1 Mother 2 Another

Maddie’s always loved riding her
scooter to school; she’s not quite a bicycle girl yet, but
adores zooming along on her scooter, especially since she’s
learned a few “tricks” like, well, braking. While Cora
was in preschool she’d tag behind on her three-wheel
faux-scooter to get Maddie to and from school, gamely pushing along
but sensing something was different. And while she’s been
patient about her rickety princess scooter, this weekend we finally
upgraded Cora to the official Razor club.

Brian and Cora hit Target on Saturday and
came home with a bright pink Razor, complete with wheels that light
up if you go fast enough. Cora was ecstatic and scooted happily
around the house on the wood floor all day. Maddie, a bit envious
at how shiny and new Cora’s (otherwise identical) scooter
was, handled her jealousy well and managed to be happy for Cora.


Sunday night Cora said, “Mommy, can we stay after school and
scooter on the blacktop a bit tomorrow?” The school blacktop,
I should explain, is sometimes a fair-weather stomping ground for
Maddie’s gang; last spring we’d bring snacks and
scooters and bikes and let the kids go crazy in the gorgeous
weather for almost two hours while the grown-ups sat on blankets on
the grass and chatted. Cora would play with her younger sibling
friends or ride her bike a bit, but never had a “big-kid
scooter” with which to join in.


Cora was clearly ready to roll.


So they’ve scootered to school all week now, played
maniacally on the blacktop on Monday, and of course scootered home.
My girls even have their “scooter routine” down pat,
and I’ve grown quite fond of it.


I have hooks hanging on the garage wall for the folded-up scooters,
and when we leave the house on a school morning Maddie goes first,
lifting her higher scooter down and bringing it out. I unfold it
while Maddie grabs her helmet and Cora gets her own scooter,
carefully and importantly lifting hers down off the wall (the
toddler scooter didn’t hang – another shameful
delineation, I suppose). I’ll pop Cora’s open while she
gets her helmet, snap the helmets on, and they’re ready to
roll.


I absolutely adore walking behind the girls while they scooter
along. Maddie goes faster, of course, because she’s taller
and has those long legs. But she’s an expert at school-time
travel, and waits patiently at the corner, standing in a pensive
(and I’m sure in her mind quite cool) profile while she waits
for us.


Cora is getting good at the two-wheel scooter, but it still takes
practice to get that balance. And every once in a while
she’ll say, “Boy, scootering sure does tire out your
hiney.”


I love that.


When we get to school the girls are required to walk the scooters
to the bike rack, and they file importantly past the
“walkers”. After we get the scooters put up, helmets
come off and Cora says, “Whew! Good ride today. Good
ride.”


My little gang.