfect and the way she is meant to be. I enjoyed the whole site!
I peek at your blog every now and then and the progress the girls have made is impressive, to say the least! You are such WONDERFUL role models as parents (coming from a teacher and parent). This bike idea is wonderful. Thank God someone invented such a thing! Look at Eden's smile as she has a new found freedom!
Tue Jul 20, 10:52:00 AM EDT
Last summer we started talking about getting a bike for Eden. I did a little research and asked around a bit, but somehow the summer got away from us and we never got that far. Eden's home PT mentioned that there was a little girl in our town who had a bike that she thought might work for Eden, so last fall I contacted her mom and asked if we could borrow it to try it out. These adapted trikes are so pricey that I really wanted to try one and see if it would work before I invested a ton of time and money into getting one. So, we borrowed it, and it worked. I figured that I had the winter to really figure out how we would go about getting one for Eden. She was excited about the prospect, and let us know that she wanted a pink Littlest Pet Shop bike. Of course.
Before I got too far along in the process, the mom who had loaned us the bike called me and told me that her daughter was outgrowing it and probably would not be able to use it come spring. She asked if we wanted it, and I said, "absolutely."
Fast forward to about a couple months ago. I went and picked it up, and Eden became the proud new owner of a blue and green Freedom Concepts Discovery bike. Well...at least she was the owner and she would ride it...I don't know about proud. It wasn't exactly what she had envisioned (it wasn't pink), but she WAS a good sport about it.
In the meantime I hatched a clever plan, and called up a couple of my super industrious, creative-type friends. I asked if they thought they could turn this into a pink bike for Eden and they told me to bring it over! So, I dropped it off and a week later it was pretty and pink. Ron spray painted the bike light pink and dark pink, and Amy even made pink glittery beads for the spokes. They also cleaned it up and tightened up all the parts so it was a much smoother ride.
I took Eden with me so they could see her reaction, and it was everything she had hoped it would be. We put her on it and she literally TOOK OFF! She was flying on that thing, around and around their little cul de sac. We joked with her that the color pink must give her super powers. She told us that that the bike was just a lot faster without the "string" (the rope pulley that was holding the pedals up).
So, it IS faster without the pulley, but without it her toes were pointing and the pedals were scraping the ground. After getting it home, we decided to try it while wearing her taller orthotics. This worked like a charm. Now she is able to fly around on her new pink bike...which I also decked out with some Littlest Pet Shop removable stickers, a pink flower horn, AND a bell.
Instead of spending the summer learning to pedal a trike...we're gonna spend the summer really RIDING. We took it to the park a couple of weeks ago and she rode about a mile easily. She was riding circles around Holland:-) It honestly makes my heart sing to see her riding that bike. Eden has the PINK Littlest Pet Shop bike that she had dreamed of!
Special thanks to Amy and Ron, and everyone who helped make her dream come true:-)
"Cycling Is Fun!"
37 Comments -
Amazing... the smile on her face says it all!
Way to go Eden!!
Mon May 17, 03:01:00 PM EDT
John sat on my lap while I watched this and he is now saying, "Please, more". Needless to say we will be watching it again. How awesome!
So excited for her!!!!!
Mon May 17, 04:00:00 PM EDT
incredible!!!!
Mon May 17, 05:49:00 PM EDT
All kinds of awesome in that video. Go Eden! Every little girl wants a pink bike - they're the best!
Mon May 17, 06:02:00 PM EDT
Go Eden! She'll have a great summer with that bike!
Mon May 17, 06:59:00 PM EDT
I just love the determination and spirit that Eden has - go Eden go!
Mon May 17, 08:45:00 PM EDT
I could watch that video all night!
Mon May 17, 09:42:00 PM EDT
That is so awesome that you got her an adaptive bike for free and that you got it painted pink. She is doing so well riding it, it will be great for strengthing for the summer.
We just bought Elizabeth a Triton bike from Target which is a really cool pink trike that will grow with her forever (it goes up to 22lbs which is funny as it will fit the 2 of us together for awhile). We are just finishing adapting it for her and can't wait to get her on her big girl bike as well (she of course would like a cool 2 wheeler but that is not in her cards). Elizabeth rides with her rt. foot pointing down like Eden's, we have been kinesiotaping and it seems to help a bit.
Way to go Holland too for riding a new big girls bike as well.
Mon May 17, 09:52:00 PM EDT
OK, that video just made my day!!! Dave watched it too and loved it. She looks like she's having the time of her life. I didn't know about that bike, I am going to look into it for Max, as I think he's outgrowing the John Deere tractor (it's green, but he puts up with it).
Mon May 17, 11:17:00 PM EDT
You rock Eden -- I love your hat!!
Love
Maggie
Tue May 18, 08:18:00 AM EDT
Absolutely AMAZING! Made my day! So glad that you were able to get it painted pink for her.
Tue May 18, 11:42:00 AM EDT
Looking at this video lets me see prayers being answered. This is wonderful. Connie W.
Tue May 18, 11:45:00 AM EDT
When I started reading your blog, Eden was just learning to belly crawl, using just her arms. And now look at her! Look at all that marvelous reciprocal motion! "Awesome" does not begin to cover it! God is so good--his blessings and everyone's hard work have done wonders. Happy dancing for you in Texas.
