Haven't talked much about Jack's fall baseball season. It has been kind of strange,,with an erratic schedule, Jack being sick or otherwise missing last weekend's games, and the overall quality of play being shaky.
And Jack struggled at the plate the first few games, and I'm not coaching, so it is all a different vibe from the summer.
But it was an awesome weekend. Yesterday, things started to turn around for him at the plate. We had been practicing some, swing and stance and stuff, and he was looking a little more comfortable at the plate. Had a good at bat which resulted in a hard groundout to the right side, moving the tying runner over in the final inning in a game we won 3-2. Today, with only nine guys available, Jack played the whole game, made a couple of fielding plays and a throw home.... And in his first at bat, lined a double down the right field line, the best hit - and first double - of his career. Reached base each of his next three at bats, too, with a liner to center and a pair of grounders. 3 hits. A bust out game! Said a friend, and it's true.
After the game, I told Jack how great he played, how proud I was, and got a big grin. Then he went off to a birthday party, baseball probably largely forgotten. (Funny, because yesterday, walking home, same thing happened...Emily was praising him for moving the runner over, Jack smiled, then spotted a squirrel and started chasing it. Already moving on.)
Funny thing is, I mean, I'm proud of Jack anyway, all the time. Every time he's at the plate, in the field, being nice to Kate, helping around the house. Guess it's easier to get excited about a hit in baseball or something in public, but it's not a new feeling. Maybe baseball just reminds me of it.
Weather was nice this weekend. Sunny, warmer than you would expect, clear. Great weekend for baseball.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
No noise
The last couple of days, maybe longer, I have been feeling like there is a little too much noise around me. It's noise I create, either the radio, or the visual noise of something like my cellphone. Just spending too much time immersed in it. I realize this is not a unique or new discovery on my part.
Today when the kids got home from school, reacting with joy to the Halloween doormat I'd put out, because it is NOT too early, I spent my time listening to and watching them. I gave them the Halloween window decorations I'd bought this morning, and watched them put them up in their rooms. "I'm making art this year," said Jack, as he carefully created a scene in his windows using the decorations. And he was, it was kind of cool.
With Kate, I had to move her radiator cover, help her stick the decorations on the window, move everything back into place. Her creations were more literal. "I'm going to make this cat about to eat this rat. And this bigger rat will be about to eat the cat. You know a baby rat is a mouse? Here's the owl on the roof of the house. And THIS big owl is its Mommy."
I walked Kate over to Daisy scouts at 5. We held hands, and she sang. I dropped her off, made sure she found a friend and a place to sit in the circle, waved goodbye.
I drove Jack to swim team tryouts in Rye. We always have the car radio on, but I left it off this time. We talked about baseball playoffs, school, recess, the upcoming comic convention. We had a few minutes to wait at the Rye Y, so we played foosball. He had his tryouts, and afterward said, "I think it was the best freestyle I've ever done. Sometimes I get tired, but I didn't get tired at all."
We drove home, again without the radio. Just chatting. He observes random things, the kind of stuff I do. Like: "That store....Arnold's Signs. It had this old wooden, dusty sign with a pole sticking out of the bottom. Like something in a Western movie or something. Couldn't a sign store have a nice, new sign?"
We picked up a pizza, and Jack said hi to the turtles. I told him the sign observation was funny, and he went off on it for another two minutes.
We got home and ate. Took a brief break from our no electronic devices to play a silly pinata game on Google.com. That was funny. Kids had showers, we read books, and went to bed.
Electronic devices are OK sometimes. Last night we danced in the kitchen to a couple of great songs, saw a funny music video with all different kinds of dancing.
But sometimes enough is enough. Turned off my phone a while ago, and now I'll turn off the computer and go look at the window decorations the kids put up. Right n
Today when the kids got home from school, reacting with joy to the Halloween doormat I'd put out, because it is NOT too early, I spent my time listening to and watching them. I gave them the Halloween window decorations I'd bought this morning, and watched them put them up in their rooms. "I'm making art this year," said Jack, as he carefully created a scene in his windows using the decorations. And he was, it was kind of cool.
With Kate, I had to move her radiator cover, help her stick the decorations on the window, move everything back into place. Her creations were more literal. "I'm going to make this cat about to eat this rat. And this bigger rat will be about to eat the cat. You know a baby rat is a mouse? Here's the owl on the roof of the house. And THIS big owl is its Mommy."
I walked Kate over to Daisy scouts at 5. We held hands, and she sang. I dropped her off, made sure she found a friend and a place to sit in the circle, waved goodbye.
I drove Jack to swim team tryouts in Rye. We always have the car radio on, but I left it off this time. We talked about baseball playoffs, school, recess, the upcoming comic convention. We had a few minutes to wait at the Rye Y, so we played foosball. He had his tryouts, and afterward said, "I think it was the best freestyle I've ever done. Sometimes I get tired, but I didn't get tired at all."
We drove home, again without the radio. Just chatting. He observes random things, the kind of stuff I do. Like: "That store....Arnold's Signs. It had this old wooden, dusty sign with a pole sticking out of the bottom. Like something in a Western movie or something. Couldn't a sign store have a nice, new sign?"
We picked up a pizza, and Jack said hi to the turtles. I told him the sign observation was funny, and he went off on it for another two minutes.
We got home and ate. Took a brief break from our no electronic devices to play a silly pinata game on Google.com. That was funny. Kids had showers, we read books, and went to bed.
Electronic devices are OK sometimes. Last night we danced in the kitchen to a couple of great songs, saw a funny music video with all different kinds of dancing.
But sometimes enough is enough. Turned off my phone a while ago, and now I'll turn off the computer and go look at the window decorations the kids put up. Right n
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Great team
A rare slow afternoon at the Richardson household. But there was sun in the midst of rain, and so I cajoled Kate into going out for a bike ride. Brought along a wrench, because this was the day we were going to learn to ride without the training wheels.
We went to Rec Park, a small, lightly attended park within walking distance that had a huge tennis court. Jack learned to ride his bike there two years ago, probably about this time actually.
Kate and I had tried it without training wheels a couple of times earlier this summer. Hadn't really gone well. She would put her feet down immediately when I let go of the seat, or thought I was going to. I was encouraging and all, but she didn't really seem close.
But today, she rode for a few seconds after I took my hand off the seat. And I could see she was getting a little excited about herself, because she kind of smiled, and when I said, you want to try again, she said yes. She would ride for a few seconds, I would say, you're getting it, she would smile, and we would try again.
Then she wanted to go on the playground, and she did that, and I figured, this is great progress, and we will come back next week and do it. But then I asked her, do you want to try a little more? And she thought for a moment and said, "Sure."
And this time when I let go of the bike, she kept going. And was riding. Ad it was pretty awesome.
All the way home she said, "I love riding my bike! We have to show Mommy and Jack! They will be so excited!"
I put her to bed tonight, her reading me Harry By the Sea. And she gave me a big hug, a squeezer, and said, "We're a great team!" And then, to explain, "you know, learning to ride my bike..." And I said, yep, I know.
We went to Rec Park, a small, lightly attended park within walking distance that had a huge tennis court. Jack learned to ride his bike there two years ago, probably about this time actually.
Kate and I had tried it without training wheels a couple of times earlier this summer. Hadn't really gone well. She would put her feet down immediately when I let go of the seat, or thought I was going to. I was encouraging and all, but she didn't really seem close.
But today, she rode for a few seconds after I took my hand off the seat. And I could see she was getting a little excited about herself, because she kind of smiled, and when I said, you want to try again, she said yes. She would ride for a few seconds, I would say, you're getting it, she would smile, and we would try again.
Then she wanted to go on the playground, and she did that, and I figured, this is great progress, and we will come back next week and do it. But then I asked her, do you want to try a little more? And she thought for a moment and said, "Sure."
And this time when I let go of the bike, she kept going. And was riding. Ad it was pretty awesome.
All the way home she said, "I love riding my bike! We have to show Mommy and Jack! They will be so excited!"
I put her to bed tonight, her reading me Harry By the Sea. And she gave me a big hug, a squeezer, and said, "We're a great team!" And then, to explain, "you know, learning to ride my bike..." And I said, yep, I know.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Birthday girl
Kate turned 6 today. The day began with Jack coming into my room and telling me I had to get up, because The birthday girl wanted me to. I said, ok. Went downstairs, and as is often the case, she was sitting at the breakfast table hiding behind the cereal box. Why, where is Kate? I said. And she laughed and said, "I'm here! Daddy!"
She opened her cards and presents, properly appreciative of most everything. I know she will like the Amelia Earhart book one day. Oohed and Aahed at the big-eyed stuffed toys, and then she and Jack played with them until school. They have a ceremony where the new stuffed toys are welcomed by the older ones. Pretty cute really.
At pickup in the afternoon, she was wearing a Birthday Girl hat. We came home and played the Princess and the Pea game, then she had Daisies after that (girl scouts). We brought cupcakes. When I left she was running back and forth with the other Daisies, playing a game whose rules only little girls know.
We went to dinner at Elevation Burger, her choice. We all said what the favorite part of our day was (for three of us it was dinner, for Kate it was running around with her friends). Then Kate talked for what seemed like a good 15 minutes, telling us who was sitting at each of the different tables in her classroom. I had asked who sat at her table, and she went above and beyond. "And at the YELLOW table it's Julietta and...."
Going back home, we briefly stopped to say Hi to cousins playing in the street. I think Kate picked up leaves, sang a song of some sort. Oh, I know: "I love being six....I am very glad to. Be. Sixxxxxx!" I know that at bedtime, after we read Frog and Toad for about the hundredth time, and we turned out the lights, she sang. The song went something like, "I love school....because at school....you see your friends....and on your birthday, you get a birthday hat! I....love.....school!"
When I left, Kate gave me a squeezer, which is what she calls a big hug. They are pretty awesome. Good night, Kate.
She opened her cards and presents, properly appreciative of most everything. I know she will like the Amelia Earhart book one day. Oohed and Aahed at the big-eyed stuffed toys, and then she and Jack played with them until school. They have a ceremony where the new stuffed toys are welcomed by the older ones. Pretty cute really.
At pickup in the afternoon, she was wearing a Birthday Girl hat. We came home and played the Princess and the Pea game, then she had Daisies after that (girl scouts). We brought cupcakes. When I left she was running back and forth with the other Daisies, playing a game whose rules only little girls know.
We went to dinner at Elevation Burger, her choice. We all said what the favorite part of our day was (for three of us it was dinner, for Kate it was running around with her friends). Then Kate talked for what seemed like a good 15 minutes, telling us who was sitting at each of the different tables in her classroom. I had asked who sat at her table, and she went above and beyond. "And at the YELLOW table it's Julietta and...."
