My Evil Knievel

So, apparently I gave birth to a wild child. I don't know if Jacob is just not scared of trying out crazy things or if he just thinks it's normal since the older kids on the street do it. Either way, watching him makes my stomach do flip-flops. It all started out so innocently when he got his first Radio Flyer tricyle for Christmas when he was 2. This is a picture of Jacob and his Uncle Randy that Christmas. Jacob was so scared of being up too high that he sat on the foot rest and pedaled for months.





Then some friends gave us their son's bike with training wheels which he conquered and outgrew by the age of 3. The next Christmas we gave him a brand new bike, still with training wheels, as it was a taller, bigger bike. He was off of training wheels and already scaring me before he turned 4. This next picture was taken when he was just 4 years old.







It didn't take long for him to start jumping onto the concrete after he mastered the grass (much better for crashing). Here are some more recent photos of him jumping his bike and scooter on the driveway (Now, this is what I can't watch...it really scares me. I just open the kitchen window and wait for a scream...then I go outside and see if a bandaid or a mommy's kiss is needed.)

Of course, I blame Shane for all of this. He is the one who has introduced Jacob to a love for bikes. They ride the trails around our house. This summer, Shane is planning on introducing Jacob to the trails at Keystone (most kids shouldn't attempt them until at least the age of 10 but Jacob is a good rider and jumper so Shane wants to give it a try).

And, I have to tell you that watching it is much worse than the pictures show. Right now, the kids on the street are setting up a racetrack with each of their ramps and tabletops. They are having a blast! Jacob was smart enough to start wearing his BMX helmet last weekend. Jacob crashed so hard yesterday that he broke his BMX helmet...not good.

This is a picture that my neighbor took recently. He is off of the ground...cool pic!

As for any BMX updates, since Jacob has moved up to the intermediate class, he has his work cut out for him. He has had to race 8 year old intermediates mostly, and has only qualified for one main event in three outings, but he took 2nd in that race! He will have to work his way up, just like he did in the novice class. This isn't going over so well for him, but he still enjoys it. There is a saying in BMX, if you aren't chasing someone, you aren't getting any faster. If you give him a choice of what he would like to do, he always chooses BMX. I see dirt bikes in our future as it is a natural progression after BMX and we have several friends and neighbors who already ride (I would love to ride one myself). That should bring about a whole new kind of stomach flops!