Look Ma, no training wheels!

It was a summer goal of Lucy's to learn to ride her bike without training wheels.  She sees the kids at the pool cruising up on two wheels, looking very cool, and really wanted to be part of that world who just glide up, slip out of their bikes, leaving the wheels spinning in the grass, as they casually toss it aside and stroll into the pool. And now, she is part of that very biker-chic crowd. 
It took a bit of mind trickery.  We took the trainers off and then the bike sat untouched for days.  Then she finally got up the courage, as did I, to take her out into the court to practice.  It was not very fun that first day.  She crashed, cried, cried, crashed.  She was so worried about crashing that she wouldl crash because she would twist her bike into some contortion trying to show me that "her bike just does that!" But without her realizing it, I would let go and she would cruise past one house and then the other until she would suddenly realize that I was running beside her and twist her bike and crash.  If it weren't for all the gear she insisted upon- bike helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and gloves, it would have been a bloody scene.  Eventually, the night ended up with her throwing a tantrum in the middle of the street because, she insisted, her bike was making her crash.
We skipped a few days.
Then Aunt Lauren, Max and Molly came into town, we had a gorgeous night that might prevent me from being a hot sweaty mess and I casually asked Lucy if she wanted to go out for a try.  She was happy and eager.  She loaded up on gear and we were all out the door, with many short little cheerleaders following.  They made sort of an obstacle course, everytime Lucy got going, Max or Molly would jump in front of her bike and she would swerve to avoid them.  Distracting? Yes, but it also made her determined to show them what she could do.  Finally, I ran with her as she got going and let go and then ran beside her.  She was crying and carrying on like it was the most miserable experience ever.  But she wanted to keep trying and eventually, the nerves died down and she got a feel for her balance and she was off.  She rode up and down the cul de sac, showing us how she can stop on her own, steer away from parked cars and distracting cousins and even, GASP!, smile while riding her bike.
Now it is all she wants to do.  She goes out and rides back and forth, faster and faster and only crashes when she forgets to slow down on a turn.  And yes, she has ridden to the pool with that cool crowd.  She went with a friend and thought it was the most awesome thing in the world.  We'll remind her of how cool riding your bike is when she is 16, and then I'm sure the crying and carrying on will pick up once more.