Sophie learned how to ride her bike without training wheels yesterday. Like everything else she does, she decided today was the day. I am in constant awe of this little girl. Once she decides something, that is all there is to it. Like the last tooth of hers that was loose. She had wiggled in all day in hopes of getting the tooth fairly to come that night. By day's end we were on her bed and that little tooth was just hangin' on being stubborn. I said, "Well, it looks like today is not the day." To which she replied, "Oh yes it is!!" And with that she grabbed that tooth and yanked until it flew across the bed. Yep, that is Soph. Then there was the time she wanted a rabbit. We said we didn't know much about rabbits and that it was probably not such a good idea with the two big dogs. She decided she needed to learn as much as she could and so after many tears and pleading she got her daddy to drive her to the library at 7:45pm (it closes at 8pm) to get a book on rabbits. I am happy to report after several days of reading and studying them she decided she did not want a rabbit. Whew!

So we come to yesterday. Sophie has been wanting to ride her two wheeler without training wheels for a while and yesterday she declared was the perfect day. So with Daddy running behind and Mommy 's heart in her throat every time he let go, I watched Sophie learn. She fell. She got scraped. She got bruised. She bled. She cried. But every single time she got up and got back on her bike. Sophie is no quitter and has more determination than anyone I know. An hour after beginning, I stood at one end of the street and watched her ride her bike alone from Daddy all the way to me. (two house lengths) That's 'The Soph.' She says it. She does it. And girlfriend doesn't fool around. Sophie is who I want to be when I grow up.