Mohawk In, Training Wheels Out, Mommy-O Rides, Jacob and Mardia phone

A fun filled day today. After swimming lessons I went Mom's to mow the lawn and while I was gone Lorea and Akins got busy with the hair clippers. The Mohawk is back.

Last night while skateboarding I asked Akins if he wanted his training wheels off of his bike. He said yes so we took them off. Today was the first day without them. Training wheels be gone!

Okay, Lorea wanted this whole skateboard thing in the garage and bought me a skateboard so I could enjoy it too. I haven't riden a skateboard much since I was eight years old and my parents moved onto a farm where there were no sidewalks or paved roads to ride on. Things have changed a bit about the design of boards too. When I was a kid they were thin and short and the trucks (wheels) pivoted making turning very easy by merely leaning in the direction you wanted to go. Now the concept is to kick the tail to make the turn or basically lifting the front wheels off the ground. Anyway, after one week this is what you get. Not bad if I do say so myself.

We took Mom out to dinner after she has been house bound since surgery. She saw some commercial about a steak and the craving began. Anyway, on the way home Jacob and Mardia called Akins. Here is what I got from the conversation:
Jacob: Akins?
Akins: Jacob?
Jacob: Akins, hello I love you.
Akins: Where's Kurker?
Jacob: Kurker is in America now.
Akins: America? In Africa?
Jacob: No, Kurker is not in Africa, he is in America
(somehow the talking went to singing - not sure what happened)
Jacob: singing - can't make out what>.
Akins: singing - the itsy bitsy shider (no not a typo, he says shider)
Mardia:singing - the itsy bitsy spider
Akins: Boom, dee boom, dee boom,
Mardia: Boom, boom, dee boom
Lorea: singing- Baby, where'd you get that mohawk from?
Akins: singing - I got it from my mama, I got it from my mama
(If you listen to pop/rock or a little rap you will understand the above a lot better)
Jacob & Mardia: laughing
(this goes on for a while)
Jacob: Akins, I love you bye bye be good
Akins: Don't pee pee your pants
Jacob: laughing- Okay, bye bye
Akins: Bye chicken

Progression

Every once in a while I feel like no progress is ever made and then something beautiful happens. Here is a beautiful moment...

As I have shared Akins is going through a pants wetting period every day is an unknown. He can go several days - great and then pee pee. I had gone on a trip again and while delayed at the airport for endless hours I wondered into a children's store and bought him a RC airplane. When I got home it was late and he was in bed so I saved it for the next day. When I dropped him at school I told him I had a surprise for him if he was a good boy today. We do high five and off I go. Fast forward to end of day. I go to pick him up and he says "Mommy I no pee pee my pants". Another high five. I asked, "What did I tell you"? He's thnking. He says "I'm a good boy". "Yes, you're are a very good boy, but I told you I have a surprise". Smiling big! So, I pull it out and open the box for him to play with on the way home. Need to add batteries so at this moment it is just something to look at. He has many questions, what's this, what's that and then the beauty..."Mommy, thank you for getting this for me".

Now, that is progress!

Skateboard-O-Rama

We took Akins to a skateboard park a few weeks back and began the process of teaching him to ride a skateboard. After going to the park we agreed to reward him with a new skateboard if he went a whole week without wetting his pants. He went five days straight with the sixth day being Easter so we decided to give him his board as he had tried so hard. Lorea has always wanted ramps of her own so she bought some and has set up our own indoor skate park in the garage. Here is some footage of both the park and the garage.