Here to catch you

Reese learned to ride his bike this weekend.  A long time waiting, we finally got him on it and he got it in all of about 10 minutes.  I knew he would.  And as glad as I am the he is riding now, I'm a bit sad that he is.  It just reminds me that he's growing up.  However, as I was helping him learn, we'd go from one end of the parking lot to the other and stop and turn around and do it again, me holding his bike seat and running beside him the whole way.  After a few times of this, I let go of his seat and kept running with him but I had to tell him I had let go because he didn't even know it.  Then finally he rode the length of the parking lot without my help at all, but I was still running beside him to prevent a crash here and there--or at least catch him before he hit the ground too hard.  But he did awesome and didn't need my help at all really, even though I was still running along with him.  

All smiles and full of life, he said to me, "Mom, you don't need to keep running with me, you know."  I smiled, with a heavy heart. and said to him, "But baby, who will catch you when you fall?"

And he replied without hesitation, "Oh yeah!  I didn't think of that!"

Whew!  What a relief to know he still needs me.  And what he doesn't know yet is that I will I will always be there to catch him when he falls and help him back up only to try again.  And again. And again.  That's what I do.  I love you baby boy.  More than you ever will know!