Going back home, we briefly stopped to say Hi to cousins playing in the street. I think Kate picked up leaves, sang a song of some sort. Oh, I know: "I love being six....I am very glad to. Be. Sixxxxxx!" I know that at bedtime, after we read Frog and Toad for about the hundredth time, and we turned out the lights, she sang. The song went something like, "I love school....because at school....you see your friends....and on your birthday, you get a birthday hat! I....love.....school!"
When I left, Kate gave me a squeezer, which is what she calls a big hug. They are pretty awesome. Good night, Kate.
Thursday, September 05, 2013
Special Day
Kate's birthday is coming up, so we decided to take her into New York City to have lunch at the American Girl Doll store. For those unfamiliar, this is a ridiculously huge store that sells merchandise related to ... American Girl ... dolls. And has a restaurant inside!
I woke up to hear Kate moving about her room, with various thuds and drawers opening and closing. I came out to find her dressed, in a nice purple dress that I hadn't seen since her first day of school a year ago, with a band holding her hair back. She was holding her American Girl doll, also wearing a dress and hairband. Ready to go, I asked. She nodded, "Yes, I just need to brush our teeth."
In the kitchen, Kate sang "Today is a special day...a special day..."
We took the train in, Emily, me, Kate, and her American Girl doll (also called Emily). Jack was at a friend's house. On the train, all the way in, we played I Spy, and Going on a Picnic.
At the store, Kate flitted about from display to display. "Ooh, look at THIS....and THIS...." She was most intrigued by the little stuffed dogs. We ordered one of them once and it was kind of lame, so we sent it back. But one of these, at least, was nicer, so we put that in the back of our mind for Christmas.
Naturally, "Emily" got her own hairbrush, and various hair accoutrements so she could have braids, and a clothing outfit.
Lunch was a very nice affair where we got several courses, including pastries, fruit, and of course chocolate milk. Kate was a little on edge here and there, but by the time dessert came, with a candle on hers, she was happy as could be.
Heading home from the store, she was tired, and I carried her. She put her head on my shoulder, and her American Girl doll's head on my other shoulder, and sighed. She was warm, a nice warm.
On the train, she lay down with her head on Emily's lap, and "Emily's" head on her lap, and sang something. Not exactly sure what it was, but it might have been, "Today was a special day ...a special day..."
I woke up to hear Kate moving about her room, with various thuds and drawers opening and closing. I came out to find her dressed, in a nice purple dress that I hadn't seen since her first day of school a year ago, with a band holding her hair back. She was holding her American Girl doll, also wearing a dress and hairband. Ready to go, I asked. She nodded, "Yes, I just need to brush our teeth."
In the kitchen, Kate sang "Today is a special day...a special day..."
We took the train in, Emily, me, Kate, and her American Girl doll (also called Emily). Jack was at a friend's house. On the train, all the way in, we played I Spy, and Going on a Picnic.
At the store, Kate flitted about from display to display. "Ooh, look at THIS....and THIS...." She was most intrigued by the little stuffed dogs. We ordered one of them once and it was kind of lame, so we sent it back. But one of these, at least, was nicer, so we put that in the back of our mind for Christmas.
Naturally, "Emily" got her own hairbrush, and various hair accoutrements so she could have braids, and a clothing outfit.
Lunch was a very nice affair where we got several courses, including pastries, fruit, and of course chocolate milk. Kate was a little on edge here and there, but by the time dessert came, with a candle on hers, she was happy as could be.
Heading home from the store, she was tired, and I carried her. She put her head on my shoulder, and her American Girl doll's head on my other shoulder, and sighed. She was warm, a nice warm.
On the train, she lay down with her head on Emily's lap, and "Emily's" head on her lap, and sang something. Not exactly sure what it was, but it might have been, "Today was a special day ...a special day..."
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Vermont
Came to Vermont with Jack and Kate this week. Kind of squeezed it in between my deadlines, and camp, and just when we could get away.
It's nice to get away. It's sort of a trip to the past. I drove the kids by their great-grandparents' house in Springfield, pointed out the tree I used to climb. Drove them by my grade school, and the pile of bricks that used to be the McDonalds I went to (and very briefly worked at...) in high school.
At my parents house, they appropriately fawned over the kids. Gave them little grandparent-y presents. Nana and Kate read books together, Jack and I tossed a baseball around with Baba. That was pretty cool, especially with Baba being impressed by how comfortable and relaxed Jack was throwing it around. He noted Jack's arm strength, his lack of fear of the ball, his ability. It was fun. Jack pitched to me, then Baba pitched to Jack. Three generations of Richardsons playing ball. I think we're both suckers for that stuff (Jack's oblivious).
Went to dinner at Black Rock steakhouse. I love the place. Even the salad bar was awesome. Kate had a hot dog. Jack, to his credit, ordered the N.Y. Strip of the kids' menu, and ate most of it. Fair play to you, Jack. I drank red wine and enjoyed the meal.
We searched, fruitlessly, for deer on the way home. I know plenty of deer live in Vermont, but we've never found one on our hunts. Emily doesn't believe they exist, I don't think.
The next day began at the golf club. Baba and I took Jack up to get his swing started. He was remarkably game, even wearing a garish combo of plaid shorts, a striped shirt, and red sneakers. He didn't really stand out up there, however. We hit at the driving range for a while, then putted a little while more. For a first time, he did OK. Next summer, we'll play a little more.
In the afternoon, we went to Stoughton Pond. It was a hot day and I think I mostly wanted to give them a chance to cool off and also burn off some energy, but it was a lot more fun than even I expected. Part of it was the nostalgia, I used to go there a lot as a kid. Partly it was just really relaxing, with cool water, empty grassy area to sit on, sandy beach, warm sun. I played with both of them in the water, plus they goofed around in the sand. Kate swam around, back and forth, forth and back. Jack ran and splashed and hit me with a wiffle ball. We did that for two hours.
On the way home, because it was a hot day and they were good, we stopped at Country Kremee to get soft-serve ice cream. We all got chocolate and vanilla swirl with rainbow sprinkles, sat at a picnic table in the shade, and wolfed it down. Just like I used to do 5, 10, 20, maybe 30 years ago.
I think that's what Vermont is to me. Stuff I used to do, stuff I used to enjoy, stuff I still kind of enjoy. And now they do, too.
It's nice to get away. It's sort of a trip to the past. I drove the kids by their great-grandparents' house in Springfield, pointed out the tree I used to climb. Drove them by my grade school, and the pile of bricks that used to be the McDonalds I went to (and very briefly worked at...) in high school.
At my parents house, they appropriately fawned over the kids. Gave them little grandparent-y presents. Nana and Kate read books together, Jack and I tossed a baseball around with Baba. That was pretty cool, especially with Baba being impressed by how comfortable and relaxed Jack was throwing it around. He noted Jack's arm strength, his lack of fear of the ball, his ability. It was fun. Jack pitched to me, then Baba pitched to Jack. Three generations of Richardsons playing ball. I think we're both suckers for that stuff (Jack's oblivious).
Went to dinner at Black Rock steakhouse. I love the place. Even the salad bar was awesome. Kate had a hot dog. Jack, to his credit, ordered the N.Y. Strip of the kids' menu, and ate most of it. Fair play to you, Jack. I drank red wine and enjoyed the meal.
We searched, fruitlessly, for deer on the way home. I know plenty of deer live in Vermont, but we've never found one on our hunts. Emily doesn't believe they exist, I don't think.
The next day began at the golf club. Baba and I took Jack up to get his swing started. He was remarkably game, even wearing a garish combo of plaid shorts, a striped shirt, and red sneakers. He didn't really stand out up there, however. We hit at the driving range for a while, then putted a little while more. For a first time, he did OK. Next summer, we'll play a little more.
In the afternoon, we went to Stoughton Pond. It was a hot day and I think I mostly wanted to give them a chance to cool off and also burn off some energy, but it was a lot more fun than even I expected. Part of it was the nostalgia, I used to go there a lot as a kid. Partly it was just really relaxing, with cool water, empty grassy area to sit on, sandy beach, warm sun. I played with both of them in the water, plus they goofed around in the sand. Kate swam around, back and forth, forth and back. Jack ran and splashed and hit me with a wiffle ball. We did that for two hours.
On the way home, because it was a hot day and they were good, we stopped at Country Kremee to get soft-serve ice cream. We all got chocolate and vanilla swirl with rainbow sprinkles, sat at a picnic table in the shade, and wolfed it down. Just like I used to do 5, 10, 20, maybe 30 years ago.
I think that's what Vermont is to me. Stuff I used to do, stuff I used to enjoy, stuff I still kind of enjoy. And now they do, too.
Monday, August 05, 2013
Wait 'til next year
Baseball season came to an end today. A hard-fought 3-2 playoff defeat. Jack led off the last inning with a thrilling, hard-hit single up the middle. A great birthday present! And then was slow leaving first on a ball the catcher batted around, and got thrown out on the basepaths. Left the field in tears, I had to talk him off the ledge. Other team scored to win it in the bottom of the inning.
It's funny. Emotional high and low in the space of 2 minutes. That's baseball. I love this game.
Afterward, Jack was down for a bit. Thought he cost the team the game, thought he ruined my birthday. I said, you know what, Jack, that was a great hit. You made a mistake, but you learn from it, and you get better next year. And afterward, he was OK, and running around with his friends.
It was a great season. A lot of fun. My son became a baseball player. I remembered how great baseball is.
Wait 'til next year.
It's funny. Emotional high and low in the space of 2 minutes. That's baseball. I love this game.
Afterward, Jack was down for a bit. Thought he cost the team the game, thought he ruined my birthday. I said, you know what, Jack, that was a great hit. You made a mistake, but you learn from it, and you get better next year. And afterward, he was OK, and running around with his friends.
It was a great season. A lot of fun. My son became a baseball player. I remembered how great baseball is.
Wait 'til next year.
Sunday, August 04, 2013
Jack pitched today
Jack pitched today. He had talked about wanting to pitch basically for months, and his first audition a month or so back had been shaky, but we practiced some, and he auditioned for the coach again last week. And he aced it; threw a bunch of strikes, coach smiled at me and said, "We'll, I've seen enough," and indicated Jack would probably get an inning in today, our regular season finale. So naturally I thought about it all week and woke up for good at about 4:30 a.m. But game time finally rolled around, and after some uncertainty and anxiety (would he get a chance? Would he throw strikes if he did?) the fifth inning came up, and coach said to Jack, "You're on the mound."
Not sure Jack knew entirely what to do; which ball to take (game ball, on the mound), how to warm up. But he gradually figured it out, threw his warmups to the catcher, and the inning began. He threw some balls and some strikes, getting squeezed - I tell you! - on a 2-2 pitch and walking a batter, but ultimately getting the side down on a groundout, a popup, and a caught stealing. It was awesome. Pitching shouldn't be such a big deal, I guess, but it is, because everywhere else, you don't handle the ball as much. He caught all the throws back from the catcher, threw some strikes, walked two batters, gave up a hit and a dribbler, but finished the inning. Came off the mound happy, relieved, smiling, got a nice fist bump from coaches, teammates, and headed into the dugout. We were pretty happy for him, because he wanted to do it, worked at it, and did it. That's how life should work, right?
