Biking and Chinese

Our theory is that with twins you only have to teach one of them how to do something. Inevitably, the other catches up within a week. Note: this theory may only apply if you teach the laid-back twin first. Teaching the intense twin first may have the opposite effect.

When my parents were visiting last weekend, Kate and I got away to Stratford for a night. When we got home, Jacob had learned to ride his bike. He was so matter of fact about it that my folks assumed he had been doing it for months. Molly seemed to retreat from her bike and chose to go by tricycle for a few sessions. But she couldn't stand it for long and as of today she can ride too.

So here is a video of the two of them riding their two-wheelers.

Molly is quite proud to be the eldest twin (by a minute or so) and loves to tell people that Zoë is the youngest while she is the oldest. She has taken to declaring that Jacob is therefore the Mediumest. Which is my favourite new word this month.

Jacob is also the mediumest by height as Molly seems to have a noticeable advantage. But Molly is the mediumest by weight as Jacob has crossed the 40lb threshold a pound ahead of her.

Chinese lessons are going great. The twins' teacher took me aside after class to say that they're doing well, "and Molly, she is really good" (said while tapping her head with an impressed look). Kate is laying claim to Molly's brain, and it's hard to argue when the two of them can memorize a Chinese song like it's nothing.

And Zoë seems to be having a "Chinese-ness" awakening, coinciding with the beginning of Chinese school. There is a lot of talk from her about the rest of the family being "xiao Chinese" (a little) while she is "da Chinese" (big).

We turned our Saturday Toronto excursion into a visit to the Botanical Gardens with Dan & Al & cousins and then dinner down at their place. So our Chinese school plan seems to be working on all fronts.