Tue May 18, 02:59:00 PM EDT
Okay, I can't stop smiling and crying at the same time! That might be the coolest video of Eden I have ever seen. Both my boys are right now saying, "Let's take our bikes to Michigan so we can ride with Eden and Holland!" More tears! Love you much!!!!! Jess
Tue May 18, 04:58:00 PM EDT
Awesome!! I love how she adjusts her hat and smiles at the end of the video. Too cute!!
Amy
Tue May 18, 11:25:00 PM EDT
This is the BEST! I love it. :)
Tue May 18, 11:51:00 PM EDT
she looks like she is having a blast, im just glad that we could make the pink bike dream come true!ya when i was tearing it apart to get it ready for paint reece said dad why did you break her bike, and said im not sweety just watch,then as all the pcs started to go back together she said wow it is way better now!!! glad we could help out......Ron & Amy
Wed May 19, 03:02:00 AM EDT
This post made me cry, which is a little embarrassing since I'm working at Starbucks. There is nothing like the freedom of riding a bike and feeling the wind and I'm so happy that Eden can delight in this experience. The fact that it came from the kindness of so many others makes it especially sweet. Enjoy your summer of family bike rides!
Wed May 19, 10:39:00 AM EDT
I am so jealous you have no idea. I have wanted an adaptive bike for YEARS but don't live anywhere where it is safe for me to ride it. I would spend the $ in a second, but I live on a big hill and can't handle the hill or crossing at lights. It takes me too long to get started again. One day...
How in the world did she make it a mile? I bike at the gym, and that is HARD. The most I've ever biked was 2mi and that was when I was in shape...
& Ellen, if you're reading this, I had a friend who is about 4'9 who bought herself a lavender tryke a few years ago. I was always pissed cause she never let me try it out, but I wanted to let you know they can be found.
Wed May 19, 12:38:00 PM EDT
I LOVE this! She is so cute! I am amazed at your little girls...so strong and brave! Way to go, Eden!
Wed May 19, 08:15:00 PM EDT
Thanks so much for posting the video. It made my day!
Wed May 19, 09:25:00 PM EDT
Fantastic! What a delight for Eden, and for all of you to ride bikes as a family together. Dreams come true, indeed.
Wed May 19, 11:01:00 PM EDT
This video makes me tear up. What a wonderful smile!!!!!! Love the pink bike.
~~~alicia~~~
Wed May 19, 11:01:00 PM EDT
OMG Billie! This is AWESOME!!! So excited for Eden!
Fri May 21, 03:34:00 PM EDT
AWESOME!!!! But when did she get to be so grown up?
Sat May 22, 02:51:00 AM EDT
Love it that is so awesome. Evan is going to be getting out on his bike more this spring and summer as well.
Mon May 24, 05:55:00 PM EDT
Awsome Eden you rock! love the hat:)
lindsey
Mon May 24, 06:32:00 PM EDT
Wow, just amazing. This gives me a lot of hope for my little ones. Thanks for sharing.
Thu May 27, 10:38:00 PM EDT
Way to Go Eden! She looked like she was having a blast!!!
Tue Jun 01, 12:09:00 AM EDT
Oh Billie, I LOVE it! How she's doing a great job with the bike and it's so cute watching her whiz around on it! She looks so proud of herself!
Tue Jun 01, 12:09:00 AM EDT
Beautiful!! What is the music that you've used for the background? My daughter loves to bop to it!
Fri Jun 04, 07:30:00 AM EDT
The song is Cycling is Fun by Shonen Knife, from their album "Let's Knife." It's actually a pretty cool kid-friendly album that my girls really like!
Fri Jun 04, 12:41:00 PM EDT
Thanks for the name of the song Billie. It's great!
You inspired me on 1 January (Summer here in Australia!) to get serious with toilet training our daughter who has physical and intellectual disabilities. I copied "your" reward chart and the results were nearly instaneous :) That gave me the incentive to keep up the 'toilet training charge'. Here we are in June and she's been 100% daytime dry, including at school, for two months now. I give all credit for this MIRACLE to you. Thanks for the inspiration that you and your family provide to all of us out 'there' in blog land!
Tue Jun 08, 06:15:00 AM EDT
I love it! She looks great on that bike! The smile says it all.
Wed Jun 09, 12:17:00 PM EDT
Those girls r so cute! As a mom of a 23 wk micro-preemie, u give me hope and watching the girls let me understand that my daughter is perfect and the way she is meant to be. I enjoyed the whole site!
Wed Jun 16, 02:16:00 PM EDT
Eden is amazing!!!! I love see all her progress... incredible girl!!!!
Tue Jun 29, 07:18:00 PM EDT
I peek at your blog every now and then and the progress the girls have made is impressive, to say the least! You are such WONDERFUL role models as parents (coming from a teacher and parent).
This bike idea is wonderful. Thank God someone invented such a thing! Look at Eden's smile as she has a new found freedom!
Tue Jul 20, 10:52:00 AM EDT