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Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

she did it.

the other day i was playing with the babies. the bigs were outside with j.

harper came running in SCREAMING “MOMMMYYYYYY! COME SEEEE! YOU WON’T BELIEVE IT!!!!”.

and when i came outside i didn’t believe it. she finally learned how to ride her bike without training wheels.

i thought this day might never every come. she is very cautious and unwilling to try new things.

very scared to fall. jimmy isn’t here often and it’s a bit hard for me to take all four on bike rides. HA!

but she did it!!

with lots of encouragement from her daddy:

 

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a few wobbles:

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and lots of smiles:

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and i stood there with teary eyes snapping photos.

not only because she finally hit this milestone…

but because j was here for it.

it might sound silly, but he is not here for most firsts. so to see him accomplish this with harper. gosh, i have tears in my eyes just typing this.

 

and speaking of bikes and tears in my eyes for other reasons…i took my first spin class last night. i can barely walk or SIT today, but i loved it. i kept up and i am really proud of myself. i have a feeling this is really going to change my body and maybe my life.

so here’s to new beginnings and accomplishments. 🙂
happy thursday sweet friends.

xoxo

s

Comments

  1. so glad jimmy got to see this special moment! harper looks great all decked out and matching with her bike.
    i have yet to try a spin class…i’m kind of afraid i will not make it through!

  2. Beautiful pictures and beautiful post. Recently, I also started taking spin classes and LOVE it. Have fun!

  5. Oh.my.gosh! Now I’ve got tears just reading it! Very proud moment for all of you!

  6. Wahoo Harper!!! You go girl!
    So glad that J was there for this….and you could take pics 🙂
    Spin class is one of my favorites!
    It’s hard, but you feel so good afterwards.
    Congrats on your first class!

  10. YAY Harper!!! 🙂 I remember my daddy teaching me to GO on my speedy green Kate (yes that was her name lol) Congrats! & glad that J was here to for it.

  13. Hi Stephanie,
    I am reading your blog since a long time now (initially because of scrapbooking), and I love to learn about your life & kids.
    It can sound weird, but I hope it is not.
    Your girls are so cute (I have a crush on Harper I may say LOL) & you seem so strong facing the life you have, I am impressed.
    Well, as I am French, I hope nothing sounds rude or wrong in what I just typed 😉
    But I just wanna say “Hi from Paris” & thanks for sharing all of this.
    I wish you the best.
    Edith.
    PS: Hurrah for Harper, she made it

  15. LOVE THIS! First bike rides always make me tear up, but this one especially so…
    and OMG, when I saw your tweet about spin I almost responded with a warning about your “bottom”…my husband took me to a “marathon spin class” that was 2 hours…it was my first spin class and I wasn’t completely out of shape at the time but I BARELY made it through the class because of my tush! And the teacher was incredibly mean about it…but TWO HOURS! Needless to say, I’ve never joined my husband at another class, and I’ve never gone back to spinning 😉

  16. Wonderful J there for her!!!
    Yeah with spinning class.. give time..
    love that class! with standing, jogging.. felt weak at first.. will get use to it.. be great!!
    Way to go Harper!!

  17. Exciting day! I vividly remember the day I learned to ride a bike. I rode up and down the street all night long until dark!

  18. Way to go Harper! I bet Daddy is so proud! You don’t need a spin class – just run along Harper!

  22. I’m tearing up too b/c my husband was here to help Lexi learn to ride her bike and I completely understand how rare that is!! Congrats to Harper! 🙂

  24. Oh Stephanie, I loved this story .. my eyes swelled up with tears as well. So touching!

  25. Yeah harper! Now I know for sure Wyatt is the only almost 6 year old with training wheels.
    Oh and ILOVE spinning classes. Your butt will get used to it. It is a great workout!

  26. Good job, Harper! Love the proud look on her face. I’ve got tears in my eyes, too — so, so glad your husband was there for a special, fun first.

  27. Yay! I love that J was there and you have pictures to save the memory. My son taught my daughter to ride her bike (he’s 9 years older than her) and I’m so happy I was able to snap some pictures. Go Harper!!!

