More T-Ball Than You Ever Cared to See

Tonight was Christian's final t-ball game of the season.  I'm going to put up some pictures from the game, because they're really different from the last pictures I put up of his games not too long ago.  I was standing a little more to the left this time.

It was fun to see Mike coach first base.  Here Christian is up to bat, and Mike is at first.

He was safe!

There are two things que me gustan mucho mucho in the pictures from tonight's game.  Christian's intensity comes through as he is focusing on the game, what others are doing, and what he is supposed to be doing.  I also love his expressions.  The two go hand in hand.  Here he is scooping up the ball and eyeing third; he knew a runner was coming...

He went to throw it...

but he didn't when he saw that their guy was so close. He held it instead. He knew what was going on, though. I like how his hair is so long that it curls from under his cap...

He's speedy. I think I mentioned that before.

A reminder from the base coach:  "As soon as the bat hits the ball, RUN!"   Mike's advice is pretty much always good like that...and seriously, you have to tell them over and over.

All of the other people on the field are intently looking towards first base, paying no attention to Christian...this picture makes me laugh a little...

Coming home...see the third grader pitcher chasing after him?  The boys on the opposing team were bigger than our guys.  But that doesn't matter if you're part cheetah.

Dude didn't have a chance.  "BOOYA," as Christian would say...(is anyone else laughing because I just said,"Booya!"?)

Poor Eliana; I forgot her shoes. The truth is I thought they were in the car, so I didn't grab a pair as I left the house.  I was wrong.  Since she was stuck in her stroller she needed entertainment.  I believe she had some.

The coaches were great about rotating positions.   Christian was playing right field here, picked up this ball...

and knew exactly what to do with it...look at his face!

Stomp!  On the base...but look how close that was!

The boys played a great game against a team that had bigger players who seemed older, and had obviously been playing t-ball for a while.  Several on our team were rookies.  As far as scores go, they didn't fare as well as their opponent this game, but they had a great time and made some very good plays.  In fact, one little boy caught a fly ball so the batter was out; he jetted over to second base and got that dude out; then per coach's instructions dashed to first and got player number three out because no one told said player he couldn't take second.  Three outs, just like that!  I would have taken pictures but Murphy said that I had to help Eliana right at that moment with her blueberry bar-it was stuck in the wrapper.

Even though the game was over, the evening fun was just beginning.  We headed to one of the team member's homes for a pool party and some great food.  Everyone had such a good time.  My favorite parts included watching Mike laugh with some other dads, seeing Christian have so much fun with his buddies in the water, watching Michaela play with some of the little girls who adore her, and being the only adult in a bathing suit in the swimming pool.  Especially that last one.

I hope you didn't think I was going to put a picture of my pre-Florida self in a swimsuit in this post.

This might have been Christian's favorite part...

His tongue is green. Trophies and medals, of course.

We're proud of this little man.  We have had the greatest time watching the boys play this game.  And I have to say, I'm beginning to enjoy baseball.

Dad?   Get up!   Dad?!  Can someone help him get back in his chair, please?

Foul Ball-It Doesn't Stink in the End

Today Mike and I sat on the sidelines of one of the saddest, most embarrassing softball games we had ever seen.  Michaela's team played this morning, and the first thing I want to say is that she is on a team full of girls who have been encouraging, kind, and friendly from the start of the season.  You see, she is an outsider.  All of the other girls know each other from school; not only do they go to school together but they have played ball together for several years.  She was on this same team last year, but from one spring to another I'm not sure that they remembered her.  A lot happens over the summer and during a school year.  As a mom (especially one who struggles to make friends with women who are already in well-established circles of friendships) it has been touching to see her teammates treat Michaela as one of the girls.  Michaela is not a strong player, but they (and the other parents) cheer her on, yelling,"You can do it!" from the side.  One of the girls was on second base today when Michaela went up to bat and as she waited for her final pitch this teammate hollered,"Go, Michaela!"  I almost cried.

These girls are decent softball players.  A lot of the time they get a hit, and often they make it to the next base.  They've scored plenty of runs.  They've both won and lost games this season.  The fact that they lost their first of two games today is not what was embarrassing.  What was so shameful was the way the other team's coaches were directing those girls.  They were unabashedly teaching them to take advantage not only of someone else's weakness (as in the case of overthrowing the ball-it's pretty standard to take one base when the team on the field misses a catch and has to run to get it and then throw it to the pitcher...this team sent their girls home time and again, even if the ball was on its way to the pitcher and even if the runner had already taken second and/or third), but they were also teaching them to take advantage of mistakes made in their favor (like when one of our girls made it to second, at the same time the second baseman-girl, whatever- caught the ball but stood just short of the base...the referee signaled our girl out, and when two of our coaches asked about it the ref maintained his call, amidst a collective,"What?!" and groan from our team's parents; it would have been clear to the other coaches had they been watching the game, and to the girl who caught the ball but was not on base, that a mistake had been made, yet no one said anything...our coaches did not get into an argument about the call, but let it go).  These things were so sad to see.  Mike said later,"They're not playing softball, they're just taking advantage of people."

