Rehoboth

The Rehoboth Mass baseball tournament was coming up, so we were all trying to get ready. We had a great time at this tournament a year ago. But the morning we were supposed to leave, Jack felt like crap. There had been some flu and stuff going around, and as he was huddled in the car with fever and chills, we figured he had it.

But for everyone else it had been a 24 hours thing, and we had a hotel reservation. So Emily and I won Parents of the Year by packing Jack into the car and heading out on the 4 hour drive.

An hour in, Emily climbed into the back seat so Jack could put his head in her lap.

Two hours in, Jack tried eating some applesauce. And threw up. We got off the highway and pulled into a park and ride. Jack sat on the curb with his head in his hands while we cleaned up the car, and him.

After that, he was much better! He found a penny on the ground, which he happily called his lucky penny. He actually started singing in the car, I don't recall what.

We arrived, checked into our hotel, the rest of us ate, Jack seemed OK, we gave him some medicine. Suited up and headed to the game. It was clear, though, during warmups, that there was no chance. H tried to throw and chad no strength. Tried to move and looked pained. Approached us and one of the other coaches shook his head. He looks green, he said. Yeah.

After, at the hotel pool, his whole team was playing, and we were going to keep him out, but geez, he seemed OK and we just couldn't do it to him, make him sit and watch. Go get changed, I said, and he ran off, ran back, and had fun for the next couple hours. That's a large part of what Rehoboth is, and you know, he was fine.

Shared a bed that night, though, and he was awake a lot. Fever. Hot. So I kicked myself some.

But he got through the night, took more medicine the next day, and got through a game. First ball of the game hit to him in left, he didn't catch it, 2 runs ended up scoring. But then his first at-bat, down 3-0 with 2 on and 2 outs, he had a base hit that scored 2 runs and sparked us to tying it up. We won that game, won the next in dramatic fashion, ended up having a great tournament. And Jack was fine.

And slept a lot in the car on the way home.

Vacation

On Day 1 we drove 7 hours, with everyone grumpy because of the slowness and the traffic non stop, and then we stopped at McDonalds, ate and gassed up, and were relatively merry the final 3 hours, arriving just 10 minutes before the office where we had to pick up our rental keys closed for the day. Ten minutes later and we'd have had to find a hotel.

Day 2 the beach was just awesome. I got a little work done in the morning, felt a little better (have been battling something), and hit the beach. It was high tide, so there was very little beach, and the water was chilly. But we stuck it out, the water went down and got warmer, there was more beach. After lunch, suddenly, it was beautiful and we played in the water, found shells and rocks, and Kate spent I believe an hour and a half digging a hole in the beach so she would have a little pond to sit in. It was her thing, and I let her have it. Helped her some,,but I can only dig a pond next to the ocean for so long. She didn't mind. We ate fish tacos at Guapos and they were great. Jack ate a taco, Kate had some quesadilla. We got ice cream.

Day 3 we went to a bigger beach, arrived earlier, stayed much later, and had a great time. Jack met up with some other boys and a massive game of whiffle ball broke out. It was 2 on 2 when I left for lunch. It was probably 8 on 8 a couple hours later. When I pulled Jack away to eat his lunch, and we went out and rode some waves for a while, just bobbing like tops, I realized fully that all Jack needs to be happy is playing a game with a group of kids -- it's one of the things that makes him go.

"Wasn't that great, Dad? We were playing ball, and then they invited us over, and we were all playing ball!" I was still happy from the bobbing up and down in the waves, where it's just so peaceful,,and the waves so massive, that it was like we were alone in the world for those 5-10 minutes. But I said yeah, Jack, I know.

When Jack went back to finish his game, Kate and I took her boogie board out. I held it and she clambered on, then rode the waves out and back again, over and over. She's a little water bug; Jack likes the ocean but is plenty happy playing on the beach. Kate liked running back and forth into the waves, laughing and shrieking at the big ones.

We made a big sandcastle. They both helped, Kate amusingly bringing water even though every fifth wave reached us anyway. At one point she was about to pour the bucket when a wave washed over everything. We laughed and built again.