He was proud. Asked about strike to ball ratio. Heard from a couple of teammates about their first pitching outings. ("I walked 15 guys!" one said.) Got a game ball, which he juggled endlessly during the coach's postgame speech. Seemed relieved. And he wasn't alone.
Proud of him.
Not sure Jack knew entirely what to do; which ball to take (game ball, on the mound), how to warm up. But he gradually figured it out, threw his warmups to the catcher, and the inning began. He threw some balls and some strikes, getting squeezed - I tell you! - on a 2-2 pitch and walking a batter, but ultimately getting the side down on a groundout, a popup, and a caught stealing. It was awesome. Pitching shouldn't be such a big deal, I guess, but it is, because everywhere else, you don't handle the ball as much. He caught all the throws back from the catcher, threw some strikes, walked two batters, gave up a hit and a dribbler, but finished the inning. Came off the mound happy, relieved, smiling, got a nice fist bump from coaches, teammates, and headed into the dugout. We were pretty happy for him, because he wanted to do it, worked at it, and did it. That's how life should work, right?
He was proud. Asked about strike to ball ratio. Heard from a couple of teammates about their first pitching outings. ("I walked 15 guys!" one said.) Got a game ball, which he juggled endlessly during the coach's postgame speech. Seemed relieved. And he wasn't alone.
Proud of him.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Another baseball weekend
The summer has all kind of blended together, with one baseball weekend seemingly flowing into another -- interrupted by things like vacation, art camp, and work. Mostly though, it's been shuttling Jack to baseball practice, baseball games, and baseball tournaments. Including one this past weekend in Neshamin....neshaminy...uh, not gonna work here anymore, Pennsylvania.
We decided to give Kate this one off. She has fun teasing the boys, playing with the other younger sisters (and older sisters and brothers), and from what I gather eating gobs of candy and other junk food during the games, but we thought she would just as soon hang out with her cousins and grandparents at Cathy and Ian's all weekend. And that Emily would like to actually watch an entire game without trips to the concession stand for Kate's sugar fix. So it was win-win.
It was awfully quiet riding down in the car with just Jack. I don't really think of Kate as noisy, at least most of the time, but it was really quiet without her. Jack read some, played games, chatted a little, but mostly it was sedate. Plus we crawled along at 10 miles an hour for more than an hour somewhere in New Jersey, that wasn't much fun.
We arrived, checked in, got a quick lunch at McDonald's -- Jack's choice, natch. Went to the ballpark to find that our game would be delayed a good half hour -- and then played a lengthy 14-12 game, a Pirates win. Jack wasn't in the starting lineup, which was a little disappointing, even though not unexpected. We started 9, the top 7 are really good, and then the 8-12 spots are shared by the other five players, a group Jack is reasonably in. But you don't see his name in the lineup and you feel bad for a minute, even if he plays as much as the other kids in that grouping. He got hit by a 3-0 pitch to help start a rally that got us from down 10-5 to pulling out the win, which was pretty cool (uh, the rally, not the getting hit). Struck out swinging in his lone at bat the next game (a loss played immediately after), then got a hit in our third game the next day which drove in our only run (in the loss that eliminated us). Not an overly successful weekend by previous tournament standards (a combined 9-1 and one championship), but we were warned it was a tough field of teams and it really was. And though we went 1-2, we weren't far from winning all three. Wait 'til next year.
The big things for us were twofold. One, after being hit fairly hard, Jack was fine in his next two at bats-- stayed dug in, got good swings and hit a ball hard up the middle, knocked in a run, and was happy afterward. Came over to me and gave me a high five, proud of himself. And two, at the hotel the night after the second loss, he laughed and played in the pool with all his teammates until the late hours of the evening, the loss and hit by pitch long forgotten. The summer of baseball has been great for us. It's been incredible for him.
Back in town this afternoon, we took him to a wings place for lunch. He got his standard chicken fingers and pineapple juice, and avidly watched some baseball game on the big screen TV. I sat across from him and Emily, he in his Pirates hat and jersey, managing to look both big and yet small, beautiful. Our son, our baseball fan, our baseball player. Then he took the straw that came with my water, ripped the top off the paper, and blew the rest off the straw and into my eye. And laughed like an 8-year-old.
We decided to give Kate this one off. She has fun teasing the boys, playing with the other younger sisters (and older sisters and brothers), and from what I gather eating gobs of candy and other junk food during the games, but we thought she would just as soon hang out with her cousins and grandparents at Cathy and Ian's all weekend. And that Emily would like to actually watch an entire game without trips to the concession stand for Kate's sugar fix. So it was win-win.
It was awfully quiet riding down in the car with just Jack. I don't really think of Kate as noisy, at least most of the time, but it was really quiet without her. Jack read some, played games, chatted a little, but mostly it was sedate. Plus we crawled along at 10 miles an hour for more than an hour somewhere in New Jersey, that wasn't much fun.
We arrived, checked in, got a quick lunch at McDonald's -- Jack's choice, natch. Went to the ballpark to find that our game would be delayed a good half hour -- and then played a lengthy 14-12 game, a Pirates win. Jack wasn't in the starting lineup, which was a little disappointing, even though not unexpected. We started 9, the top 7 are really good, and then the 8-12 spots are shared by the other five players, a group Jack is reasonably in. But you don't see his name in the lineup and you feel bad for a minute, even if he plays as much as the other kids in that grouping. He got hit by a 3-0 pitch to help start a rally that got us from down 10-5 to pulling out the win, which was pretty cool (uh, the rally, not the getting hit). Struck out swinging in his lone at bat the next game (a loss played immediately after), then got a hit in our third game the next day which drove in our only run (in the loss that eliminated us). Not an overly successful weekend by previous tournament standards (a combined 9-1 and one championship), but we were warned it was a tough field of teams and it really was. And though we went 1-2, we weren't far from winning all three. Wait 'til next year.
The big things for us were twofold. One, after being hit fairly hard, Jack was fine in his next two at bats-- stayed dug in, got good swings and hit a ball hard up the middle, knocked in a run, and was happy afterward. Came over to me and gave me a high five, proud of himself. And two, at the hotel the night after the second loss, he laughed and played in the pool with all his teammates until the late hours of the evening, the loss and hit by pitch long forgotten. The summer of baseball has been great for us. It's been incredible for him.
Back in town this afternoon, we took him to a wings place for lunch. He got his standard chicken fingers and pineapple juice, and avidly watched some baseball game on the big screen TV. I sat across from him and Emily, he in his Pirates hat and jersey, managing to look both big and yet small, beautiful. Our son, our baseball fan, our baseball player. Then he took the straw that came with my water, ripped the top off the paper, and blew the rest off the straw and into my eye. And laughed like an 8-year-old.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Vacation, rest
Ok, I just spent 15 minutes trying to find my notes from the rest of vacation and couldn't. So I am just going to have to wing it based on memory and hope for the best.
On Monday we rode bikes to Sheep Pond (we saw no sheep, I don't get it). Well, Emily and Jack rode bikes, I worked with Kate on riding without training wheels for half an hour before we got in the car and drove to the pond. I am not optimistic she is ready, granted we have only worked at it twice. She is resistant, and I can understand. Jack was a year older and a lot bigger when he finally learned. Sheep or no, the pond was awesome, Kate did her steamboat swimming and Jack and I tossed a ball around (and I tossed them, too). I think that was the night we had dinner at Guapo's, which was fantastic. Margaritas and the best fish tacos ever. I have absolutely no idea what the kids ate, probably cheese quesadillas, whatever.
On Tuesday we were pretty sun-weary and kind of took it easy. Went to batting cages and bumper boats in the morning (Jack had fun, Kate sort of sulked even though she could have done both herself), hung at the pool the rest of the day. There Kate was in her element; she loves the pool.
Wednesday we went to Nauset beach, which is on the ocean rather than the Cape side, and which had big waves and big undertow. Emily was a little nervous about the kids, but they were awesome; I won't soon forget the grin on Jack's face when the waves lifted him up on the boogie boards we bought. They hadn't really swum in the ocean before; it dropped off quickly, the waves were big, and it was pretty cool. I pulled Kate out on her board and she jumped off, said "Bye!" And swum into shore. Lots of fun for all; we stayed most of the day. The occasional scary moment with a powerful wave was part of the fun, as I guess was the big sign warning us about sharks.
Thursday was our fishing trip, where we and a bunch of other families rode out with Cap'n Kid so kids could get a taste of fishing. I don't know exactly how it was rigged, but let's just say that if fishing were this easy and bountiful all the time, well, whatever, it isn't. Jack caught 7 or 8 in an hour; so did "Kate" (in quotes because Emily and I did all the fishing, with her encouraging us). The only limit to the number of fish you could catch was the length of time it took you to remove one fish and bait the hook again. Fish-calling devices underwater? A big fenced-in area? Or perhaps a barrel? I dunno, but the fish sure were biting. And oh yeah, the kids had a total blast and beamed proudly throughout. Jack also got to hold a lobster and a crab of some sort, and swab a deck. If he put as much enthusiasm into picking up his room I wouldn't have cut open my foot on a beyblade last week.
We went to a Cape Cod League game that night. Jack watched the game with us for about 15 minutes before finding a group of kids chasing foul balls and hanging with them the rest of the evening. He was properly respectful of how fast the pitchers were throwing the ball, at least, as was I. Impressive.
Friday we finished up at "our" beach, the more sedate Cape side one with calmer water. Nobody really wanted to leave, so for 6-7 hours, we didn't. We swam, the kids made sand castles, and then found a bunch of other kids with nets and built their own little aquarium of crabs and fish, some of whom probably survived the experience. Jack and I threw the ball around the water for what seemed like, I don't know, hours. We played whiffle ball, because as Jack said, "it's not a beach trip without whiffle ball." I floated on Jacks board with him, Emily helped Kate stand on hers.
We finished the day at Cobie's, with seafood and ice cream and some hilarious attempts at a family self-portrait -- worked great two years ago, not so much this time, though we did get a nice one at the beach. A nice family time.
I forget a lot already, I suspect. I don't remember which afternoon Kate and I went to the pool alone, but she jumped in a ton, and I tossed her around just as much, with her bobbing up like a happy cork each time. Jack and I played catch most nights, and watched an awesome display at the Home Run Derby one night...possibly the only time I have ever been really into it.
So, a lot of fun. I think we will do things differently next year -- Jack missed too much baseball, we and our "big" vacation will probably be something else. But I don't think we will be able to give up the Cape entirely. Too many good memories. And the margarita and fish tacos.