The heartening thing about the situation lies in the response of Michaela's team.  They didn't complain.  I won't lie and say that no comments were made by the parents to one another (once our girls were on the field again, one dad yelled out,"Just stand close to second!"-I don't know if anyone else heard him but one other dad and me...and darnit, I laughed), or among the coaches and dads.  But it was lighthearted, a what-are-you-going-to-do-but-let-it-go kind of attitude.  The girl who was called out, even though the folks at the pool next to the field could see that she was safe, came off of the field easily, even with a smile.  Her mom came over just after and she turned to talk to her; I didn't hear their whole conversation, but understood her look to say,"Did you see what happened?!"  I heard her mom say that everyone saw it, but that these things happen, that she did a good job, and everything was okay.  When the coach questioned the call and the ref signaled "out" again, he lowered his head and spread his arms with his hands palms-down as if to say,"You got it; you make the call."  He told the girls after the game that yes, there had been some tough breaks, but they did well, and he encouraged them as they looked forward to their next game later in the afternoon.

You know what?  They won that second game.  I was at home with Eliana for her nap, and I wish I could have been there.  I bet they worked hard and played fair, and their reward was a win.  I don't really care about winning and losing so much; mainly I want Michaela to have fun with other little girls.  But I want her to learn about good sportsmanship, teamwork, and honesty.  I'm grateful that she is on a team that works to instill these things in the players.  As the end of the season nears, I'm making a call myself...whether they are dashing to first or running down the line headed home, I think these girls are SAFE!

Special Delivery: A Case of Sillies

Not too long ago, I was headed through the front of the house when I caught a glimpse of the UPS guy carrying a GIANT box up to our front door.  I opened the door just as he got to it, and he pushed the box inside and left the kids and I wondering what this huge cardboard container might be holding.  I set it against the wall next to the front door and told the kids we could ask their dad when he got home.  Shortly thereafter I realized that it was probably the train/activity table Mike had ordered for Christian.  I was right. Tonight the kids and Mike put the table together, and needless to say, they were very excited.  They love all things new, from a package of rubber bands to piano lesson books, so this was a big deal.  The two of them pitched in, I'm sure...

When I first went up to check on them Christian had the directions; he told me,"Look!  I'm instructioning!"  His reading skills are developing so quickly, and his vocabulary is always growing.  He expands ours as well.

The kids wanted to pose with their new toy, and instructed me to take their picture and put it on the blog.  Why would they think I would do that?  I can't figure it out.

Here they are, in all their super-silliness and fun-loving glory... (I really wish this picture had audio...imagine shrill, hysterical giggles.)

Michaela is growing like a weed...

I am excited that he will have a place to dump the Legos, or the Tinker Toys, or the Lincoln Logs, or the K'Nex, or the train tracks, or the Q-Ba-Maze, or the Magnetix, or the cars, or the puzzle pieces.  My goodness, he has a lot of things to do...that should keep him plenty busy for the next few days!

Good Night

I'm going to bed soon.  I've been flitting around on the internet.  Most of the time when I do that I am reading blogs and laughing; there are some very funny ladies out there, moms who share great stories with a lot of humor.  There is nothing I like more than laughing until my face hurts. Tonight, though, I've come across many blogs that are heartbreaking.  While there are so many folks out there who live normal lives, and just relate everyday events for friends and family, there are SO many folks out there who are suffering, in pain, grieving a loss, and just trying to make it through each day intact.  Some of them find comfort in God, but not all of them.  It's easy to get caught up in the emotion that particular people I don't even know are experiencing.

So, tonight I'm going to bed and I'm making a choice to be grateful.  Our house, it is a disaster (partly from having moved a couple of months ago, and partly because, well, it's ours).  Our children, they are sassy and disrespectful (it feels like) a majority portion of every day.  Our laundry, it is piled up both clean and dirty (but not together!).  But...we have a home.  We are all healthy (as far as I know).  We have clothes to wear, and food to eat on top of that.  At the end of the day, we can tell one another,"I love you."  Even at the end of a hard day.  And for that, I am grateful.

We Interrupt This Picture...

to bring you a cheek-lifter.* **

*Please note: t-shirt says "Hello, Sunshine".

**And yes, those are shin guards she is wearing.