We met up with a college friend of Emily's and his kids, all 3 who were there were close in age. Kate happily played with one, digging holes together. Jack fidgeted until he could rejoin his game, but once that ended, he returned to make these new friends. They played in the frigid water together and ran around. After 7 hours on the beach we staggered home, ordered a pizza, and it was fantastic.

Birthday blog

Woke up at a reasonable hour, which was nice. Had coffee and pie for breakfast accompanied by great homemade cards.

Jack and I spent half an hour playing with his Snap Circuits electronics set. Saw something I'd written earlier about how much he liked that gift and wanted to get it back in rotation. Satisfying and fun.

Took the kids for a bike ride; I walked Riley alongside. It was nice; Kate has finally sort of mastered it, perhaps since she's so good riding her scooter these days, and Jack is very smooth. We went to the little playground and they rode around the tennis court while Riley ran around the baseball field. I watched, relaxed.

We came back, had lunch, turned on AC, watched a silly baseball movie. Kate at first wanted to watch something else, then got hooked. Our dog slept, we drank water and stayed cool on a hot day.

Dinner was eggs and toast, followed by a baseball game. Playoffs! Last year on my birthday, we lost our first playoff game. This was better. We won 7-3, Jack had a hit and a walk, there was little drama.

Afterward we got pizza and drank beer (not the kids), watched the Mets, ate ice cream. Kids sand happy birthday, hugged me good night. Wrote this blog. A nice day.

Baseball and Playland

Putting Jack to bed last night, he just wanted to talk, which is always fun. Sometimes he wants to name favorite things, which for him is typically "family, baseball, (and whatever he happens to be into at that specific time, so, baseball cards, rainbow loom bracelets, Skylanders, whatever)." This time he said, "What are your three favorite things about baseball?"

So I said, memories of going to games with my Dad as a kid, going to games with my family now, and coaching you and watching you play. That seemed to satisfy him, and he went to sleep.

Today we had a morning practice, which was kind of low key and fun. He hit OK, played some infield, smiled a lot. Always nice to see.

The family went to Playland in the afternoon. I think what I like most about Playland is that it's old, it's simple, it's a little hokey, and you don't have to make a ton of decisions once you're inside. This ride or this ride? Both? Ok. This one again? Ok. We go up high on the Ferris Wheel, get wet on the Log Plume ride (our first time -- it was awesome! I don't know how hwe hadn't previously noticed it). Jack took me on a ride that typically makes me feel sick. Kate takes me on a ride that destroys my back. They both love them so it's worth it.

Kate babbled along through and to and from her favorite rides. Jack ran from ride to ride. Kate got cotton candy as large as her torso. Jack took me on the Sky Skater and laughed and told me what to do while I grimaced.

We all laughed through the Log Plume ride a second time, again getting soaked. Then we weaved over to the Pier Restaurant and Tiki Bar, ate fish and chips, and a weary Kate slept in Emily's lap. Jack ate most of Emily's shrimp instead of his own fish, and I carried Kate back to the car.

At home, Emily said Jack talked to her at bedtime. Said he actually doesn't like the roller coasters that much, he prefers the centrifugal force ones (don't think he actually said centrifugal force) but went on them because we enjoyed them. Kid is 9 years old.

Riley

So we got a new dog. Riley is a year-old mix of hound and lab and pointer, I guess, or a pointer is a hound? Whatever. Anyway. She's really sweet and a little shy and mostly gentle,,though there is some rambunctious puppy there too. And three weeks in, it's pretty much love all the way around.

Jack has wanted a dog for years, lamenting the fact that numerous friends have dogs and that we don't have one largely because Kate is afraid of dogs. Not entirely true, but whatever. Anyway, he loves hugging and petting and playing with her. He's pretty much thrilled to have a dog, wanting all his friends to meet her and so forth.

Kate, in the space of a day, went from being afraid of dogs to being a dominant dog trainer. Maybe she likes having someone in the house lower on the totem pole of authority than her? Anyway, she hugs and plays with Riley but also feeds her, lets her in and out of her crate, tells her what to do, and takes her by the collar to lead her where she wants her to go. She's not the Dog Whisperer as much as the Dog Bosser.

In the mornings Riley wants to greet us all in our beds. (We put a gate at the bottom of the stairs now.) Then she runs big Figure 8s in the backyard at high speeds. Her tail doesn't wag as much as it turns in circles like a crank.