On Monday we rode bikes to Sheep Pond (we saw no sheep, I don't get it). Well, Emily and Jack rode bikes, I worked with Kate on riding without training wheels for half an hour before we got in the car and drove to the pond. I am not optimistic she is ready, granted we have only worked at it twice. She is resistant, and I can understand. Jack was a year older and a lot bigger when he finally learned. Sheep or no, the pond was awesome, Kate did her steamboat swimming and Jack and I tossed a ball around (and I tossed them, too). I think that was the night we had dinner at Guapo's, which was fantastic. Margaritas and the best fish tacos ever. I have absolutely no idea what the kids ate, probably cheese quesadillas, whatever.
On Tuesday we were pretty sun-weary and kind of took it easy. Went to batting cages and bumper boats in the morning (Jack had fun, Kate sort of sulked even though she could have done both herself), hung at the pool the rest of the day. There Kate was in her element; she loves the pool.
Wednesday we went to Nauset beach, which is on the ocean rather than the Cape side, and which had big waves and big undertow. Emily was a little nervous about the kids, but they were awesome; I won't soon forget the grin on Jack's face when the waves lifted him up on the boogie boards we bought. They hadn't really swum in the ocean before; it dropped off quickly, the waves were big, and it was pretty cool. I pulled Kate out on her board and she jumped off, said "Bye!" And swum into shore. Lots of fun for all; we stayed most of the day. The occasional scary moment with a powerful wave was part of the fun, as I guess was the big sign warning us about sharks.
Thursday was our fishing trip, where we and a bunch of other families rode out with Cap'n Kid so kids could get a taste of fishing. I don't know exactly how it was rigged, but let's just say that if fishing were this easy and bountiful all the time, well, whatever, it isn't. Jack caught 7 or 8 in an hour; so did "Kate" (in quotes because Emily and I did all the fishing, with her encouraging us). The only limit to the number of fish you could catch was the length of time it took you to remove one fish and bait the hook again. Fish-calling devices underwater? A big fenced-in area? Or perhaps a barrel? I dunno, but the fish sure were biting. And oh yeah, the kids had a total blast and beamed proudly throughout. Jack also got to hold a lobster and a crab of some sort, and swab a deck. If he put as much enthusiasm into picking up his room I wouldn't have cut open my foot on a beyblade last week.
We went to a Cape Cod League game that night. Jack watched the game with us for about 15 minutes before finding a group of kids chasing foul balls and hanging with them the rest of the evening. He was properly respectful of how fast the pitchers were throwing the ball, at least, as was I. Impressive.
Friday we finished up at "our" beach, the more sedate Cape side one with calmer water. Nobody really wanted to leave, so for 6-7 hours, we didn't. We swam, the kids made sand castles, and then found a bunch of other kids with nets and built their own little aquarium of crabs and fish, some of whom probably survived the experience. Jack and I threw the ball around the water for what seemed like, I don't know, hours. We played whiffle ball, because as Jack said, "it's not a beach trip without whiffle ball." I floated on Jacks board with him, Emily helped Kate stand on hers.
We finished the day at Cobie's, with seafood and ice cream and some hilarious attempts at a family self-portrait -- worked great two years ago, not so much this time, though we did get a nice one at the beach. A nice family time.
I forget a lot already, I suspect. I don't remember which afternoon Kate and I went to the pool alone, but she jumped in a ton, and I tossed her around just as much, with her bobbing up like a happy cork each time. Jack and I played catch most nights, and watched an awesome display at the Home Run Derby one night...possibly the only time I have ever been really into it.
So, a lot of fun. I think we will do things differently next year -- Jack missed too much baseball, we and our "big" vacation will probably be something else. But I don't think we will be able to give up the Cape entirely. Too many good memories. And the margarita and fish tacos.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Vacation, days 1-2
Jack and I and really all of us have had a pretty baseball intensive summer, so a vacation was much needed. Walking to the park for practice Friday evening we realized it was our 4th straight and 9th day out of 10 that we had walked there for a game or practice in the evening, not counting the tournament the previous weekend. So we were up for a break.
Hit the road Saturday morning, driving a good 2 1/2 to 3 hours before stopping for lunch. Went to a Wendy's that seemed so clueless that we ended up leaving to cross the street for McDonald's. Kids were happier anyway. We ate in the car and cruised into our vacation home (we call it that because we have stayed in the exact same condo three years in a row) in record time, and were swimming in the pool an hour after that.
Highlight of checking in is the kids scurrying up to their room, putting their stuff away, plotting future forts or games, reminiscing about things they played with the previous year. They have whispered conversations that last some 10 minutes before it occurs to them they could be at the pool.
At the risk of overdramatizing, they kind of almost drowned me. I pulled Jack off the edge into 8 feet deep water. Then Kate, who is fearless but not yet a star swimmer (she is good, don't get me wrong, but we watch her like a hawk in deeper water) jumped in, too. And then she had an arm around my neck and I couldn't tread water very well with her on my back. So I kind of wrenched her off me, and then Jack was there, thinking we were playing. Ultimately I got free of them and dragged Kate back into shallower water, and explained through a mouthful of pool water that I couldn't tread water with 80 pounds of kids around my neck. A little scary at the time.
On the flipside, there is a brand new bar at the pool. Boo-yah!
We had dinner at a seafood place and made Jack order seafood, rather than chicken fingers. He basically complained most of the way through an expensive plate of scallops. I mentioned that he could have had fish and chips, which he quickly (not quickly enough...) realized were fish sticks, which he loves. Sigh. Next seafood meal. Kate had Mac and cheese, and then we all got ice cream that neither kid could finish. Not the best eating day.
Back at our vacation home, Jack and I had a catch in the postage stamp back yard. And played an old school pegboard baseball game. So Ok, even on a vacation, it wasn't a totally baseball-free day. What can you do.
Day 2
Woke up late, pleasingly, and came downstairs to find Jack and Kate playing pixie sticks together, one of the old-timely games the vacation house has. We used to have the game, known as Jack Straws.
Gradually we put everything together and went to the beach. It was a glorious day. We made sandcastles. Spent a good hour finding rocks near the shoreline. Jack and Kate dug a hole, frequently stopping to check out a nearby hole three other kids were digging, to make sure their hole was better. Jack and I played whiffle ball. Frisbee. Bought hotdogs.
Kate led me out into deep water. "Daddy, will you go out into the wild with me?" Ok. she jumped in again and again and did her fish-like steamboat swim over and over.
Best part was either playing whiffle ball with Jack or finding rocks with both of them. It became a contest - is this colorful enough? Flat enough? Striped enough? Think we could have done it for another hour or two, but we were meeting friends for dinner and had to book. There were steamers, and ice cream, to be eaten.
Hit the road Saturday morning, driving a good 2 1/2 to 3 hours before stopping for lunch. Went to a Wendy's that seemed so clueless that we ended up leaving to cross the street for McDonald's. Kids were happier anyway. We ate in the car and cruised into our vacation home (we call it that because we have stayed in the exact same condo three years in a row) in record time, and were swimming in the pool an hour after that.
Highlight of checking in is the kids scurrying up to their room, putting their stuff away, plotting future forts or games, reminiscing about things they played with the previous year. They have whispered conversations that last some 10 minutes before it occurs to them they could be at the pool.
At the risk of overdramatizing, they kind of almost drowned me. I pulled Jack off the edge into 8 feet deep water. Then Kate, who is fearless but not yet a star swimmer (she is good, don't get me wrong, but we watch her like a hawk in deeper water) jumped in, too. And then she had an arm around my neck and I couldn't tread water very well with her on my back. So I kind of wrenched her off me, and then Jack was there, thinking we were playing. Ultimately I got free of them and dragged Kate back into shallower water, and explained through a mouthful of pool water that I couldn't tread water with 80 pounds of kids around my neck. A little scary at the time.
On the flipside, there is a brand new bar at the pool. Boo-yah!
We had dinner at a seafood place and made Jack order seafood, rather than chicken fingers. He basically complained most of the way through an expensive plate of scallops. I mentioned that he could have had fish and chips, which he quickly (not quickly enough...) realized were fish sticks, which he loves. Sigh. Next seafood meal. Kate had Mac and cheese, and then we all got ice cream that neither kid could finish. Not the best eating day.
Back at our vacation home, Jack and I had a catch in the postage stamp back yard. And played an old school pegboard baseball game. So Ok, even on a vacation, it wasn't a totally baseball-free day. What can you do.
Day 2
Woke up late, pleasingly, and came downstairs to find Jack and Kate playing pixie sticks together, one of the old-timely games the vacation house has. We used to have the game, known as Jack Straws.
Gradually we put everything together and went to the beach. It was a glorious day. We made sandcastles. Spent a good hour finding rocks near the shoreline. Jack and Kate dug a hole, frequently stopping to check out a nearby hole three other kids were digging, to make sure their hole was better. Jack and I played whiffle ball. Frisbee. Bought hotdogs.
Kate led me out into deep water. "Daddy, will you go out into the wild with me?" Ok. she jumped in again and again and did her fish-like steamboat swim over and over.
Best part was either playing whiffle ball with Jack or finding rocks with both of them. It became a contest - is this colorful enough? Flat enough? Striped enough? Think we could have done it for another hour or two, but we were meeting friends for dinner and had to book. There were steamers, and ice cream, to be eaten.
Monday, July 08, 2013
Another baseball weekend
Went to Rehoboth, Massachusetts for a baseball tournament this past weekend. It was a fairly crazy schedule that included five baseball games -- and very nearly six -- between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Sunday.
Jack's first baseball tournament was in Basking Ridge, New Jersey back on Memorial Day Weekend. To the surprise of everyone, Port Chester went in and won all five games (including two playoff games) to emerge as champions. Rehoboth, though, was viewed as a much tougher nut to crack. In past years, Port Chester not only hadn't done well there -- they hadn't won a game. Last year they went 0-3 in games on Friday and Saturday and cleared out of Dodge early in the morning on Sunday.
Given that information, expectations were kind of low, but surprise. On Friday night, Port Chester simply outclassed its opponent, shutting them out in a 10-0 game that shouldn't even have been that close -- the umps incorrectly imposed a 4-run limit on runs per inning. After that easy win, the team returned to the hotel and (with temperatures in the 90s all weekend) celebrated at the pool until curfew. Lots of happy baseball players, coaches and families, and plenty of jumping in the pool and throwing kids around (to their delight). Kate probably had as much fun as Jack, which was nice.
The first game Saturday was more of the same; Pirates dominated a lesser opponent. It was a closer game (albeit not on the scoreboard, 11-0 I think), but never in doubt.
Jack was struggling a little at the plate. He started out with his feet too wide apart; got that straightened out, then wasn't keeping his second hand on the bat; then (since the whole team was drawing heat for taking strikes) overcorrected, swinging at everything. By Game 3, he was hacking a little bit (Port Chester won that game, too, though, in dramatic fashion, nearly blowing a 7-2 lead but cutting down the potential tying run at the plate in a bang-bang play to end the game).
