Baseball Night

Little league baseball, quite simply, takes over our spring. This year marks Cole's second season on the Pike Maroon team. I love how his uniform, so crisp and new for the first game, becomes softer and grungier and his quiet grin becomes brighter and bolder with each passing game. The team's record so far is five wins and four losses, so in the grand scheme of things, all is well with the season. Cole had a super night on the smallish green diamond with, as he reported, a deep dip in the outfield. His first "at bat" produced a short pop fly which was handily caught by the pitcher. The next traveled in a high arch over the second baseman and into the outfield, netting him a safe run to first. During his final stand behind the plate, Cole watched three balls go by and swung at two strikes before the fourth ball punched his ticket to first base. Each time he reached first base, he was able to steal second and third, once sliding to avoid a pick off attempt. Best of all I think, was that third base was his for two innings. What a special night--a real confidence builder.

Meg and Kate played at the ball park's playground and learned a bit about the playground food-chain. Kate learned that bullies are easier dealt with when your big sister has your back. She also learned that the best tactic is probably not to point to a nemesis from a previous game and declare (confidently of course, because of her sister having her back) "You are the mean one!" It's great fun to watch Kate navigate the land outside of her kingdom!

Before we know it, Molly will be on the playground with the big girls learning her way around both the challenges of the playground and those who inhabit it. Good luck baby.

As I think back over the evening with all of its fun and excitement, I realize that baseball does not merely take our springtime, but it also provides us with something. Darrin & I were able to sit side by side for an entire hour or so, listening to the girls at the playground, watching our son grow in ability and confidence in a sport he enjoys, laughing at the baby as she made faces at us, & enjoying the fresh outside air and sunshine (and scratching poison ivy-but that's another for another post). Perhaps I should amend the first line of this post...Little league baseball, quite simply, does not take over our spring--we surrender our spring happily. Go team!