She's a happy dog and we are too.

Game ball

Jack's not the best player on his summer travel team. But every once in a while, he plays the best. This was one of those times.

On Saturday, we played a home game in pretty high heat. Jack caught three innings, a position he only just started playing a week or so ago. He loves it; the thing is, he typically plays in the outfield, where he might get 2 balls hit his way all game. As catcher, he handles up to 20 pitches an inning, throws them all back to the pitcher, and takes a shot at throwing out a base runner every few batters. One day he'll throw somebody out, although it's worth noting that the stolen base success rate with 9 year olds is probably about 90 percent. One day! Anyway, he did a nice job catching some off-target throws and fielding the position, and after the game got a game ball for his efforts.

Afterward he said to me, "you know, Harrison would have probably got it if he hadn't just got one the other day." I said -- and I'm sensitive to this because I tend to shrug off or downplay praise -- Jack, don't ever think like that. You got it because you deserved it. You did a nice job. Be proud of yourself.

On Sunday, we played a doubleheader. I kind of had an idea that Jack would make his pitching debut, since the head coach had done some extra work with him in practice last week, and said to me he'd try to get Jack an inning this weekend. So after the starter had worked his 3 innings (the most 9 year olds can pitch), and we had a big lead, Coach said Jack would pitch next.

Pitching is something special, because the ball starts with you on every play. It's basically quarterback in baseball, moreso I think at this level, and it's a far cry from outfield.

Jack had pitched an inning on two occasions last year, at least one of which I think was a favor to me because we had worked hard at practicing it. Both outings he kind of survived, gave up 2-3 runs, got through them. But he's improved. He threw a lot of strikes, struck out 3-4 in three innings of work (he remembered it at 6 Ks), threw fairly hard and was around the plate. Little fist pumps after strikeouts. Moreover, he fielded the position very well, jumping off the mound on a slow roller out in front and nearly getting the guy at first, and finishing his outing and the game by catching a popup off to the third-base side. How great was that? It was pretty great.

His teammates and coaches rooted for him throughout, calling him Jackster and whatnot, and when he finished up he flipped the ball to the coach. Who gave it back to him a few minutes later, his second straight game ball. Didn't matter that he'd just got one.

Good as it gets, right? Well, in the first inning of Game 2, he was in left field with two outs and a runner at 2nd. Guy at the plate had a base hit to left, Coach yelled "Home!" And Jack fielded the ball and threw a one-hop rainbow to the catcher to nail the runner. I'll tell you how often that happens with 9 year olds, or at least I would if I'd ever seen it before. As he jogged off the field with a big grin, teammates and coaches surrounded him and clapped him on the back like he'd hit a home run. Usually stoic coaches gave big smiles, one saying, Jack, that was a GREAT throw.

Jack also hit pretty well over the weekend, an important point because he'd been struggling, and we had been working in the backyard a lot with a tee, trying to iron out flaws. So we made progress. And that was something rewarding to see. Though in a weekend where he pitched 3 innings and threw a guy out at the plate from left field, well, it was still secondary.

Jack sometimes talks like he doesn't care about game balls, and I try to say they're not a huge deal. It's a team game, and everyone contributes. But it was pretty cool that on getting home, Jack wrote the date on his game balls, and built a little trophy case in his room, with game balls, tournament trophies from last year, and other awards and mementos. It's important to him, even if he doesn't always say it.

I remember the bad moments. Striking out a couple times one game last year and coming into the dugout saying, "I stink at baseball!" Lamenting that one of his friends did better than him "and he doesn't even care that much about baseball...I do!" Getting caught stealing in a playoff game and blaming himself for the loss.

And it really is those moments that make the good ones all the sweeter.

Like I said. Jack's not the best player on the team. It's not always this good. But this weekend, it was. It's rewarding to see the hard work pay off. It's rewarding to see the respect and happiness from his coaches, teammates, and other parents. Almost, but not quite, as rewarding as the big grin in his face when he came off the field.