In Game 4, he struck out three times, so discouraged after one that he came back to the bench in tears. "I stink at baseball!" he cried, as low as I've seen him in a while. Incidentally, the no crying in baseball motto does not apply to 8-year-old games. I think I would have an easier time listing the players who didn't cry this weekend -- there weren't any. I had the tough experience of picking Jack from that low point, just as the other coaches had to pick their own kids up from equal (or in some cases, worse) meltdowns. Not to mention the parents who either tried to soothe (or in some cases, caused) their own child's tears.
It's an emotional experience, for 8-year-olds, for parents, for coaches, for baseball fans. I saw parents probably going a little too far in yelling at kids, and put in impossible situations of trying to talk despondent kids back to calmness. I felt that with Jack, after seeing him as low as he was, what I needed to do there was pick him up, and dial back the advice and counsel, because he was getting so much (from coaches, teammates, and other parents) that it was simply too much -- more than an adult should have to deal with, probably, and way more than an 8-year-old should.
So I cut back on the advice, and ramped up the encouragement, and things got better. In Game 5, which turned out to be the last game, he came up with the bases loaded and us down 2-1, and got a hit off a slow roller down the third base line that he beat out. I was yelling RUN RUN RUNNNNN! and I think he was running as fast as I've seen him, but whatever else that may been said or done, he got there and was safe. He came back to the dugout after the inning (where we took a 3-2 lead) as happy as I've seen him, with a big grin and his eyes shining, happy he'd come through. I don't care if the hit had been 5 inches, but I know he (and yes, I) needed that to have happy memories of the weekend, or so they wouldn't be overshadowed by his struggles.
We lost that fifth game, though, 8-7, with the tying runs on base in the final inning as three Pirates went down on strikes. There were a lot of tears and a lot of disappointment; having won their first tournament, some players on this team didn't know what being eliminated felt like. But it was an awesome game, and the team played hard, and players all over the lineup made plays or got hits to leave us with the memory of a game that left the tournament sponsors afterward saying it was the best they could remember in several years. A pretty classy moment, even if not all the kids wanted to hold their heads high afterward. But they could have.
Three asides that should be mentioned:
I have never been so hot for three days straight as at this tournament. There was almost no shade anywhere at the baseball complex, and the dugouts that had shade had metal roofs -- much warmer in them than under, say, a tree. And we were in shorts; the kids were in baseball pants, high socks, and cleats. High volumes of water, Gatorade, juice, and water were consumed, and high volumes of perspiration were put forth. It was just disgustingly hot, although strangely none of the kids seemed to mind. Long as there was plenty of water to pour over heads, it was all good with them.
Kate no doubt doesn't enjoy the 12 hours of baseball per weekend, but she does have a lot of fun running around with the players' little sisters. And brothers, one of whom a 4-year-old she allegedly kissed on the mouth this weekend. Awesome! She was up past 10 the first night (and second straight, since the previous night was the 4th, and she enjoyed her first fireworks display), and jumped in and out of the pool, and was tossed, around 100 times. We hosted another little girl for a sleepover the first night; they were pretty cute together. The second night, though, way behind on sleep and overwhelmed with activity and other kids and baseball, she was plenty happy to just go back to the room and sleep for about 11 hours straight.
Saturday night, with the team 3-0 and having enjoyed a nice meal at Outback Steakhouse, we went to the Grand Prix Arcade/Racetracks across from the hotel. It's a sprawling collection of bumper cars, bumper boats, video games, mini golf, and go-kart racing; basically kid heaven. Jack had more fun than I've seen him doing the various racing things, just giddy with laughter at each new track. He even talked me into going onto the bumper boats; I'm sure one day a chiropractor will tell me to thank him.
Headed back to the hotel at around 11 p.m. that night, an exhausted Jack waxed philosophical on everything. "It's amazing how much my life has changed by going out for travel baseball," he said. How so, I asked. "Last year I was just at home sleeping at this time. Now I'm running around with my friends all weekend and swimming and playing baseball. It's great."
And then we got back to the hotel, this half-asleep kid went to bed, and he slept about two hours later the next morning than he had in years.
Jack's first baseball tournament was in Basking Ridge, New Jersey back on Memorial Day Weekend. To the surprise of everyone, Port Chester went in and won all five games (including two playoff games) to emerge as champions. Rehoboth, though, was viewed as a much tougher nut to crack. In past years, Port Chester not only hadn't done well there -- they hadn't won a game. Last year they went 0-3 in games on Friday and Saturday and cleared out of Dodge early in the morning on Sunday.
Given that information, expectations were kind of low, but surprise. On Friday night, Port Chester simply outclassed its opponent, shutting them out in a 10-0 game that shouldn't even have been that close -- the umps incorrectly imposed a 4-run limit on runs per inning. After that easy win, the team returned to the hotel and (with temperatures in the 90s all weekend) celebrated at the pool until curfew. Lots of happy baseball players, coaches and families, and plenty of jumping in the pool and throwing kids around (to their delight). Kate probably had as much fun as Jack, which was nice.
The first game Saturday was more of the same; Pirates dominated a lesser opponent. It was a closer game (albeit not on the scoreboard, 11-0 I think), but never in doubt.
Jack was struggling a little at the plate. He started out with his feet too wide apart; got that straightened out, then wasn't keeping his second hand on the bat; then (since the whole team was drawing heat for taking strikes) overcorrected, swinging at everything. By Game 3, he was hacking a little bit (Port Chester won that game, too, though, in dramatic fashion, nearly blowing a 7-2 lead but cutting down the potential tying run at the plate in a bang-bang play to end the game).
In Game 4, he struck out three times, so discouraged after one that he came back to the bench in tears. "I stink at baseball!" he cried, as low as I've seen him in a while. Incidentally, the no crying in baseball motto does not apply to 8-year-old games. I think I would have an easier time listing the players who didn't cry this weekend -- there weren't any. I had the tough experience of picking Jack from that low point, just as the other coaches had to pick their own kids up from equal (or in some cases, worse) meltdowns. Not to mention the parents who either tried to soothe (or in some cases, caused) their own child's tears.
It's an emotional experience, for 8-year-olds, for parents, for coaches, for baseball fans. I saw parents probably going a little too far in yelling at kids, and put in impossible situations of trying to talk despondent kids back to calmness. I felt that with Jack, after seeing him as low as he was, what I needed to do there was pick him up, and dial back the advice and counsel, because he was getting so much (from coaches, teammates, and other parents) that it was simply too much -- more than an adult should have to deal with, probably, and way more than an 8-year-old should.
So I cut back on the advice, and ramped up the encouragement, and things got better. In Game 5, which turned out to be the last game, he came up with the bases loaded and us down 2-1, and got a hit off a slow roller down the third base line that he beat out. I was yelling RUN RUN RUNNNNN! and I think he was running as fast as I've seen him, but whatever else that may been said or done, he got there and was safe. He came back to the dugout after the inning (where we took a 3-2 lead) as happy as I've seen him, with a big grin and his eyes shining, happy he'd come through. I don't care if the hit had been 5 inches, but I know he (and yes, I) needed that to have happy memories of the weekend, or so they wouldn't be overshadowed by his struggles.
We lost that fifth game, though, 8-7, with the tying runs on base in the final inning as three Pirates went down on strikes. There were a lot of tears and a lot of disappointment; having won their first tournament, some players on this team didn't know what being eliminated felt like. But it was an awesome game, and the team played hard, and players all over the lineup made plays or got hits to leave us with the memory of a game that left the tournament sponsors afterward saying it was the best they could remember in several years. A pretty classy moment, even if not all the kids wanted to hold their heads high afterward. But they could have.
Three asides that should be mentioned:
I have never been so hot for three days straight as at this tournament. There was almost no shade anywhere at the baseball complex, and the dugouts that had shade had metal roofs -- much warmer in them than under, say, a tree. And we were in shorts; the kids were in baseball pants, high socks, and cleats. High volumes of water, Gatorade, juice, and water were consumed, and high volumes of perspiration were put forth. It was just disgustingly hot, although strangely none of the kids seemed to mind. Long as there was plenty of water to pour over heads, it was all good with them.
Kate no doubt doesn't enjoy the 12 hours of baseball per weekend, but she does have a lot of fun running around with the players' little sisters. And brothers, one of whom a 4-year-old she allegedly kissed on the mouth this weekend. Awesome! She was up past 10 the first night (and second straight, since the previous night was the 4th, and she enjoyed her first fireworks display), and jumped in and out of the pool, and was tossed, around 100 times. We hosted another little girl for a sleepover the first night; they were pretty cute together. The second night, though, way behind on sleep and overwhelmed with activity and other kids and baseball, she was plenty happy to just go back to the room and sleep for about 11 hours straight.
Saturday night, with the team 3-0 and having enjoyed a nice meal at Outback Steakhouse, we went to the Grand Prix Arcade/Racetracks across from the hotel. It's a sprawling collection of bumper cars, bumper boats, video games, mini golf, and go-kart racing; basically kid heaven. Jack had more fun than I've seen him doing the various racing things, just giddy with laughter at each new track. He even talked me into going onto the bumper boats; I'm sure one day a chiropractor will tell me to thank him.
Headed back to the hotel at around 11 p.m. that night, an exhausted Jack waxed philosophical on everything. "It's amazing how much my life has changed by going out for travel baseball," he said. How so, I asked. "Last year I was just at home sleeping at this time. Now I'm running around with my friends all weekend and swimming and playing baseball. It's great."
And then we got back to the hotel, this half-asleep kid went to bed, and he slept about two hours later the next morning than he had in years.
Monday, July 01, 2013
Movies
Jack's game was rained out so we had the afternoon off. Kids (well, Jack) had been asking to see Monsters University, so I loaded them into the car and we were off.
Parked and rode the escalator up. Kate ran up, Jack lingered at the bottom looking at posters, I was kind of halfway to each of them. Eventually we congregated and got in line. Apparently I thought it was the 90s or something, because at the cashier for matinee tickets for two kids and one adult, I held out a $20. It was $31.00. Would have been $10 more for 3D. I also held out a $5 for popcorn. It was $8. I am old, and apparently senile. Jack noted that we got free refills for our livestock sized popcorn. Will your baseball team be joining us?
We sat in the very back, which is more than close enough. Jack was into the popcorn up to his elbow, while Kate ate her share, too. They were entranced by the previews, with Kate saying "I love this movie!" at every one. The animated short beforehand was, uh, slight.
The movie was filled with monsters, scary to Kate in parts. She climbed into my lap about 8 times. This is because after 10 minutes, my leg goes to sleep and I have to put her back into her seat. Then a monster shows up, and she sidles her way back onto my lap. And she does not sit still.
At the end of the movie, a song came out for the credits, and Kate gets up and dances. A lot. Jack: "Kate, what are you doing?" Kate: "I'm dancing!" And continues. Jack shrugs and joins her. I consider getting my free popcorn refill, because I don't think I got much of the first bag.
