more baseball...

This is John's fourth year of playing Little League.  He has moved up to playing in Minor C this year.  Which means that the kids pitch, they play balls & strikes, outs, are allowed to steal and basically play 'real baseball'.  It is fun to see him fall in love with the game.  He is much more interested in baseball this year than in years past.  This could be because we didn't have cable in the past years and so he didn't get to watch it on TV.  But whatever the reason, he loves baseball.  We have been watching a lot recently on TV.  I'm trying to impart the idea that he lives in a suburb of Philadelphia so he should be a Phillies fan.  Partly for home town spirit and partly because I really don't want to raise a Cubs fan.  No offense to you if you're a Cubs fan but we live 30 minutes south of Philadelphia, go for the home team!

Now when we watch games we talk through the strategy of the game.  There is one out, runners on 1st and 3rd - where's the play?  It is a fun little family game.  Which I know is making at least one of my sister's roll her eyes.  But it's our little family game and we love it.

The boys still rotate positions at this level.  So John has played catcher (which he loves but is a little timid), outfield (which is totally boring), 2nd base (which is his position, if I do say so myself) and pitcher (which he is good at and really wants to do).   John has this sweet little move with his foot before he pitches.  I'm not sure where he picked it up but I sure do LOVE to watch my boy pitch.  The coaches for this team are so good with the boys and they are really learning a lot.

This season has been a crazy mix of weather.  We have had games where it was so hot that we sought shade where ever we could find it and the boys begged for popsicles.  We have also had games where we huddled under blankets, wearing our gloves and drinking hot chocolate.  And through it all their number one fan watches from her chair.  Grace has logged a lot of time at the field, both for practices and games over the years.  Thankfully, she is usually very happy to be out and about.  And loves to be around her brothers.

Here is a picture from John's first season.  Oh!  Be.still.my.heart.  He looks so little!!