Aunt Robin

It's always nice when Aunt Robin visits. The kids might only see her once or twice a year, but it's immediately like she's never been away. We got home from the airport, they flitted around her telling stories of their days and their summers and their favorite toys and books. And then she brought out the new toys and books she always brings and they oohed and aahed over those. She read them both stories before bed, much to their delight.

First day there was a baseball game, and Robin got to see Jack hit the ball well a couple of times, single and an error, and his team get a win. After the game, Jack ran around with his friends and teammates, Kate ran around with her friends (little siblings of teammates). Next morning, we got Dunkin Donuts, so the pictures of kids posing with donuts and grinning sugary, powdery donut grins abounded.

After a visit to Vermont, she was back in town for a dinner at MaryAnn's, where the kids of course ate too many chips, too little actual dinner, and sat on either side of her. We got home and had big bowls of ice cream, and she cracked them up by telling stories about her dogs, including Bruce, who apparently is not the brightest bulb on the tree.

Next morning, we sat around having coffee and cereal, with Jack and Kate again falling all over her, enjoying stories about her dogs and their cousins. Kate sat on her lap, and then Jack sat on her lap, hard, and she made him laugh by saying she thought she wet herself a little.

We said our goodbyes and I drove Robin down to the airport, talking about kids, parents, life. I saw her off to her plane and we started thinking about the next time we'd all see Aunt Robin, hopefully soon.

Swimming Pool

Took the kids swimming yesterday. Sometimes we have plans afterward, sometimes Jack is looking around for friends who might be there or making new ones, sometimes somebody is too tired or whatever, and it's more of a scattered experience.

But this time, it was a really hot day, there was nowhere we had to be afterward, and nobody else we knew was there. And so we jumped in the pool and swam. Kids tried to dunk me, we tossed a squishy ball around, we all went down the slide. The kids did little races swimming across the pool, and then we went into the deep end and they jumped off the edge of the pool as I tossed them the ball and they tried to catch them in midair. And THEN, they practiced leaps into the pool for each other, saying, "Kate, look, this is the Zombie dive," and "No, Jack, watch THIS one!" They did this for about 20 minutes, over and over.

And then we got ice cream. And they played shuffleboard. And hopscotch. And we swam more. And then it was time to go home. In the car, Jack said, "I think that was the best pool trip ever." And I was thinking, you guys swam, you played together the whole time, you jumped in the water over and over again. It may have been the best, after all.

Summer day

Kate and I went to the pool again today. It was really hot and after hauling our air conditioner out of the attic I really needed to cool off. Jack went swimming to a friend's house.

Kate went from slide to diving board to slide to ice cream man.

Bought Jack a tee today. He hasn't been hitting well of late and the extra swings should help. On his first swing he ripped a line drive that screamed across our yard and hit our dog in the foot. She was confused and alarmed, I was dumbfounded, Jack felt terrible. Fortunately she seems to be OK, but it was rough for a moment. Once she'd been relocated we hit a few more until he caught one and it cleared our back fence by a wide margin. And that was that.

Kate wrote a nice letter to her teacher, mr. hickey, who had written her from summer camp. She talked about swimming and Arts Camp.

The kids did the songs they are learning at camp. That was fun. It's no "Somewhere," but they were pretty cute anyway.

Jack had his first trombone lesson, from the 16-year-old son of a friend. Seemed a nice kid and Jack was very serious and respectful. Plans to practice every day, which would be impressive. Also already plans to save his money for a new trombone, he is currently using the school's. I have no idea how much they are, but said, Sounds great Jack.

Made what appears to be their favorite pasta for dinner and put them to bed. My turn now.

First Summer Weekend

Thursday was the last day of school. So on Friday, we made our lists of what we wanted to do this summer, and then went to the pool. Jack seemingly made five new friends (apparently he knew one boy from a camp he attended for 2 weeks last summer...I can't remember people I met last week) and they threw a ball around the pool for two hours. Kate swam and jumped and turned somersaults in the water, like a little fish. I bought them both ice cream.

Saturday, Jack had a baseball game. He made a great catch of a fly ball in left field, potentially saving two runs. Jogging off the field he got a fist bump from the pitcher and a high five or back pat from the coach...I don't remember, I was too happy about the catch. Truth is you don't see a ton of fly balls to the outfield at this level, and not many of those get caught. I wrote a big F-7 in the score book and congratulated him as he came into the dugout. He was actually pretty cool about the whole thing. Later he put a couple of balls in play (one hit and one an error) that drove in four runs in an 8-1 win. We walked home happy, him talking about driving in four runs (which were really less impressive than the catch, but whatever, as long as he's happy).

