Going Home!

Today was one of those days I have been dreaming about for a LONG time! It was Ali Jane's first softball game and it was on the same fields I played on growing up (though they are much nicer than I recall!). I spent half of my life on those fields and just driving up to them brought back so much emotion!

It was a crazy day! With Jeff having P/T Conferences, my lifesaver (aka mom) helped me by taking Joe to practice. My dad is the scorekeeper for my brother's team (he coaches Varsity baseball at his school) and so I was the only one cheering Al on! Well... Z and Sean were there too... I knew early on that I was in trouble with them... Sean wanted to make a dash for the lake (aka huge puddle from the last few days of rain) and Z started to get cold and was whiny and miserable!

Somehow I managed to still see my babe play! Her first time up to bat was AWESOME! She walked up tentatively and the ump helped her set up- batting right!!! Ali Jane can actually swing both ways so her stance looked fine right- but we've been developing her as a lefty at the bat. I shouted out that she's a lefty and Al turned herself around and settled right in. She was quite serious and watched the first two balls. I wasn't sure what to expect but when the next pitch came, she swung AND CONNECTED!

I thought that she was going to trip running to first but she didn't and she made it! I couldn't believe it and was so proud of her! With her getting her first hit and the girls in the dugout singing cheers I remember singing when I was in their place, I felt like I was in my glory! Ali Jane and I spent last night in the yard catching and batting and I realized how very much I missed the sport that I loved more than anything growing up! Seeing her tonight made me so very proud!

Al's team did great and they ended up winning 8-0 (I think...). She got to run the bases and eventually even made it home (on a walk)- and yes my shy, timid (in public anyway) Ali Jane cracked quite a few smiles! We feel really lucky because she has an amazing coach and watching him out there encouraging the girls made me wish I had money to get a nanny or something so I could start coaching too!

Nothing came to Al in the field and before her next at bat she came to me in tears. She said she was freezing and her hands were hurting her. It was freezing (my feet were numb... the only part on me without at least three layers). I felt badly for her but told her to be tough and reminded her that I played in snow before and I somehow survived. She wiped her tears and got back in the game. On her next at bat she struck out but went down with a nice swing. I know this sounds odd but I was almost hoping that she would strike out. Hitting a ball with frozen hands is a pain I remember and didn't wish on my budding ball player!

With all this talk of frozen, rainy weather you may be wondering what ever happened to the Littles... Well, I got smart and after picking Sean up (after tripping from running from me) for the third time, I took he and Z to the van. I strapped him in his chair, handed him some matchbox cars, put in a movie for Z and told him to yell for me if Sean needed me! This actually worked out better because I could focus on Al and still check on the boys easily to make sure all was well!

Thursdays are Ali's ballet night (she skipped tonight for the game) and then I go to Zumba. I was so sad to miss my workout tonight, but I got a bit of a workout anyway. Between innings I did lots of squats playing peek-a-boo with Sean. We don't let him watch TV yet (he's not two) and even if we did, his seat faces backwards because of the new pediatric recommendations with car seats. My lunging up and down got him smiling and I am still shocked he made it over an hour hanging out in that car!

At the end of the game Al was sitting with some of her new friends under a blanket trying to get warm. Her team has girls from kindergarten to second grade on it and she is the youngest but I was happy to see her get in there and do her best. She cried after the game and I tried to warm her ice cold fingers as best I could and cranked the heat on the way home (Sean was SWEATING like a pig when we got home) and Ali finally thawed out.

On a side note, I had to smile when I learned WHO Ali Jane's team was playing tonight... They were playing "The Mighty Molars!" I remembered being on Dr. Lepak's Mighty Molars a few times growing up. When I was in second grade I was on the Mighty Molars and was also the Carolina Blue color- just like Al's team (though their uniforms are MUCH cooler now and I love that they all got hoodies with their names and numbers on them). I got out my old photo albums and walked down memory lane with Al and the boys. When Jeff came home, I started reading him some of the paper clippings from when I played ball in high school. There was talk of home runs, triples and doubles to which Jeff asked if we had fences... I didn't really see where he was going. He said, "I just don't get it because I don't see you running that fast." I told him I didn't- but I could hit the ball when I needed too! Gosh softball... how I miss those wonderful days we spent together! It is so good to be home!

A picture of my first softball team when I was in first grade (you couldn't play in kindergarten back then...) Can you guess who I am?