Selena's Riding on Two Wheels.

The big news around here is that Selena is riding her bicycle without training wheels.  I'm not exactly sure what inspired her.  Our bicycle trip in Idaho, or the neighbor boy across the street talking about learning, but she asked me to take off her training wheels.  We practiced a few times at the school in the play-shed and in the cul-de-sac.  The neighborhood kids tried to help and pushed her around, after about 5 or 6 sessions her dad helped her and off she went.  It was amazing how fast she improved.  Her braking ability was pretty much non-existent the first two days, but now she is a pro.  Immediately she had to take her bike off road to see if it was a dirt bike or a mountain bike, and sure enough it was.  She is now a speed demon and dare devil.  Working on going up and down bumps, riding without feet and has even attempted eyes closed and with one hand (not at the same time, and I asked to not do those tricks).

As well as cycling she's been running a lot.  We did an all-comers track-meet and she ran the 50m, 100m, 200m and mile.  She was a bit upset after the sprints because she didn't win, but when she heard there was a mile she was pumped.  She ran a 12:50.  We also did a kids fun run a few days ago and she ran the 2k.  It was a real cross country course and I didn't get to run it with her, but she said that lots of people cheered for her and her and another kid were going back and forth and passing each other but he ended up passing her right before the finish.

She's really into dinosaurs and has been making some wonderful dinosaur books.  She draws a different dinosaur on every page and then traces out a cover and back cover on cardboard and has us cut it out, hole punch it, and tie it with string.  Very professional.  She also comes up with wonderful hypothesis on why the dinosaurs became extinct.  Her latest is that they evolved into dogs.

Some recent Selena quotes include:

• "I make a lot of accidents sometimes.  I'm making some messes."
• One day she decided she wanted to make some camping food.  She mixed marshmellow, graham cracker, cheddar cheese, cumin and salt.  I ask her, "How's your camping food?" She replies, "I'm feeding it straight to Allie."  I say, "Have you tried it yet" She says, "No."
• "I'm going to be a dinosaur hunter and a shoemaker when I grow up.  I'll make shoes that look like dinosaurs and give them to all the dinosaur hunters."
• One day I hear her explaining to Allie why people's hair looks darker when its wet.  She says, "Because the government said so."  Then asks me, "What is the government anyway?  Is it twinkling stars?"
• "You sure do need a haircut dad."  Floyd says, "Why is that?"  Selena replies, "Well your hair sure is getting long for a short haired boy."