Afterward, Kate wanted to go back to the pool while Jack wanted to hang out and watch the soccer, so she and I went to the pool for a couple of hours, she again a little fish, us again getting ice cream. Back home that evening, we grilled a steak and played soccer in the backyard with our new dog.

Sunday, Jack had a baseball practice, Emily and Kate went to the pool AGAIN, and Jack had a video game birthday party at a classmate's house in the afternoon. We cooked out, played running bases in the backyard with our dog, and at night I caught a firefly, which Jack and I analyzed and I thought of his great third grade teacher, talking about his enthusiasm for learning.

Good start to the summer.

Last day of school

It's a tough competition with the teacher they both had in kindergarten, but Jack and Kate had probably their teachers we most liked this year, two awesome ladies who were admittedly smitten with our kids. Kate's teacher, at our first parent-teacher conference, I recall her pausing, taking a breath, and saying, "I LOVE Kate. She is so sweet and helpful, both to me and the other students, and she's very encouraging." It was a great year and I think Kate became happier, friendlier, and a better person this year. Plus she learned to read and did this ridiculous new math that I barely understood myself. But it was a great year, and today, after saying goodbye to basically every teacher she recognized, she went to a play date at a friends house and ate pizza and ice cream.

Jack, meanwhile, had probably the best teacher I've ever even heard of this year. Ms Gullotta was a wonderful teacher who was both sweet and kind and old school, the only one who kept the kids until 3:00 p.m. before opening her door. And most of them still didn't leave.

Some of the stuff she said to me today she had told us before, but it still really hit home. She said Jack was an extraordinary student, smart and talented and always eager and anxious to learn. "He inspired me...he inspired the other kids, I think to be better students. He inspired me to be a better teacher. He is an amazing kid." What do you say to that? I think I sputtered something about how great she was and how much he loved having her, all true, but I didn't put it into words as well. He had been in a reading group with her class the previous year -- he's currently reading at a sixth-grade level -- and she said she hoped she would get him in her class, and when she got the list, she immediately went down it to see if his name was there. I hugged her and she said "I've got my fingers crossed for Kate," and I said we do, too.

Then Jack and I went home and bought tickets for the New York Comic Convention in October, went out to a bar, er, restaurant, to have wings and watch the World Cup, and got some swings in at the batting cages, since some bad habits have crept into his swing. And then came home and played with our new dog. What's that, I haven't blogged about her yet? Ok, next time.

Happy

It's almost summer, and the kids are feeling it. Today, Jack had a baseball practice, and then we came home and made a steak on the grill. I don't even know exactly what started them off, but they started singing a commercial for goldfish crackers and just, uh, cracking each other up. They took turns singing and posing, posing and singing. And laughing at each other's poses and songs.

And then we all played the running bases game in our backyard, laughed, and went to bed.

Best Father's Day ever

Woke up to coffee, plus a smiling Jack proudly bringing me toast and a hard boiled egg he had made (well, the toast, anyway). Kate was very sad she had slept in, but I said I really needed orange juice. So she was happy.

Kids brought me cards they had made. In Jacks's, he and I wore our Port Chester Pirates gear, him his uniform and glove, me my coaches' shirt. In Kate's, we were smiling, and birds and butterflies flew about our heads. Their cards said really sweet things, too.

We went to the Mets game, and a Met led off the first with a long home run. We ate burgers and hotdogs, then finished with ice cream for all. Jack kept score for the first time. The kids posed cheerily for pictures. After the game they ran the bases. In most of the pictures, one of them gave the other rabbit ears, a goofy tradition that some days I would expect them to be too tired or cranky to do. (Late night last night.) And they were tired, but not cranky. Sweet and funny all day.

Way too long drive home, pizza, a catch with Jack in the backyard, kiss goodnight for Kate. Finally bed and not a peep from either kid. Great day.