  28. Yeah for Harper and Daddy! I am so happy for them both that they could do that together! What great pictures!

  30. That is SO GREAT Steph!! I am so so happy that Jimmy was able to be home to help her learn to ride her bike. So happy for all of you! Way to go, Miss Harper!!! 🙂

  31. yay harper!!! i’m so glad that jimmy was with her for this. what a special memory for each of you. (and doesn’t it make your kiddos seem so much older when they can ride without training wheels?!?! i know it does for me.)

  32. YAY HARPER!!!!!!! I was 7 before I could do it without training wheels. Yup, I was a huge chicken and my balance was terrible but I got it eventually and then you didn’t see me for dust 🙂 Congrats to Mama too 🙂

  37. OH yay! That is so wonderful and exciting, and so amazing when they can be home for such a normal yet profound milestone! My husband actually had getting each of our kids riding without training wheels on his “before I go list” before 2 different deployments, and was able to just in time, our son at 6 and our daughter at 5, and I treasure those memories and pictures. I look at our 2 year old now, and while he was home when he was born, he’s missed both of his birthdays, and I wonder, will he be able to teach him when the time comes? What a reminder of how the ordinary moments are precious and extraordinary, and we must cherish them. Hang in there.

  38. Stephanie: I am training to ride 100 miles with Team in Training on June 3. It is called “America’s Most Beautiful Ride” and it is around Lake Tahoe. In Minnesota, it is IMPOSSIBLE to train outside, so we have hardcore spin class 2x a week for team practice. I have never ever done a ride like this and it is a HUGE challenge to keep going some days. I am so happy to hear about your spin class – I hope you keep going, because it does get better!
    If you would like here’s a link to my fundraising page: http://pages.teamintraining.org/mn/ambbr12/dhygrell
    As always, thanks for sharing!
    ~Denelle

  39. I have tears in my eyes!! After reading your blog for the past few years, I feel like I know your family. Go Harper and congrats to you! I took spin and loved it. 🙂

  41. soooooooo HAPPY he was there!
    and actually Harper is just the age where most seem to learn to ride a bike! she’s not behind! Lots of kids are between 4-6 years old when they learn! Now my Ava, now she was BEHIND! she learned when she was just turning 9, yes NINE< years old. talk about cautious, which is weird, because in other ways, she is NOT cautious at all! My Savannah was 6.5 when she learned and she's pretty cautious too! soooooooo awesome he was there to be in that moment, I LOVE IT! tara

  42. Ha! My 20 year old son still has problems with bikes…fortunately his brother does not. Congrats to all of you…hopefully there will not be too many cuts and bruises.

  43. I’m about to pop with our first baby (so seriously emotional right now) and this just put me over the edge!! These are the exact moments that I cant wait for me and my husband to experience! 🙂

  46. on the spinning thing…..it takes about THREE classes for the seat to stop killing you. Then, for whatever reason, it just doesn’t anymore. So, give it at least three—-without a big break in between. You’ll do great!

  48. this is fabulous, what a huge step. Lucy is desperate to learn hers with no trainer wheels but i want to wait until daddy home too as i always think he misses so much too and this is def a daddy daughter thing 🙂

  49. So cute. Congratulations! Daddy and her “concentration tongue ;)” sure help a lot.

  50. With a strong, loving man by your side – anything is possible 🙂
    Well done Harper!

  51. The look on J’s face in the second pic made me tear up too. No training wheels is a big deal. I think a special dessert is called for. But I think that about everything. 😉

  53. Yay Harper! That is one beautiful girl, Steph. Never tried spin class, but I always see them while I’m grumpily on the treadmill, and it looks craaazy.

  54. Golly, I’m such a sap….reading this just made me cry….such a Happy moment that you captured of her JOY and accomplishment, and that J was there to see it! Way to go Harper!

  56. Yeah Harper! I remember how excited my kids were to reach this milestone! Kudos to you too, Stephanie. I can barely drag myself to the gym these days, let alone keep up with a spin class!

