Tenacious

Since it was in the high 30's yesterday, I decided to do my Target run on my bike.  I made the mistake of mentioning this to Dan, out loud, in front of the kids.  Anna asked if she could go with me on her bike.  I told her "No, not today." 

After dawdling around the house, making my list, finding my coupons and gathering up my shopping bags, I finally made my way out to the garage.  I open the garage door and make my way around the truck to find Anna sitting there on her bike patiently waiting for me.  There she was, fully dressed for the trip with her coat, boots, gloves, and helmet, securely fastened over a fleece headband.  She'd been sitting there in the dimly-lit garage waiting for quite awhile.  A little scary, actually.

It's not that I don't love shopping with Anna, but obviously a five-year old is not riding a bike on winter streets.  She made the trip with me one time before, but it was too scary even in the summer {for me, not for her, which is the main point}.  I let her try it because we can ride all the way from our house to Target on sidewalks, but the catch is that you have to cross one busy four-lane county road.   After one crossing, I decided that she needs more speed and control before doing that again.  Obviously she survived, but it will be YEARS before we do it again.  Anna disagrees.  She thinks that since she's gone with me once, she's proven herself.

Back to yesterday.  I tried to reason with her a hundred different ways, but to no avail.  Back she went into the house, fighting me and crying the whole way.  She's tenacious.  Always has been.