Lot of random

Jack has been really into playing catch lately. Every night. Sometimes we play catch, sometimes he pitches to me. This afternoon we played half an hour of wiffle ball. This morning, he walked into the backyard on his own with his glove and ball to toss it up into the air a bit. To be honest he's kind of wearing me out. But I'll take it.

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Kate loves this scooter we got her. It was her present for Jack making the Summer Travel team. If she has to go to the park all the time for his games, she may as well have a scooter. She's pretty impressive on it, zipping all over the place like she's the Silver Surfer or something.

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Emily went out with friends tonight, so it was just me and the kids. I made a pizza which Jack inhaled and Kate half ate, half picked around the edges, because at some point recently she decided she didn't like tomato sauce. Kind of cuts down on the dinner options. But she ate some, and they both had watermelon for dessert.

They got into their pajamas, and we watched an episode of Gilligan's Island, me sitting between them on the couch. I brushed teeth and washed faces, then read a Magic Kitten chapter with Kate and some Calvin and Hobbes strips with Jack. Turned out lights, told them I loved them, hugged them, put them to bed. Then I came downstairs and wrote this quick blog.

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Summer travel

Jack had a baseball tournament in New Jersey over Memorial Day weekend. Expectations were relatively modest, I think partly because of the way our players got clobbered in the Spring Travel season. But we showed up ready t o play the first day, and indeed it felt a little like Spring -- rainy and cold.

Our first game was against a pretty decent team, but we played OK and ended up scoring 4 runs in the final inning to tie it up. Jack, who struck out, I think, his first time up, and had a slow roller ground single his 2nd, drew a walk during the rally and made it all the way around to third on a couple of steals with what would have been the winning run. But we didn't get the hit and it ended in a tie.

It was muddy and wet, and the kids were a mess, but they were pretty happy after a loss turned into a tie. We had a second game to play, and that one was ruder -- they clobbered our pitching, we didn't play well in the field, I am pretty sure Jack was too far from the plate and didn't get any hits. Didn't handle a catchable fly ball, either. We all left in a sour, tired, and wet and muddy mood, what with being rained on for half the night.

And after Jack's second strikeout, I said to him, you weren't too far from the plate that time...your feet might have been too far apart. And he gave me a pained, frustrated look and said, "It's always something."

In the car going back to the hotel (team dinner cancelled due to muddieness) we were all pretty glum. Well, not Kate, who had run around playing with other little sisters. We thought, is this what the travel season will be like? Is there a point to this if Jack's not having fun? How can I help get him back on track?

But then we had dinner out with the other coaches and their kids and a couple of wives, and for the most part the game was forgotten -- especially by the kids, who laughed and joked and ate chicken fingers and ice cream. We rolled back to the hotel, went to bed, and would wake up into a new day.

And on Sunday, I said to Jack, I am not going to give you any more advice during the game. I know it's hard getting 5 different people telling you what to do. Get comfortable at the plate and do your best. In the field, be ready. Have fun.

Before the game, they had a batting practice. Jack came back from his turn in the cages and said, "Coach said I did everything perfect!" I said, Great! Bring that to the game.

In Jack's first at-bat, a couple of pitches in, there was a loud crack (metal bats, but crack is all I can think of) as he hit a line drive single up the middle that was as hard and as well as he's ever hit the ball. It started a rally that took us from 3-2 down to 8-2 ahead. In his next at bat, another crack, as he roped the ball to left field for a double. Probably his 2nd best hit. Knocked in a run. We ended up winning 15-5, and the kid was all smiles, happy as I've seen him in a baseball game since last year. Relieved, probably, too.

First, it was great to see him happy. Smiling on the bases, a little fist pump after he made a nice play to get an out while filling in one inning at second base.

He played the whole spring without getting any moments like that (we didn't play many games and lost all of them). So this was a big change.

Second, it was great to see him do well, and hear the talk from coaches and teammates. Way to go, Jack! Stay hot, Jack! Teammates clapping him on the helmet and back when he came in. Just a couple of beautiful, glorious hits. Talking to the coach later, admitting I was afraid he'd be dropped in the lineup after the rough game, saying, I almost said to you, I know Jack is struggling right now, but don't give up on him. So I'm glad you didn't.