Parked and rode the escalator up. Kate ran up, Jack lingered at the bottom looking at posters, I was kind of halfway to each of them. Eventually we congregated and got in line. Apparently I thought it was the 90s or something, because at the cashier for matinee tickets for two kids and one adult, I held out a $20. It was $31.00. Would have been $10 more for 3D. I also held out a $5 for popcorn. It was $8. I am old, and apparently senile. Jack noted that we got free refills for our livestock sized popcorn. Will your baseball team be joining us?
We sat in the very back, which is more than close enough. Jack was into the popcorn up to his elbow, while Kate ate her share, too. They were entranced by the previews, with Kate saying "I love this movie!" at every one. The animated short beforehand was, uh, slight.
The movie was filled with monsters, scary to Kate in parts. She climbed into my lap about 8 times. This is because after 10 minutes, my leg goes to sleep and I have to put her back into her seat. Then a monster shows up, and she sidles her way back onto my lap. And she does not sit still.
At the end of the movie, a song came out for the credits, and Kate gets up and dances. A lot. Jack: "Kate, what are you doing?" Kate: "I'm dancing!" And continues. Jack shrugs and joins her. I consider getting my free popcorn refill, because I don't think I got much of the first bag.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
More baseball
The summer travel baseball schedule is in full swing. Jack had a road game Monday, a home game Tuesday, and pitching practice on Wednesday. Tidbits from each:
-we walked into the road game to see a team practicing on what appeared to be the field. "Dad, is that the team we're playing?" Jack asked, not without trepidation. The kids looked to be about 12. No Jack, our field is over there. "Oh. Whew."
-it is all a big party for Kate. She hangs out in the stands with a bunch of kids her age or 4-5 years older, eating ice cream and lollipops and whatnot. I think she notices Jack has a game going on, but it is not integral to her enjoyment. The other day she was sitting on the lap of Taylor, several years older sister of one of Jack's teammates. I suggested having that teammate join us at the pool one day next week, and Kate said, "can Taylor come too?" I said, well, maybe we will have someone within 5 years of you in age along instead.
-in the home game, Jack got drilled by a pitch. There is some debate over how well he took it, with his own mother leading the "needs to be tougher" crowd. Emily is hooked on the games and Jack's performance, including not wanting him to be in pressure situations. Final inning, us down a run, she was keeping track of when he'd be up, and noting the possibility of him making the last out. Indeed, we loaded the bases with nobody out, next two batters struck out, bringing Jack to the plate. Every parent's dream or nightmare, depending. On a 3-2 pitch, he drew a walk, tying the game. He ran down to first with joy in his face, which continued when the next batter also walked to win the game. Happy kids afterward.
-the next night was supposed to be an off night, but the coach held pitching practice for a few kids, including Jack. For this one, I didn't coach, just stood on the sidelines with other parents watching. Tough to do! Jack looked a little awkward throwing off the mound and needs more work before he pitches in a game. Later he and I practiced in the backyard and he looked a lot better. While Emily was googling pitching tips for kids, I asked Jack what was up. He said, "Coach said to throw higher." I said, No, he said HARDER. "Oh." We will work on it.
-we walked into the road game to see a team practicing on what appeared to be the field. "Dad, is that the team we're playing?" Jack asked, not without trepidation. The kids looked to be about 12. No Jack, our field is over there. "Oh. Whew."
-it is all a big party for Kate. She hangs out in the stands with a bunch of kids her age or 4-5 years older, eating ice cream and lollipops and whatnot. I think she notices Jack has a game going on, but it is not integral to her enjoyment. The other day she was sitting on the lap of Taylor, several years older sister of one of Jack's teammates. I suggested having that teammate join us at the pool one day next week, and Kate said, "can Taylor come too?" I said, well, maybe we will have someone within 5 years of you in age along instead.
-in the home game, Jack got drilled by a pitch. There is some debate over how well he took it, with his own mother leading the "needs to be tougher" crowd. Emily is hooked on the games and Jack's performance, including not wanting him to be in pressure situations. Final inning, us down a run, she was keeping track of when he'd be up, and noting the possibility of him making the last out. Indeed, we loaded the bases with nobody out, next two batters struck out, bringing Jack to the plate. Every parent's dream or nightmare, depending. On a 3-2 pitch, he drew a walk, tying the game. He ran down to first with joy in his face, which continued when the next batter also walked to win the game. Happy kids afterward.
-the next night was supposed to be an off night, but the coach held pitching practice for a few kids, including Jack. For this one, I didn't coach, just stood on the sidelines with other parents watching. Tough to do! Jack looked a little awkward throwing off the mound and needs more work before he pitches in a game. Later he and I practiced in the backyard and he looked a lot better. While Emily was googling pitching tips for kids, I asked Jack what was up. He said, "Coach said to throw higher." I said, No, he said HARDER. "Oh." We will work on it.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Sick, birthdays, sick, etc.
Friday was the kids' last day of school, so we collected them, hugged their teachers (Kate drew a picture captioned "I love you, Mrs. Glockenberg," with two smiling figures in it with one saying to the other, I love you!) and went to have Mexican food. But Jack was starting to get sick, and he didn't eat much and then went home and lay in bed/on the couch all weekend. So that's pretty much Jack's story.
Kate and I went to the pool. Both days. She loves to swim. Jack likes to play or throw a ball in the water. Kate likes to jump in the water, swim in a circle, climb out, and jump in again. I think she did it 300 times the last two days. Sometimes I would stand in the middle of the pool and she would swim to me, and then back. Other times I would sit on the edge and she would swim from me, and then back. Aside from forays to the playground, and shuffleboard (she CHEATS!), that was pretty much how things went.
Kate also had two birthday parties this weekend. One was apparently fine, she had a blast. The other, well, she had a minor meltdown as Emily dropped her off, another later on (leading to me and Jack having to go collect her, except she was fine then) and a third toward the end of the party, leading to Emily collecting her early. Kind of a mess. Maybe she was starting to get sick, maybe she was tired, or maybe she was just in one of those moods where she was easily upset and couldn't shake it, as happens every so often.
Sunday evening, Jack was a little better, and Kate was perfectly happy again. We sat on the deck, ate grilled chicken and corn, and it felt like a nice end to a perfect summer weekend, although it wasn't. We will try again next week.
Kate and I went to the pool. Both days. She loves to swim. Jack likes to play or throw a ball in the water. Kate likes to jump in the water, swim in a circle, climb out, and jump in again. I think she did it 300 times the last two days. Sometimes I would stand in the middle of the pool and she would swim to me, and then back. Other times I would sit on the edge and she would swim from me, and then back. Aside from forays to the playground, and shuffleboard (she CHEATS!), that was pretty much how things went.
Kate also had two birthday parties this weekend. One was apparently fine, she had a blast. The other, well, she had a minor meltdown as Emily dropped her off, another later on (leading to me and Jack having to go collect her, except she was fine then) and a third toward the end of the party, leading to Emily collecting her early. Kind of a mess. Maybe she was starting to get sick, maybe she was tired, or maybe she was just in one of those moods where she was easily upset and couldn't shake it, as happens every so often.
Sunday evening, Jack was a little better, and Kate was perfectly happy again. We sat on the deck, ate grilled chicken and corn, and it felt like a nice end to a perfect summer weekend, although it wasn't. We will try again next week.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Old friends
Last Saturday, we wnt to Yorktown to visit a friend of Jack's whose family had moved up there last summer. We were friendly with the parents, too, but it was mostly to give him a chance to see an old friend. We had done something slightly similar once before, inviting a preschool friend to a party, and that didn't go overly well...a year apart had been like forever for that friendship. So we kind of figured we would stay a couple of hours, catch up and then head home.
Instead, Jack and Brian kind of picked up where they left off. They spent the next several hours playing with toys, sticks, video games, whatever, and then we headed to a nearby state park and we all fished, then they used a couple of metal detectors to find a bottle cap and a piece of colored glass on the beach. And then it was getting late, so we stayed for dinner, then broke out what appeared to be a limitless supply of sparklers, fired them up, and watched the kids run around waving them in the dark. While a seeming herd (flock? Gaggle?) of gray tree frogs serenaded us with their songs, and we were reminded that you don't have to drive too far out of the suburbs, which I feel like we live in even if we don't, to be in the country (which it felt like we were in even if we weren't).
Driving home, with both kids sleeping (Kate spent the day playing happily with the older brother, and fishing, and having a love-hate relationship with the sparklers), I felt better about the whole connecting with old friends thing, not only for Jack, but for us. We went up mostly thinking it was good for Jack to see someone outside his regular group of friends, but it was a lot of fun for us, too. You get stuck in routines of doing the same things with the same people and forget about all the other things there are to do (fishing! Ordering from a different Italian restaurant!) with somebody you don't see all the time.
So anyway. Jack had fun and we had fun, and it's nice when that happens not just when you drag your kid somewhere, but when you go there because of them. The next day I got an email from the Mom saying her son "was so happy -- he thinks Jack's his good luck charm," partly because he caught three fish after not catching any before. So that was pretty nice, and we'll go back there. Maybe next time Jack will catch a fish, too.
Although I think finding the bottlecap and colored glass made up for it.
Instead, Jack and Brian kind of picked up where they left off. They spent the next several hours playing with toys, sticks, video games, whatever, and then we headed to a nearby state park and we all fished, then they used a couple of metal detectors to find a bottle cap and a piece of colored glass on the beach. And then it was getting late, so we stayed for dinner, then broke out what appeared to be a limitless supply of sparklers, fired them up, and watched the kids run around waving them in the dark. While a seeming herd (flock? Gaggle?) of gray tree frogs serenaded us with their songs, and we were reminded that you don't have to drive too far out of the suburbs, which I feel like we live in even if we don't, to be in the country (which it felt like we were in even if we weren't).
Driving home, with both kids sleeping (Kate spent the day playing happily with the older brother, and fishing, and having a love-hate relationship with the sparklers), I felt better about the whole connecting with old friends thing, not only for Jack, but for us. We went up mostly thinking it was good for Jack to see someone outside his regular group of friends, but it was a lot of fun for us, too. You get stuck in routines of doing the same things with the same people and forget about all the other things there are to do (fishing! Ordering from a different Italian restaurant!) with somebody you don't see all the time.
So anyway. Jack had fun and we had fun, and it's nice when that happens not just when you drag your kid somewhere, but when you go there because of them. The next day I got an email from the Mom saying her son "was so happy -- he thinks Jack's his good luck charm," partly because he caught three fish after not catching any before. So that was pretty nice, and we'll go back there. Maybe next time Jack will catch a fish, too.
Although I think finding the bottlecap and colored glass made up for it.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Moving on up
Kate had her Moving Up ceremony today, which means she graduated from kindergarten. I am not sure exactly what she would have had to do to get held back, but regardless. She wore a lovely dress, and she and her classmates sang the songs she has been practicing around the house the last few weeks, and her various teachers and assistants spoke, and it was pretty nice. Jack had one two years ago, of course, but I don't remember it too well...will have to check the archives. I remember him wearing a blue striped shirt from the pictures I've chanced upon, and that he is still friends with most of the same kids. And Kate has made some nice friends the last few months, I think, so I hope she is too.
