Batter Up!

Fall baseball has begun...and what a great time we are having. Jake and Hudson are both playing this season, so our calendar is, well, startling. I keep telling myself, "It's 8 weeks, Jonna, it's only 8 weeks." I try not to imagine yet what life will be like when they are all 3 playing or when different sports are added to the mix. At least now we are all at the same sports complex... Really, we are having a blast. And when you get past sitting in the sun for 2+ hours while the heat of the day reaches triple digit numbers with multiple children climbing upon you, you just can't help but enjoy yourself!

They both had one practice last week (more were scheduled, but rained out) and they had their first games this weekend...Jake was more than excited to go to his first practice last week. He has been eagerly anticipating the day that he could be a baseball player!! He was fun to watch, too. And we had plenty of opportunities to interact with him throughout the one hour practice, as he VERY often left whatever drill he was to be doing to come and check on us, ask a question, take a drink, or see if Hudson was paying attention. I'm sure that it was very telling of his endurance for the sport - it may be an extra long 8 weeks... (Cole cried most of the first practice because he couldn't play baseball too. He kept begging me to let him go on the field and play with Jakey!!)

Jake's first game looked like a blast (Mommy was working - but Daddy took 122 pictures of the hour long game, so I feel like I was there) and made me laugh! Jake found plenty to do to keep himself occupied during the game. Here are a few of my favorite shots:

Yep, Jake is the one playing in the dirt...

Now he's on his feet...Here's the 'I'm ready' stance he learned!

He hits, he runs, and yes, he eventually scores!!

And this is his glove on his head! I'm sure he's paying attention, though...

You probably can't tell from these particular pictures, but he has a smile on his face in a lot of them! And Heath said several innings went by before Jake said that he wanted to come off the field and play with Hudson and Cole. After a little pep talk about commitment and being a team player, he was back in the game...One down, 7 more to go!

Hudson had his first game this afternoon, and it was a good one. This is not his first rodeo, so he is an old pro (as he is in all things). He has been looking forward to getting back to it - the fun, the practice, the ball, and the winning. In our league, fall ball is a development league and spring ball brings a more competitive season. So because the goal is working on skill and sport, they don't keep score, player stats, etc. I did, however, find it humorous that while the scoreboard wasn't on or in use, they of course kept score. And after the game, the coach made a point to tell the boys that they don't keep score during the fall, but IF they did our team would have had more points than their team at the end of the game. Hudson, therefore, inferred the intended meaning, despite the subtlety (ha!), and told everyone at CARE group tonight that they won today's game.

Here are some shots of the big guy:

Neither of us know the actual purpose of the war paint, but isn't eye black cool?

Batter up!

Playing catcher...and in the outfield.

The boy in action!

Should be a fun filled couple of months!