And third, it was nice after the game, with one coach kind of absently giving him a smile and a pat on the head, and the other, in post game comments, saying, "I want to mention Jack Richardson, who really swung the bat well. Nice job, Jack." Sometimes Jack might make a goofball face, but this time he just kind of smiled proudly, quietly. Kids: "Jack-ie!"

Afterward, I spoke to the coach who had praised him after the game, just saying, thanks. And he said, "Well, I know how hard he's working."

I realized then that that's what made me happiest, too. I know how hard he's been working. I know how much advice he's had to take in, how much frustration he's had a times, and how tough it probably was in the spring. How he wasn't having much fun playing something he actually loves to do.

I know how hard he'd been working, and it's always pretty great when that pays off.

All-Stars

Today was All-Star Day for Jack and Kate. It's an annual thing for their baseball leagues where all the teams gather at Lyons Park and get their individual and team pictures taken, compete in tug of war and sack races, eat hotdogs and ice cream, participate in skills competitions, and play an All-Star Game. In the past it was just the competing and the eating, but now Jack is in Minors Division, and he was an All-Star. So he got to eat free food all day, get a special All-Star jersey, and then play in the game with all the other All-Stars.

Kate did the tug of war and sack races. And she was really into it. It was kind of crazy. Before it started she said, "I don't want to do the sack race." We told her she had to, and she did and did it well. Then she not only did the tug of war, which her size-challenged team actually won somehow, but she joined in on a bunch of other teams short a player or two and helped them out.

And then she got ice cream and sat near the baseball field with a few other little girls and played with Barbies for two hours.

Jack finished 2nd in the pitching competition. It was this thing in the batting cages where you had to hit a target I presume some 45 feet away. He advanced through to the finals losing only at the very end, according to him after about 6 rounds. I don't know if that's correct, but I do know they called his name at the awards ceremony and he got this cool little trophy. Pretty awesome.

They had pregame warmups, introduced each player, lined them up on the baselines. They stood silently while somebody sung the National Anthem. It was crazy, like watching a real All-Star Game. Just one of those moments you feel lucky, not to have an All-Star Game but the whole baseball league. Another coach commented to me on how respectful the kids were. Pretty cool.

Jack went 2 for 3, handled his one infield chance cleanly and got a putout at second, couldn't make a play on a well hit ball to the outfield. His team lost 15-13 but it's an All-Star Game and it doesn't matter. They're all winners.

After the game we walked home -- another great thing, we can walk home after a day at the ballpark -- and Jack asked if I wanted to throw the football around. The football? I said. He said, yeah. So we put his pitching trophy inside and went out in the backyard with a ratty old Nerf football and had a catch.

Field trip

Kate's first grade class went to the Aquarium today, and I offered to chaperone. This was a huge treat for Kate, which is kind of cool; I don't always think about how much kids enjoy having their parents chaperone. She was excited about it all week and talked about it all last night. She was happy.

My charges were Kate, Her friend Hannah, and a couple of quiet, well-behaved boys. Miss Naselli assured me they wouldn't give me any trouble; indeed, Kate was the only one inclined to run off ahead.

The Aquarium was the Aquarium. We saw seals and sharks, the latter of which scared Kate a little. We saw jellyfish ("Where's the jelly?" Kate asked), Finding Nemo types of fish, sting rays and sea turtles. We took pictures of smiling kids with sharks and turtles in the background. We touched rays, saw Meerkats, and watched an IMAX movie about baby elephants and orangutans being raised by people after their Moms were poached, then returned to the wild. Sad and touching and cute. Kate loved it, loves baby animals.

Strangely, I think I most enjoyed eating lunch with my little group of smiling girls and peaceable boys. Hannah's Mom wrote her a note on her napkin; that was really sweet. She and Kate had two of the same snacks. The boys had deli sandwiches. I dunno. I guess I like seeing what other parents do, how kids interact with each other when they're just sitting together (as opposed to looking at a shark or a movie).

End of the day, we got on the bus, and I cracked the kids up with a goofy dance to a song the bus driver was playing. Kate gave me a big smile. Me going on her class trip was the favorite part of her day. Mine too.