Anyway, all the parents stood around with our cameras, snapping pictures of the kids singing and waving and then getting their little diploma type things and smiling and waving some more. A friend sent a picture of Kate getting hers with a little proud smile. We took pictures with her friends and teachers and jack...nice morning. And the last moving up ceremony.
After, Kate and I went shopping and got lunch. Her choice, McDonalds. At home I mowed and she drew with sidewalk chalk. Kind of an ordinary Kate and Daddy afternoon. But fun; usually I have both kids, or neither so the one to one is nice sometimes.
At bedtime she told me she had a nice day, then sang herself to sleep.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Champions
We went to Basking Ridge, New Jersey last weekend for Jack's first Summer Travel baseball tournament. About three weeks ago he tried out for the team, and two weeks ago we found out he'd made it. Since then it basically rained for most of the last two weeks and he had all of one practice. But the tournament was on the schedule -- kind of a kickoff to the summer season -- so we just figured we'd do the best we could.
SATURDAY
It was pouring rain when we woke up in Port Chester, and Jack was scheduled to play his first game at 12:45. No way, we thought, but apparently the weather was a little better in New Jersey, so we headed out. Jack and I both dressed in our uniforms (I'm an assistant coach) for the drive, thinking all the way, eh, we'll get there and it will have already been cancelled. But no, it had cleared up, and although it was really unseasonably cold, and we both had 2-3 layers underneath our shirts, we played.
I played little league baseball as a kid and through grade school, and have been coaching Jack's rookie team the last two years, but the rookie team, at least, is nothing like this. A good share of the kids are playing are, well, not overly interested in the proceedings. Some of them like to bat, and a few like to play in the field and are focused, but it's probably 50-50 at best. Here, almost all of the kids were focused, competitive, and pretty good.
We weren't sure what to expect out of Jack. Would he be overmatched, nervous, intimidated. In rookie ball he got pitched to by his own coaches last year and a pitching machine this year, so he'd never even seen a kid pitch to him -- never faced a wild 8-year-old thrower ostensibly trying to strike him out (really, though, they're mostly just trying to throw strikes, period). I had images of the first pitch hitting him and that being it for the weekend or something. Not really, but I just had no idea what to expect. Nor did the coaches, evidently, what with only one practice; he was slotted 11th in the batting order out of 13 kids.
But when he stepped up to the plate, I was kind of amazed, because he looked like he knew what he was doing. To be clear, Rookie ball isn't at this level of play, and we don't watch a lot of baseball, so I was basically impressed by everything Jack did: digging in at the plate, stepping out to take some practice swings, swinging at pitches. Didn't look the least bit troubled, intimidated, or overmatched out there.
And then his second time up, in the bottom of the 5th of a 2-2 game with two outs and two on, he ripped a looping line drive beyond shortstop that drove in what proved to be the winning run, keying a 5-run rally in a 7-2 win (games are six innings). The crack of the bat, him running to first and getting a pat on the back from the coach. I don't know if it was the most exciting moment of my life, although I may have said as much shortly afterward, but I don't think I'll ever forget it.
After the game the other coaches were talking: "That hit was HUGE....!" "If he doesn't get that hit, we don't score any of those runs...." Opposing coach also said, "You guys got some clutch hits from the bottom of your lineup..." Uh, yeah, it was pretty awesome. Except for the part about it being really, really cold.
We had another game that night, a 7:30 p.m. start time which around our house is usually known as "putting the kids to bed time." I remember when we got the email about the game and were all like, What? And Emily was nervous and skeptical, as she has been throughout most of the Summer Travel process (prior to this weekend...!), and we figured, well, Emily will take Kate back to the hotel. But nope, we all went to the game, and our team was excited about the earlier win, and their team couldn't throw strikes, and we won handily. And happily went to bed, about two hours later than our kids normally went to bed.
And as I filled in the starting lineup the head coach gave me, I noticed Jack was batting 9th...up three spots from his previous spot. And he played all 5 innings in the field, as well. (The best six kids were in the infield and pitching, and the remaining seven alternated the outfield and the bench. But Jack was on the field for about 2/3rds of the innings, which was pretty good, though he didn't actually touch a ball on defense all weekend. I think there were about 4 plays by outfielders the entire weekend...not much gets past the infield.)
SUNDAY
We didn't have a game scheduled until 5 in the evening, so we hung out at the hotel for a while. We all went swimming in the indoor pool, which was the highlight of the trip for Kate. (Fortunately she's also friendly with little sisters of a couple of Jack's teammates, and loves to tease and run around after the boys, so she had fun at other times too.) We tried to get our increasingly tired kids to nap without much success, although Kate did nap some when I brought Jack to the field a little early for batting practice, but it might have been starting to catch up with Jack a bit. Not that he'd admit it.
That evening's game was a nail-biter against another 2-0 team. The winner would make the 4-team playoffs the next day, and the loser might too (did, ultimately), but it was a tense, close game. I know Jack had a walk and a groundout...don't think he had another hit. But they won by a 6-2 score and it was a happy bunch that went back to the hotel for dinner and drinks.
Adults stood around and talked proudly, kids raced around like crazy people, playing basketball and dodge ball and tag, some jumping in the pool.
I think I wanted Jack to do Travel baseball for two reasons...one, to maybe become pretty good at baseball, because it's a full schedule of games and practices all summer, and it's clear that at the end he'll either be pretty good, or maybe he'll be tired of baseball. (So far he's clearly leaning to the pretty good side, and oh yeah he loves it.)
Second reason was that I thought it would be good for him to hang out with a bunch of boys (mostly boys) his age at stuff like this. He has playdates and such, but it's not the same, and he doesn't have brothers or nearby boy cousins. And of course, he had a blast, and there will be two more weekends like this one this summer, plus all the in-week practices and games. So far, so good.
MONDAY
Jack's semifinal game was midday. In the morning we had a leisurely breakfast, and Kate and I went down to the pool together. It was nice, because we had the place to ourselves, and she's like a little fish, jumping in and out of the water over and over again. "Watch me, Daddy! Watch me the whole way!" And she swam and laughed and jumped and I watched. On the way back to the room she announced that she wanted me to put her to bed that night, "because I had so much fun swimming with you." That was nice.
Jack's team won the semifinal easily. They had some batting practice before the game, and maybe that was a factor, I don't know, but they had three 5-run innings in the first four (you can only score 5 runs in an inning, after which it's over whether there are 3 outs or not). Jack had another hit similar to the game-winner the previous day, and a hard foul ball down the line. They all hit the ball well, and celebrated going to the championship game, which was 4 hours later. Yes, our weekend which had begun with thoughts of, "Maybe we'll play well enough to make it into a playoff game Monday morning, or maybe we'll just get up and leave," had become "We're playing a Championship game at 4:30 Monday afternoon, and oh yeah tomorrow morning they go back to school." We got a late lunch at a wings place, the kids messed around like the 8-year-olds they are, and I got the starting lineup from the head coach. Jack had moved up a spot to 8th.
And, we won. Jack had a turn at the plate with two on and two out and a 5-2 lead and I don't think I've ever wanted him to get a hit so badly, but he struck out, but he was fine. Not overmatched, not all sad about it, just disappointed as you'd expect anyone to be, but fine. You never know; some kids didn't handle adversity that well. Because, well, they're 8.
But we got the last out in a somewhat jittery final winning, won 5-3, and were champions. We celebrated on the field, got a big trophy and a bunch of little trophies for all the kids (although bigger than you might expect...pretty nice), and there was applause and happiness and a lot of smiles.
Kind of crazy. Not only didn't we really think the team would do well, and didn't know exactly how Jack would react to the whole thing, we didn't have any idea how good they would play...how good 8-year-olds could be. You think of kids that age pitching and stuff and assume all the games will be like 15-12 or something. But it was real baseball, and the most fun I've had watching a baseball game in quite a long time.
I work in football, and that's pretty much the only sport I've thought about the last few years. There's the Red Sox, but I'm not as huge of a fan as I once was. My own baseball experience ended around high school, leaving out college softball or occasional fill-ins or whatnot, plus the Rookie coaching.
I don't think I realized I could enjoy baseball this much, or get into it so much. Mostly it was that Jack was playing. The rest, though, was that it's a pretty awesome game.
It was great to see parents applauding us after the wins. Lot of happy faces, happy and proud parents. It was even better to see the happy kids, whooping it up and just kind of giddy. I don't know the other kids well enough to say, but with Jack it was clearly a mix of happy, proud, and really, really tired. The way home from the game, the two hours back to Port Chester, he slept in his seat, head bent over sideways on top of the armrest. He looked all gangly, arms and legs and exhausting, snoring quietly in his seat.
And he was happy.
Before he fell asleep, I told him I was going to get a catcher's mask, so he could practice pitching to me. "Really?" he said, happily. Sure, I said. And so I will.
Because I get the feeling we're going to be playing a lot more baseball.
SATURDAY
It was pouring rain when we woke up in Port Chester, and Jack was scheduled to play his first game at 12:45. No way, we thought, but apparently the weather was a little better in New Jersey, so we headed out. Jack and I both dressed in our uniforms (I'm an assistant coach) for the drive, thinking all the way, eh, we'll get there and it will have already been cancelled. But no, it had cleared up, and although it was really unseasonably cold, and we both had 2-3 layers underneath our shirts, we played.
I played little league baseball as a kid and through grade school, and have been coaching Jack's rookie team the last two years, but the rookie team, at least, is nothing like this. A good share of the kids are playing are, well, not overly interested in the proceedings. Some of them like to bat, and a few like to play in the field and are focused, but it's probably 50-50 at best. Here, almost all of the kids were focused, competitive, and pretty good.
We weren't sure what to expect out of Jack. Would he be overmatched, nervous, intimidated. In rookie ball he got pitched to by his own coaches last year and a pitching machine this year, so he'd never even seen a kid pitch to him -- never faced a wild 8-year-old thrower ostensibly trying to strike him out (really, though, they're mostly just trying to throw strikes, period). I had images of the first pitch hitting him and that being it for the weekend or something. Not really, but I just had no idea what to expect. Nor did the coaches, evidently, what with only one practice; he was slotted 11th in the batting order out of 13 kids.
But when he stepped up to the plate, I was kind of amazed, because he looked like he knew what he was doing. To be clear, Rookie ball isn't at this level of play, and we don't watch a lot of baseball, so I was basically impressed by everything Jack did: digging in at the plate, stepping out to take some practice swings, swinging at pitches. Didn't look the least bit troubled, intimidated, or overmatched out there.
And then his second time up, in the bottom of the 5th of a 2-2 game with two outs and two on, he ripped a looping line drive beyond shortstop that drove in what proved to be the winning run, keying a 5-run rally in a 7-2 win (games are six innings). The crack of the bat, him running to first and getting a pat on the back from the coach. I don't know if it was the most exciting moment of my life, although I may have said as much shortly afterward, but I don't think I'll ever forget it.
