Chiara just after falling down from her bike by nightfall after trying a few tricks (iPhone 6)

Yes I know it’s not year end yet – but this picture means so much to us, to me, to Chiara that it will no doubt be for her the picture of the year.

Rewinding back a few month – during summer – she was seeing all her friends (mostly boys) who have been riding bikes since the age of 3, she did try – it was not working. No pre-disposition, no confidence, frustration – we were moving backward …

September comes – we buy this bike on ebay and temporary swap it for Hugo’s one for a few weeks – go to the park – one hour, Chiara fell maybe 20 times – bruises all over, crying, tears – she persists, same thing the following Saturday, she will no let this go – I won’t either. This was early September …

One week after, she is riding around the park a bit hesitantly, the following one she can ride on the pavements confidently on her own, the following WE, she learns to brake. Two weeks after she learns to ride on a road (with me running next to her) – the one before she was with her friend Hugo for a 2h ride in a park. The following one we are doing tricks with the helmet in the board park. She can’t spend a day without asking for her bike.

This day – end of October – only two months after she was able to stand for the first time on her bike – she is trying tricks on a foggy/cold day late evening – practicing. She fell, rolled over and started laughing on her back. Now my tears are coming, picture of the year.