Greg Gudorf's home video from late 1990 and early 1991 captures his son Eric learning to ride a bike without training wheels at Christmas, opening birthday presents including Legos and a boogie board, and taking swim lessons while family members cheer him on.
No, I don't know. I don't know if I'm going to kill her.
Yes.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
No!
No!
Okay, look!
Yay!
It's Christmas Day, 1990. We're at the Penasquitas Park and Eric is riding his bike for his third attempt. Oh, he's doing much better than the last time I saw him.
What?
He's— we've taken the training wheels off and he's balancing very well now. He's even learned how to stop without diving headfirst. He's going to attempt a turn now. Oh, he's doing very well!
All right, looking good! Pedal forward a little bit.
Eric the roller skater.
Dad, point it wherever I go.
I am.
Mom?
What?
Why did I film them while they're saying you know we'd be able to watch it?
Yeah.
Go ahead. Go ahead and bowl.
Okay, Matt, let's get it.
Happy birthday!
Who's that from? Koi.
Okay, open these ones. Guess what they are.
That one opens.
Why don't you put this one on? 'Cause that's easy.
Look, I can't get it. Who would shake this? I don't know.
I knew it was Legos. I knew it was Legos 'cause I shake This box, I know what that box was.
Hey, what do you say, guy?
Thank you.
Thank you. Okay, easy.
Just one more thing. More Bagels. More Bagels. It's a waste called Bagels.
I know, I know.
I have a—
cut that open and then do it inside. No, Dad! Don't do it inside! Inside because it's really loud. I know, I don't mind if it's really loud.
It is.
Eros, do you want to fly this? Do you want to turn this on inside, Eros? Don't turn it inside.
I knew it was a boogie board.
Daddy wants to take a picture.
A boogie board! I knew it!
A boogie board.
I just knew it.
He told me.
Did he?
Yeah.
You thought he knew what it was, huh?
Yeah, a boogie board. He knew it was because I asked for it. Open this up.
What?
Don't try it inside because it's loud.
Is it?
Very loud.
Make sure we use it outside.
I tried it last Last night and look, a boogie board.
You guys can go boogieing someday.
Nuh-uh, I have a boogie board.
Well, you could share.
Yeah, also it's my boogie board and I will stick it.
Maybe you could go to the beach, slide down and go boogieing. Now it'd be awfully chilly.
Nice board.
I knew it was.
What do you do with that, Eric?
I want to have these.
Happy birthday to me.
All right, who's gonna sing it? I don't hear anybody.
1, 2, 3. Happy birthday to you.
Come on guys, I can't hear you. Happy birthday to you. What are you laughing about?
Happy birthday, dear Eric.
Eric Michael.
Happy birthday to you.
What?
You can't get them.
Candles?
No, they're not a trick. Watch it, those are hot at the top, Eric.
Okay, I get this, so I get the face. I get, um, the hands. I get the face. I get the back. I'm gonna do it. I want the whole face.
Well, I don't know if you'll get the whole face, but you can get some of it.
A boogie ball.
There might not be any cake in that section.
Yeah, I'm surfing in this thing.
Matt, the face is just all icing. There's no cake in there. You can have some of that, but you want some cake too? What a bunch of icing.
Just keep it.
Don't stick your finger in.
Have a That one doesn't have a back. Oh, here's a piece.
That didn't know. I want to talk to the mom.
No.
Here's Eric Michael Gudorf getting ready to go to swim lessons. He's gonna keep his head under the water for a very long time today. He can, he's done it before. I think I can, I think I can. Okay, look at that jazzy swimsuit.
Good, Eric, keep going all the way to the side.
Head back, keep going.
Eyes back down, eyes down, eyes down.
Good, keep going.
Eyes Good, Eric. Eyes back, knee up. Eyes back, knee up. Good, keep going.
Keep going. Back, knee up.
Good, and back, knee up. Eyes back, knee up. Good, Eric.
One more.
Good shot, Ingrid!
That was much better. Much, much better.
One breath. One breath in.
You have to fill up your lungs. Very good.
Keep going.
Eyes back down. Eyes here on Eric. Keep going. Eyes back down. Eyes down. Eyes down, Eric.
Keep going.
Eyes back down.
Ready, go. Yes!
I wonder what that was.
Um, can I have a street cam here just so I can identify it?
Do you, um, mind if Leslie has clear liquids?
No, that's fine.
That's fine.
That's fine.
What's your name?
Leslie.
Dr. Dr. Acor.
Come on, Dr. Acor.
Yes. There's like a paddle boat down there. Mary looks happier.