After the game the other coaches were talking: "That hit was HUGE....!" "If he doesn't get that hit, we don't score any of those runs...." Opposing coach also said, "You guys got some clutch hits from the bottom of your lineup..." Uh, yeah, it was pretty awesome. Except for the part about it being really, really cold.
We had another game that night, a 7:30 p.m. start time which around our house is usually known as "putting the kids to bed time." I remember when we got the email about the game and were all like, What? And Emily was nervous and skeptical, as she has been throughout most of the Summer Travel process (prior to this weekend...!), and we figured, well, Emily will take Kate back to the hotel. But nope, we all went to the game, and our team was excited about the earlier win, and their team couldn't throw strikes, and we won handily. And happily went to bed, about two hours later than our kids normally went to bed.
And as I filled in the starting lineup the head coach gave me, I noticed Jack was batting 9th...up three spots from his previous spot. And he played all 5 innings in the field, as well. (The best six kids were in the infield and pitching, and the remaining seven alternated the outfield and the bench. But Jack was on the field for about 2/3rds of the innings, which was pretty good, though he didn't actually touch a ball on defense all weekend. I think there were about 4 plays by outfielders the entire weekend...not much gets past the infield.)
SUNDAY
We didn't have a game scheduled until 5 in the evening, so we hung out at the hotel for a while. We all went swimming in the indoor pool, which was the highlight of the trip for Kate. (Fortunately she's also friendly with little sisters of a couple of Jack's teammates, and loves to tease and run around after the boys, so she had fun at other times too.) We tried to get our increasingly tired kids to nap without much success, although Kate did nap some when I brought Jack to the field a little early for batting practice, but it might have been starting to catch up with Jack a bit. Not that he'd admit it.
That evening's game was a nail-biter against another 2-0 team. The winner would make the 4-team playoffs the next day, and the loser might too (did, ultimately), but it was a tense, close game. I know Jack had a walk and a groundout...don't think he had another hit. But they won by a 6-2 score and it was a happy bunch that went back to the hotel for dinner and drinks.
Adults stood around and talked proudly, kids raced around like crazy people, playing basketball and dodge ball and tag, some jumping in the pool.
I think I wanted Jack to do Travel baseball for two reasons...one, to maybe become pretty good at baseball, because it's a full schedule of games and practices all summer, and it's clear that at the end he'll either be pretty good, or maybe he'll be tired of baseball. (So far he's clearly leaning to the pretty good side, and oh yeah he loves it.)
Second reason was that I thought it would be good for him to hang out with a bunch of boys (mostly boys) his age at stuff like this. He has playdates and such, but it's not the same, and he doesn't have brothers or nearby boy cousins. And of course, he had a blast, and there will be two more weekends like this one this summer, plus all the in-week practices and games. So far, so good.
MONDAY
Jack's semifinal game was midday. In the morning we had a leisurely breakfast, and Kate and I went down to the pool together. It was nice, because we had the place to ourselves, and she's like a little fish, jumping in and out of the water over and over again. "Watch me, Daddy! Watch me the whole way!" And she swam and laughed and jumped and I watched. On the way back to the room she announced that she wanted me to put her to bed that night, "because I had so much fun swimming with you." That was nice.
Jack's team won the semifinal easily. They had some batting practice before the game, and maybe that was a factor, I don't know, but they had three 5-run innings in the first four (you can only score 5 runs in an inning, after which it's over whether there are 3 outs or not). Jack had another hit similar to the game-winner the previous day, and a hard foul ball down the line. They all hit the ball well, and celebrated going to the championship game, which was 4 hours later. Yes, our weekend which had begun with thoughts of, "Maybe we'll play well enough to make it into a playoff game Monday morning, or maybe we'll just get up and leave," had become "We're playing a Championship game at 4:30 Monday afternoon, and oh yeah tomorrow morning they go back to school." We got a late lunch at a wings place, the kids messed around like the 8-year-olds they are, and I got the starting lineup from the head coach. Jack had moved up a spot to 8th.
And, we won. Jack had a turn at the plate with two on and two out and a 5-2 lead and I don't think I've ever wanted him to get a hit so badly, but he struck out, but he was fine. Not overmatched, not all sad about it, just disappointed as you'd expect anyone to be, but fine. You never know; some kids didn't handle adversity that well. Because, well, they're 8.
But we got the last out in a somewhat jittery final winning, won 5-3, and were champions. We celebrated on the field, got a big trophy and a bunch of little trophies for all the kids (although bigger than you might expect...pretty nice), and there was applause and happiness and a lot of smiles.
Kind of crazy. Not only didn't we really think the team would do well, and didn't know exactly how Jack would react to the whole thing, we didn't have any idea how good they would play...how good 8-year-olds could be. You think of kids that age pitching and stuff and assume all the games will be like 15-12 or something. But it was real baseball, and the most fun I've had watching a baseball game in quite a long time.
I work in football, and that's pretty much the only sport I've thought about the last few years. There's the Red Sox, but I'm not as huge of a fan as I once was. My own baseball experience ended around high school, leaving out college softball or occasional fill-ins or whatnot, plus the Rookie coaching.
I don't think I realized I could enjoy baseball this much, or get into it so much. Mostly it was that Jack was playing. The rest, though, was that it's a pretty awesome game.
It was great to see parents applauding us after the wins. Lot of happy faces, happy and proud parents. It was even better to see the happy kids, whooping it up and just kind of giddy. I don't know the other kids well enough to say, but with Jack it was clearly a mix of happy, proud, and really, really tired. The way home from the game, the two hours back to Port Chester, he slept in his seat, head bent over sideways on top of the armrest. He looked all gangly, arms and legs and exhausting, snoring quietly in his seat.
And he was happy.
Before he fell asleep, I told him I was going to get a catcher's mask, so he could practice pitching to me. "Really?" he said, happily. Sure, I said. And so I will.
Because I get the feeling we're going to be playing a lot more baseball.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Mistakes
So, I didn't feel like a great Dad a couple of times today. The first time, Kate's class was having a picnic at Crawford park, and I was supposed to show up (apparently it was more certain in her mind than mine), and I was running late, and I got a little lost. One of our friends who was there called me, and said Kate was kind of upset. So I finally got there, and not only was she sad, but she was freezing, dressed for hot weather but it was kind of cool and breezy at the park.she had a sweatshirt, left at school. So I picked her up and she clung to me, all sad and freezing. We ate cold hotdogs, and the Magic Show started, and things got better. Finally.
At night, I saw Jack had this old video game of mine from the attic, where they aren't supposed to go, and I got angry at him and took it away. And his face kind of crumpled, as it does when he's really upset, and he said miserably, "But Mommy said I could have it...." And I immediately felt bad, and said, you know, I always meant for us to play it, it was mine when I was a kid, it needs batteries, but we'll get them and play with it. And he was brightening, and said, "Now that I know it was yours when you were a kid, I will be extra careful with it." And we read a dinosaur book and he went to bed.
I forget sometimes how much they love me, I guess, forget how easily they can be hurt, or disappointed, or sad. But they are also very quick to forgive, and to rally, and to cheer up. Quicker than me.
At night, I saw Jack had this old video game of mine from the attic, where they aren't supposed to go, and I got angry at him and took it away. And his face kind of crumpled, as it does when he's really upset, and he said miserably, "But Mommy said I could have it...." And I immediately felt bad, and said, you know, I always meant for us to play it, it was mine when I was a kid, it needs batteries, but we'll get them and play with it. And he was brightening, and said, "Now that I know it was yours when you were a kid, I will be extra careful with it." And we read a dinosaur book and he went to bed.
I forget sometimes how much they love me, I guess, forget how easily they can be hurt, or disappointed, or sad. But they are also very quick to forgive, and to rally, and to cheer up. Quicker than me.
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Tryouts
Jack had tryouts this morning for Summer Travel baseball. It is a pretty competitive league that would have a lot of kids playing at a higher level of baseball than him, but some at the same, I think as well. He would basically be playing baseball 5 or 6 days a week this summer, and either get pretty good or get tired of it.
We walked over at about 10 am for tryouts. Some of his friends were there, some kids he only slightly knew. I am friendly with a lot of the other parents from the baseball he plays in now.
It was 2 hours of parents standing around watching their kids do drills. Sometimes we stood, sometimes we sat on stands, sometimes we paced. I get that this is apparently something parents do, watch their kids try out for things, but it was all new to me. I watched him hit and was impressed, he connected on 5 in a row, good solid contact. I watched him in the infield, respectable, outfield, so so. He did as well as he plays, threw well, tried hard. What I said to him beforehand, just do your best. He did.
Walking home, there was a moment when he lamented he didn't think he was good enough. I gave encouragement, easily, honestly, seemed to cheer him. Emily did the same at home, when again he fretted he didn't make it. Seems to me it could go either way.
I will be disappointed if he doesn't make it, because I think he has some talent. Objectively, even though I am not objective. I have been told good things by others, coaches. If he makes it, I think he could actually become pretty good. Better than I ever was. He might already be better than I was. Seriously. We play in the backyard and I can't believe how well he can throw. The ball soars. A year ago the yard was plenty big. Now it is less certain.
Later in the afternoon, I asked him if he wanted to toss the football around. Just thought he needed a break. We did it for 2 minutes, and then he said, "Can we play baseball?" A month ago, he only wanted to toss the football around. Things change quickly.
So we played baseball, and I watched his throws soar.
We walked over at about 10 am for tryouts. Some of his friends were there, some kids he only slightly knew. I am friendly with a lot of the other parents from the baseball he plays in now.
It was 2 hours of parents standing around watching their kids do drills. Sometimes we stood, sometimes we sat on stands, sometimes we paced. I get that this is apparently something parents do, watch their kids try out for things, but it was all new to me. I watched him hit and was impressed, he connected on 5 in a row, good solid contact. I watched him in the infield, respectable, outfield, so so. He did as well as he plays, threw well, tried hard. What I said to him beforehand, just do your best. He did.
Walking home, there was a moment when he lamented he didn't think he was good enough. I gave encouragement, easily, honestly, seemed to cheer him. Emily did the same at home, when again he fretted he didn't make it. Seems to me it could go either way.
I will be disappointed if he doesn't make it, because I think he has some talent. Objectively, even though I am not objective. I have been told good things by others, coaches. If he makes it, I think he could actually become pretty good. Better than I ever was. He might already be better than I was. Seriously. We play in the backyard and I can't believe how well he can throw. The ball soars. A year ago the yard was plenty big. Now it is less certain.
Later in the afternoon, I asked him if he wanted to toss the football around. Just thought he needed a break. We did it for 2 minutes, and then he said, "Can we play baseball?" A month ago, he only wanted to toss the football around. Things change quickly.
So we played baseball, and I watched his throws soar.
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