Baseball

Today was the opening Saturday of the baseball season, with Jack playing at 9 and Kate playing at 11:30. Just last night, and indeed when we woke up this morning and it was raining, we didn't think it would happen. But the rain stopped, the tarp came off the field, and Jack and I headed over at 8:45 for his 9:30 game. On the way we saw a bunny on a neighbor's side lawn. We stopped and watched it for a few minutes.

Jack's game was against A team coached and well represented by his travel team coaches. Didn't expect to win, but in fact it was very competitive, with us trailing 7-4 entering the final inning. Jack hit the ball pretty well and was solid in the field, making a couple of plays at shortstop and playing a solid inning behind the plate. This was impressive because he was shakier in his first game, the previous night, and it was nice to see him step it up. Turned a nice putout with a school friend and nearly a great one with another teammate. We lost the game, but he and the team had every reason to feel proud of their effort. For my part, even though I at one point sent Jack into an out on the basepaths, it was nice to be coaching...in the summer, I mostly just kept score and assisted at practices.

It was like Jack himself said later, when I asked him if he was enjoying Minors. He said he was, enthusiastically; that, "you know, I had fun doing Summer Travel, but now I'm getting to DO more." (E.g., playing shortstop, leading off the batting order, etc.) On the travel team he wasn't one of the best players; now he is.

Kate's T Ball game was a nice little interlude, three innings of little kids knocking the ball off a tee, converging on it in the field, maybe throwing it to first. The games are kind of a hoot, but the kids had fun and most of the same coaches and friends from Jack's game were there -- one guy wore three different shirts while coaching three different teams in the space of four hours. Kate played with a smile on her face, which is about all you want to see.

Afterward we got lunch at the fields, chatted with other kids and parents from other teams, said hi to former players and teammates ("Hey weren't you my coach on Perrone Bros.?" Yup, hi Joseph). Just a really nice day.

For a couple hours or so, I talked to other coaches and watched other games. Jack played running bases, this baseballish game that all the kids play. Jack describing it later: "running bases is great because you never get tired of it. Until maybe after an hour, when you get bored. But then you take about half an hour off, and come back to it, and there are new catchers, and it's fun again."

We ate dinner out, watched Gilligan's Island, put the kids to bed early. Then I sat down to write about a great day of baseball.

Random stuff

- yesterday, while waiting for Jack to get back from a field trip, Kate walked into the classroom next door to his. She's friendly with the teacher, I think maybe partly because he used to have her cousins in his class. She spent the next 15 minutes creating art on his overhead projector/smart board/whatever thingy. Big smiles. The teacher didn't mind; Kate is very charming and cute. Loves teachers and they love her.

- picked up Jack from a play date at his friend's house today. I talked with the friend's Dad while Jack and the friend drew and Kate got the tour of the house from the younger brother, plus they all talked Skylanders. Nice family, pleasant time.

- Jack hadn't been swinging the bat well in practice, so a friend (and one of his summer coaches) said a e could come over and he'd give him some tips. So we did that for like an hour after dinner. The guy has four kids of his own and it was pretty cool he was willing to take some time to help Jack out. After the hitting session, Jack pitched a little off a makeshift mound he built recently. At the end he just messed around, using an exaggerated, Fernando Valenzuela delivery. Funny.

- Jack and I walked home and it was cold but pretty out. Kate and I read her Magic Kitten book before bed, the book she was allowed to take out as a second one because she couldn't choose between two series -- one she reads with Emily, one with me. So her teacher signed out the second one for her.

People are OK sometimes.

Spring Vacation, Day 4

The day began with an hour and a half worth of dentist appointments. This is the worlds best kids dentist office, since it has video games, a popcorn box shaped movie theatre showing "Frozen," and a life size suit of Iron Man armor. Anyway, the kids were great and I got some great selfies with Iron Man, and then we zipped home so Kate could go do gymnastics for 3 hours and I could host a couple of Kate's friends' brothers. It was 4 p.m. before it was just Jack and Kate again.

Kate and I played baseball in the yard. The girl can throw! She hit some too. Jack came out and we discovered he was a fiercer taskmaster than I was, giving Kate all the tips I give him...hmm, maybe I am a fierce taskmaster. Anyway. We had fun, and then I took Jack to his two-hour baseball practice. And I am really tired now, so, good night.