Evil Kinevil's Distant Cousin....Alex

Last weekend we bought Alex his own tricycle off Craigslist.com and he LOVES it! Whenever we go into the garage to get in the car, he makes a bee-line for the trike and I have to pry his little fingers off the handles. It's really "retro" looking and so rather than buying him a traditional bell to go on it (which I thought he might have trouble ringing), we opted for a bugle horn instead. So now you can hear him coming a mile away. Even though our driveway is relatively flat, Alex has discovered there's just enough of a slop to roll all the way down (using his feet like the Flinstones for added momentum). He'd roll all the way to the other end of the cul-de-sac if we'd let him.

Case in point #1: The neighbors 2 doors down have a steep driveway that slopes down to their front door. On Thursday afternoon we were out playing and as I was chatting with the neighbor, Alex decided to follow the big kids down the driveway on his trike. When I saw what was happening I tore off after him but didn't catch him in time. He crashed into the bushes at the bottom, fell of his bike and smashed his head on the concrete. It all happened in slow motion...him rolling, me running, him tipping. He cried for 30 seconds and then wriggled out of my arms to hop back on the trike.

Case in point #2: The empty house next door ALSO has a sloped driveway (not quite as steep as the other neighbor's though). On Friday afternoon we were out playing again. I took this cute video of Alex on his trike. Then, less than TWO minutes later, Will's showing me his newest trick on his scooter and I see Alex perched at the top of the driveway. I drop the camera on the grass, dash over to try and stop him and he starts rolling down the driveway. Just like the day before, it's all happening in slow motion. The run, the crash, the tip and the cry. This time he's in the bushes and the tricycle's on top of him. I pick him up...he's got a bloody nose and bloody lip. So I call to Will to run in for some tissues (plus, I know if Will sees the blood I'll have two crying boys on my hands). We take Alex inside, wash him off and then he's back outside again on that darn trike.

When we bought the house, our top priority was a flat driveway. I wish I'd realized how important it would be to have a flat road AND neighbors with flat driveways too. Well, Alex's has proven himself as a trooper and I'm trying hard to remind myself that boys will be boys. Stay tuned for what will inevitably be our first trip to the ER before the summer's over.