  57. i still remember my dad teaching me how to ride a bike. its such a special memory. I’m so, so glad J was there for your little girl.

  58. WTG, Harper!!
    My younger just started riding without training wheels a couple weeks ago…when my DH made me come out to watch I stumbled back into the house with tears in my eyes…they grow up way too fast!!

  59. wobbles are good! so she stay alert and focused! heeeheee… please send a million congratulations kisses to Harper. So proud of her.. and i don’t blame you – i would cry too!!
    *hugs* sweet friend.. thank you for the love.

  60. Love the tongue sticking out too!!! Really concentrating…too cute:) Yeah Harper!!

  61. omg, that post made me cry. My husband travels a lot for work, but he’s usually home by the weekend. He misses a lot of firsts, too, and recitals and graduations and games, but he’s usually never gone for more than a week or 10 days. I totally understand that happy feeling you have, and I am grateful for families like you who give up so much for people like us.
    You’re pages and projects are always so lovely!
    (oh, and speaking of exercise, I worked out 5x last week for the first time in like forever. This week…ummmm, twice for like 20 minutes maybe. o’well.)

  64. That is awesome – love the look on her face! I totally understand the dilema about teaching her when you have other, younger kids. I was pregnant with my 4th when my oldest (she was almost 7) finally learned how to ride without training wheels. The funny thing is my second (she was barely 5) learned at the exact same time! We were at a family reunion with a big grassy lot and all of the cousins were there riding their bikes and my hubby was there to help, so it finally got done!

  68. tears in my eyes reading today’s post. love that j was there for harper’s bike ride. for spinning, if you plan on going back get a gel pad for the seat. your tush will still hurt but not as much.

  69. HOORAY FOR HARPER!!!! I HAVE TEARS IN MY EYES JUST READING THIS, THAT IS SOOOOO AWESOME THAT J WAS THERE WITH HER. I CAN JUST FEEL THE LOVE AND EMOTIONS SEEING THE PHOTOS AND READING ABOUT IT. I’M SO HAPPY FOR ALL OF YOU, THIS MEMORY WILL STAY WITH ALL OF YOU FOREVER!!! I LOVE THAT HE RAN BESIDE HER THE WHOLE TIME, HE HAS HER BACK FOR SURE!!
    THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS WITH US AND GREAT JOB ON THE SPIN CLASS. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE LAYOUT YOU MAKE FROM THIS BIG DAY!!

  73. Awwww – I got teary just reading this. This is a memory that will be treasured forever. Not only very special for j but h will never forget! Thanks for sharing and good luck with spin!

  74. Congratulations to Harper!!! How wonderful is it that J was there for it. What a lovely memory that is for all of you.

  75. YAY HARPER!!! That’s a big deal and its always much easier to tackle those things when Daddy is there. My Daddy was away A LOT when I was little, but that was one of the things that he was home to teach me…and it was great… and after that I used that knowledge to steal the boys bikes in the neighborhood. HA! 🙂 I think I was flirting…

  77. I. AM. A. Dweeb! I’m reading this with tears in MY eyes!! SO awesome! Not just the milestone, but that J was able to join in, I’m sure was awesome for him to be there!! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy for yall!

  78. Awww… so sweet! What a great moment for them to share and how lucky that Jimmy was home 🙂 And I LOVE taking spin classes. I so wish there was one close to me that I could take still! It gets better the more you stick with it… you’ll be able to sit the next day pretty soon! 😉

  81. congrats to harper for riding her bike!
    On the spin classes: Seriously butt hurt! For like 3 days. Have done it twice, and it’s been a long time since I’ve tried it..it hurt too bad. and it’s kinda hard..it’s that out on a limb.hm.

  82. Was looking back over the blogs I missed–this one brings back memories. I was your daughters’ ages during the Vietnam War. And my dad was gone 2 1/2 years before I turned six. We have pictures of our next-door neighbors’ college-aged son trying to teach me to ride without training wheels, but I wasn’t able to take them off until my dad came home to teach me. Dads are the best!