Days with the Dorans

Zach had a great ball season!  He really grew and we saw much improvement from him as the season went on.  He also had some memorable moments which I hope not to forget, but since I do have a horrid memory will write them down now.    I will never forget how excited he was when he caught his first ball in a game!  He talked about it for days and asked me if I will always remember it, which I will (because of the constant talk about it)!  His smile was the BEST!  We laughed when he was upset after one at bat because he thought the umpire made a wrong call.  He thought that foul balls weren't strikes- meaning he fouled off a couple and then watched a strike and was called out to which he said, "I mean... I just don't get it!!  Didn't he see that I fouled those balls!!!  He just doesn't make sense!"  We helped explain the rules and slowly he understood (though he didn't like it).  It was pretty funny.  So he learned not ...

So far our Goose hasn't had the best year at the plate... Sure, he is always at the ready in the field and does OK in practices, but we certainly need to practice with him more at home (there goes that time thing again).  I think he'd rather kick around a soccer ball but he still loves playing baseball~ probably because his 'best buddy' (aka my dad) is such a fan. Jeff worked with Z on his hitting and we were crossing our fingers he'd have a good game.  He is still learning the game~ even getting upset with the umpire (not to the umpire but to us) when he was called out on strikes.  He thought he should have had an extra pitch because he had foul balls.  He didn't understand that fouls were strikes and the only time you get an extra ball is when that foul happens on the third pitch.  He was pretty upset. His foul mood didn't last long though... His next at bat he had a great hit down the third base line and ran like the wind!  You would have...

 As much as I have missed of the Bigs playing ball, I haven't missed any of Goosie's games!  Thankfully they fell on Fridays and Saturdays (days where nothing else conflicted with game time).  I have to admit, I don't mind T-ball one bit.  I actually like watching it.  I remember when Joe and Al played, I said that I would come and find T-ball games when I was super old because they just make me smile and this season too didn't disappoint.  Z was much more into the game this year (though he certainly did some of those things he did last year... making sure the bases were clean (during play), shaking his head with his helmet on (because it just felt cool)~ That sort of thing.  There was even a kiddo that went to third instead of first.  I love it!  On top of all that cute stuff, everyone is NICE (something that can be lacking as the kids get older in sports). It's refreshing to see people on both sides cheer on EVERYONE. Though it ...

 Zach's season was FUN! He was the smallest (and youngest) kid on the team. I thought that he would be the comic relief for the team from his early practices where I would spy him standing alone shaking his head with his helmet on (just because he could).  While he did provide many laughs, he did listen to his coaches and did what they told him (literally). If they told him that at first base you went to the bag when the ball was hit, he did that faithfully (even if the ball was hit to him and he had a play).  One game that I remember fondly, Z had a ball hit to him in the field.  He did a great job and threw it to third base.  The only problem was HE was playing third base so there was no one to throw it to.  Another game he was playing pitcher (remember this is T-ball so there really isn't any 'pitching'), and between every batter he would go to the mound and brush away all the dirt on it (though I doubt any new dirt got on the mound between ba...